Condition of new horse

siennamiller

siennamiller

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 July 2005
Messages
2,417
Location
west sussex
Visit site
This is my new girlie, I have had her for 2 weeks, she currently has 1 scoop Saracen molasses chaff, 1 scoop falcon feeds Alfa chaff, 1 scoop Saracen show condition pencils, and 1 scoop grass nuts, 1 scoop sugar beet, plus brewers yeast, magnitude, and garlic. I am in the process of changing feeds over which is why it is a bit of a mixture at the mo. Thinking of getting her some micronized barley? She has a good amount of energy, maybe slightly more oomph needed in Sj ring. We have started British novice, she has ad lib hay at night, and is out on good grass in the day.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/elvismiller/imagejpg1-2.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/elvismiller/imagejpg1-1.jpg
This is her on Friday
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/elvismiller/imagejpg1.jpg
 
What is your target finishing food, as in, what are you currently in the process of cutting out? I would ditch the garlic and all the molassed stuff, just go back to basics with serious fibre. No idea what the "show condition pencils" are, but would check the starch content. Wouldn't feed barley. If you're concerned about energy and condition, consider adding more fat instead, through something like micronised linseed, Copra, or adding oil. If you must feed grains, good old oats are probably your best bet!
 
She looks in reasonable condition but rather unfit, which may be why she lacks energy rather than needing extra feed, get her fitter and you should see a difference in performance, I would not start giving barley to her the high starch can make them fizzy which may not be ideal when you are still getting to know them and the spring grass is coming through, keep her on fibre based feeds and oil for energy, linseed would be good for improving overall condition.

She appears to have some fairly extensive muscle wastage more obvious on her nearside quarters, it is not that clear in the photo from behind as she is not standing square, the chiro should be able to advise and help , plenty of slow steady work will build her up correctly and will also help her jumping improve.
 
I got the Saracen molasses chaff because she doesn't like the stalky stuff in the alfalfa chaff, plus she is going on 13, so tight the softer chaff would be easier on the old teeth.
Show improver pencils are as below
Wheatfeed
Oatfeed
Wheat
Molasses
Full Fat Soya
Equi-Jewel® Rice Bran
Sunflower Extract
Soya Extract
Full Fat Linseed Meal
Beet Pulp
Calcium Carbonate
Dicalcium Phosphate
Sodium Chloride
Vitamins & Minerals,

So I am on the right lines thinking if getting micronized linseed? Where do I buy copra, never heard of it before today....
 
Lol, just realised I put micronised barley, and I meant linseed doh! Yes, she is very unfit, spent 3 weeks in a box before coming over here, so the lack of fitness, and muscle wastage are partly down to that, also was not ridden much in last home. I have been riding her since December, so have been slowly ghetto her fit, but only bought her and took over feeding a couple of weeks ago.
 
Will ask at my feed place for that. Hmmm, was recommended the show improver pencils as being good for weight gain, do you mind if I ask what puts you off it?
 
The rice bran and the wheatfeed etc., in my understanding, are rather high in starches. I'd avoid those. And added molasses won't help! For weight gain, I fed a mix of unmolassed sugarbeet, Copra, linseed, + mineral balancer. The Copra has an even higher digestible energy (at 15 MJ) than the Show Pencils (at 12.5 MJ; just looked it up).
 
I would not be wanting that horse to put on any more weight if she is going to be having an active life as a sj'er. Her ribs are not even showing. She has nice muscle lines on her hind quarters.

I actually think she looks pretty good considering she's been in the box for three weeks. I certainly do not see any muscle wastage. The photo from behind her is at the wrong angle to properly see whether her quarters are symmetrical.

I can see how somebody who was used to having an overweight horse might think she was underweight. But she is a competition horse and they perform better on the lean side. As somebody already said, she just needs to get a fitter.
 
Last edited:
It is tricky with her, because she had done of those jumpers rumps, so she is an odd shape behind, I wish I had taken a pic of her when she first came over, she looks a lot better now. Thanks, nice to hear she is looking ok. Working on the fitness :), me and her, my chest hurt when I came out of the ring after a bn the other day :o).
 
siennamiller said:
It is tricky with her, because she had done of those jumpers rumps, so she is an odd shape behind, I wish I had taken a pic of her when she first came over, she looks a lot better now. Thanks, nice to hear she is looking ok. Working on the fitness :), me and her, my chest hurt when I came out of the ring after a bn the other day :o).
Click to expand...

There are so many pictures of and stories about fat horses on here it is nice to see something lean for once!

Good luck :-)
 
Last edited:
spookypony said:
The rice bran and the wheatfeed etc., in my understanding, are rather high in starches. I'd avoid those. And added molasses won't help! For weight gain, I fed a mix of unmolassed sugarbeet, Copra, linseed, + mineral balancer. The Copra has an even higher digestible energy (at 15 MJ) than the Show Pencils (at 12.5 MJ; just looked it up).
Click to expand...

What spookypony said . . . I give my 15-year-old linseed, copra and D&H ERS Pellets as a balancer. Oh, and unmolassed chaff. Works great.

P
 
Right, off to feed place on tue to get linseed and see if they have copra, presume it is power stance I am looking at?
Darremi, I prefer them looking fit and lean than fat. I don't think she is the type to get far anyway lol, bit of a stress head!
 
I have my boy on the show improver mix and was advised by the Saracen nutritionist that if this made him a bit to sharp/hyper to swap him to the pencils as they are lower in starch. I would recommend giving them a call or filling out there online form, there advice is fantastic and I really recommend the food :)
 
How many feeds is the original list being broken down in to? If that is each feed just bare in mind that horses are trickle feeders and that amount will be quickly pushed through, better to feed smaller amounts 2-3 times a day otherwise it is just going in one end and out the other. Sorry if you have already covered this, my phone won't let me view it all. :-)
 
Darremi said:
There are so many pictures of and stories about fat horses on here it is nice to see something lean for once!

Good luck :-)
Click to expand...

Have to agree with this. She looks a lovely type, hope you're having fun with her.

Hopefully the BY will help settle her down, it'll certainly help with her coat and hooves condition. Have you thought about a balancer instead of all that lot as one might help give her everything she needs especially when the grass comes through? My thoughts would be a balancer and a SB type or possibly soaked grass nuts to mix, but that's me as I hate chaffs, find them a waste of money, lol.

You could try this, it includes Equi Jewel and seems to work well (it got Bea back after weaning!) http://www.saracenhorsefeeds.com/conditioning/31-show-improver-pencils
 
Last edited:
Hi Pat,

Hope you are all well? I have just done a comp report for today, and pleased to say she is lots of fun.
That is the feed she is on, but that other people are saying not to feed her that?
 
cant see pics but just to say:
some horses cannot cope on starchy feeds, others can and it really does depend on the individual.

sis's horse has to have fibre,oil,more fibre,more oil as is whizzy and buzzy and intolerant to a lot of stuff.

mine is dead as a dodo on fibre/oil only and has a starchy cereal based museli (havens slobbermash) and he is fab on it, round, fit and full of nice energy.

the show improver pencils are pretty starchy and rocket fuel like, but if she is working well on them and they are not making her tummy sore, i wouldnt panic.
if you want condition and less ping, try winergy condition-brilliant feed :)
 
Hmmm, interesting you say that, a few times I have been down in the morning and her box has been a bit if a mess, and I wonder whether she might have been a bit colicky, but had seen no obvious signs. Maybe she has been getting a bit of a sore tummy from the pencils?
Ping wise, she is fine, about right.
 
Personally I would not want to feed her up anymore. In the initial pics she looks fine, just in need of a bit of muscle in her back end, but in this pic she has certainly added a few pounds, and if she were mine I'd be cutting everything back to be honest. She looks a lovely mare though :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top