Condition without going crazy?

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coen

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My horse has always struggled to gain weight but it is really apparent at the moment and needs sorting before winter hits.

He is currently out on good grass during the day and has ad lib hay in the stable.
He is fed alfa a oil in both feeds, although not much at the mo as he has been fairly highly strung recently, however even when given significant amounts it doesn't seem to make much difference.

So I am looking to change his feed but I don't know what too...he really can't have anything which is going to blow his brain but needs to put on a fair bit of weight.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Also I was thinking that maybe he needs some sort of gut balancer to aid digestion?
Again any suggestions?
 
Baileys no4 and Topspec Cool Conditioning are both good and I haven't found them to fizz my boy up at all. Also trying to get weight back on atm :) Also good is Alfa A oil and extra slug of oil thrown in for good measure as all the extra calories help!
 
Ours do really well on microionised linseed when they need a bit extra, no sillys either (well, no more than normal!).
 
I actually think the pink powder is a really good idea, I will try that.

His coat is also pretty dull which is unusual so linseed could be good for that.
Never tried baileys no4 or topspec cool condition which do you prefer?
Just googled them and the topspec seems to be cereal free which is a positive (two friends have horses with ulcers so little paranoid about concentrates).
 
I disagree with Copra, coconut is not a feed natural to horses - too high protein content at 21% - I had loads of problems on it. It can blow your horses brain.

Incidentally too much protein can make a horse seem in 'good condition' when it is really the tissues reaction to the high protein - it stores water. Please be very careful with Copra!
 
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copra, I had never considered before, I don't doubt it produces results but given the warning I think I will rule that out for the time being.

I am going to look into baileys.
Also has anyone had any negative effects from feeding alfa a oil?
My horse has always been on it but I can't feed it in high quantities as it sends him a little loopy, would I be better off feeding higher quantities of hifi original with whatever conditioning feed I choose?
 
hannahmurphy said:
I actually prefer Baileys, but there's probably not all that much difference :)
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There's quite a difference in terms of their composition!

The TopSpec is cereal free with less than 10% starch and the No4 contains cereal and is considerably higher starch levels - I can't remember exactly but I think it's over 20% starch.

Also the TopSpec is designed to be fed with their balancer so contains no vits/mins whereas the No4 is a complete feed so does contain vits/mins.
 
sonjafoers said:
There's quite a difference in terms of their composition!

The TopSpec is cereal free with less than 10% starch and the No4 contains cereal and is considerably higher starch levels - I can't remember exactly but I think it's over 20% starch.

Also the TopSpec is designed to be fed with their balancer so contains no vits/mins whereas the No4 is a complete feed so does contain vits/mins.
Click to expand...

I meant there's not all that much different in the results.
 
My own boy is very prone to dropping weight and is also very sensitive to any sort of sugar.

I feed him Alpha A Molasses Free, Blue Chip Original and in the winter add some Speedibeet. I've had him on all sorts of complicated feeding regimes: straights, mixes, supplements, etc., including D&H Pasture Mix, Bailey's No 4, Bailey's No 1, Pink Powder, calmlers, oil, etc., and what he's on now is a) really simple; b) contains everything he needs; and c) is easy to adjust up and down by amount to give him more or less fuel as he needs it. He is also on ok'ish grazing for about 12 hours at night and gets haylage during the day.

My own advice would be to keep it as simple as possible. I went right off mixes when I actually read what was in it and realized a bunch of it simply wasn't what horses would naturally eat. So, for us it's chaff, forage and the Blue Chip as a balancer.

P
 
That is the thing, I have always tried to steer clear of cereals because I am cautious of them not being natural for them and besides he isn't in hard work.
So ideally I want something to add condition without the cereals.

It can become so complicated guess its just trial and error. Well thanks I will continue my research and buy a bag of something fattening this week end.
 
My new skinny horse came eating Alfa A, Barley Rings, Sugarbeet and Conditioning Mix.

I am going to feed him (as advised & recommended by lots of people) Alfa A Oil, Allen & Page Calm & Condition and NAF Pink Powder - Hopefully that should do the trick!! :D
 
I used Baileys Outshine with my old horse - its a high oil feed with a balancer, used Pink Powder with success in the past as well.

Used Baileys Topline conditioning cubes and it sent him crackers but others have been fine on it.

Found all the feed company helplines useful - have spoken to Baileys lots about my old horse and had Spillers with the weigh bridge for my new girl.
 
A friend thinks I should simply try a chaff like alfa a and a balancer.
Do you think balancers are worth the money?
I have always been against them feeling that they are a new fad and a bit of a scam for what are basically vits and mins, what do you think?
 
I always thought balancers an expensive way of feeding vitamins too but I have to say I feed Baileys Lo cal balancer to my TB and it really works well for him, keeps him in beautiful condition. Every time I try and take him off it he drops off topline and condition so I always end up putting him back on it!

In terms of other feed I also agree with feeding as little cereals as possible. I feed HIFI and fibre nuts as you can feed as much as you like with no adverse effects :p.

Mine isn't on much at the mo as the balancer is enough but of he needs it a scoop of HIFI and a scoop of fibre nuts 3 times a day is plenty plus I add oil.

Last winter he didn't even need that much, he was having just a scoop a day of each, oil and ad lib haylage but again I think the balancer played a big part in that :).
 
I have been researching them and although expensive if they work it will be worth it.
How much of the balancer do you feed?
Years ago I had my tb on bluechip for a while as that's what she had before I got her but I can't recall the quantities required.
 
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