Confused about feeding - 3 oldies any ideas?

3OldPonies

3OldPonies

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I am getting so confused about feeding, there is just so much info and variety out there so I thought I'd ask and see what other people suggest for my boys. They are all a bit different, but I don't have a lot of space so I really do want to keep things simple, affordable, and without too many products - supplements are definitely out.

I also apologise in case this gets a bit long winded.

All three are out 24/7 with fairly OK grazing and hay at night when they are on the shorter grass, and all get carrots with their meals to aid digestion (also cos they like them!)

Boy No 1, is a 35 ish cob who is a bit of a fussy feeder. He's 14.3 and weighs about 500 kg. Currently on about 1/2 kg of calm and condition, and similar amount of sugar beet (he has a real sweet tooth!) and a couple of handfuls of hi-fi lite for a bit of extra fibre and to stop him wolfing his feed down. For the winter, I'd like to put a bit more weight on if possible, but without upsetting an elderly tummy - I can only feed twice a day, so not too much at once.

Boy No 2, is a 25 ish welsh x NF who will eat absolutely anything and everything. He's 14.1, weight about 450 kg and has borderline cushings and EMS. Currently on about 1/2 kg of calm and condition, and two stubbs scoops of hi-fi lite per feed and 15g of agnus vitus (the only supplement I use) in the morning feed. For this chap, my main aim would be not to make his cushings or ems any worse, to if possible improve his top line and not spend an absolute fortune like I did last winter when I ended up feeding loads more calm and condition.

Boy No 3 is my mini - about 34" and 180 - 190 kg in weight. Currently gets a 'mock' feed when the others are in which comprises about 1/3rd of a stubbs scoop of hi-fi lite, water to dampen and a v. small handful of sugar beet (only started that in the last week when the hi-fi on it's own lost its appeal). For the winter I'd like to keep his weight on, and if at all possible, make mealtimes a bit more interesting.

I'm totally open to suggestions, and if you think I've got it all completely wrong (they're all doing OK at present - no problems) then please say so. The more I read the worse my confusion is getting.
 
I found D&H Build up cubes to be useful with my old girl (sadly she's gone now) but they are much lower in starch then the No 4 cubes, I didn't get good results from C&C but this really seemed to help put weight on her.

You may find that grass cubes are helpful too, try giving simple systems a ring if you are interested in this approach.
 
I'd been wondering about grass cubes and linseed, also whether the C&C was having much effect. I'll investigate those thoughts a bit more. Thanks for the suggestions, I really appreciate it.
 
I was going to reply earlier but had to whip out. I'v heard mixed reviews of th calm and condition so go with your gut and take them off it. The micronised linseed and like you said grass nuts, will work out cheaper as you use little amounts of linseed and if you soak the grass nuts then they fluff up into a great big lot. Just go easy on the grass nuts for your cushings pony because they are higher in sugar.

Another thing you could look at is fast fibre. It's a hay replacer so you can feed lots of it. I used to make up a big bucket and let my girl pick a it through the night last winter.
 
3OldPonies said:
I'd been wondering about grass cubes and linseed, also whether the C&C was having much effect. I'll investigate those thoughts a bit more. Thanks for the suggestions, I really appreciate it.
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Our oldie had to be pts in May this year but until then she was being fed soaked grassnuts and Speedibeet with dried grass chaff and a good glug of molasses with a little linseed oil. The others get smaller (tiny in some cases) amounts of dried grass and grassnuts with linseed oil. Their ages range from to 2 to 20, good doers and less so. Like you, I can't be doing with having loads of different feeds for different horses.
The oldie had a nasty extended bout of colic about 6 yrs ago and dropped a lot of condition, we put it back on with the obove feed and then maintained her weight with it. We just adjusted the amounts as necessary.
 
I would keep them on hi fi molasses free ( especially the cushings pony, you want low sugar diet for him) and a good supplement, like vits n mins ( dengie) or tens supplement with fast fibre in the winter months...they do sound a tad overweight to me, i would try and shift a little or expect them to have dropped a bit by the time the springtime comes around. Drop the calm and condition as too much sugar for all of them really :)
 
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