Dengie Alfa-Oil

ann-jen

ann-jen

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 December 2004
Messages
3,601
Location
co durham
Visit site
Anybody used this? Jenny is now back in medium work and needs something to give her a bit more ooomph but she is also a good doer and so I need something that won't pile on the pounds. The YM has suggested this instead of a competition mix - I've had a read up on it on the Dengie website and I'm a bit worried it will put weight on Jenny instead of giving her more sparkle. Anybody used it and let me know what its like? The YM is quite resistant to getting new feeds in so I guess its a toss up between this and Spillers Instant Response mix. I'm still inclined to think the Spillers might be the better option but I'd be interested to hear anyone's views.
smile.gif
 
I havent used it, but somebody at my yard did and if put the pounds on, but gave a nice shiny coat.

I tried the instant energy cubes with my good doer over the winter with a good result.

Another good way for extra energy for good doers are oats.
 
i use it but definitely not for oomph and he hasn't been more sparky since he's been on it thank god. i use it along with alfalfa pellets and outshine as part of my fibre feeding to keep him sane but keep the weight on as he's not a good doer.
 
Unfortunately this is exactly what I thought so I'm going to have to tell the YM that I don't want Jenny on it as I've only just got her slimmed to an acceptable level. The trouble is she is so reluctant to get anything else in that I think I will have to buy my own feed and add it in to Jenny's basic ration myself. I'm considering a small amount of Dengie's naked oats or grudgingly she might get the Spillers Response back in and that would be included in my livery. The trouble is before Jenny's injury there were 2 horses on it and now Jenny is back in work the other horse has been sold and so there would only be Jenny on it.
 
I have mine on Alfa A oil permamnently. I would beware the Instant Response - When I got mine 3 day eventing fit I could hardly hold him to ride in the school on the instant response, let alone to compete. I have swapped to the sSpillers slow release and I feel it gives me as much oomph but in a much more controllable way.

I don't think the Alfa A Oil puts too much weight on them, but I have never had good-doing types so that may be an illusion. I have certainly been very happy with their coats and general condition on it and have used it as the mainstay of the feed for everything from flat-bred TBs to half-bred horses for the last 2-3 years.
 
Jerry put on weight almost immediately after he had Alfa oil which was great as he came to me quite poor. However he also became very itchy so I had to take him off it as he obviously didn't tolerate the alfafa.
I have heard of quite a few cases of alfafa making horses itchy. It is good for weight gain though and lovely coats!
 
Mine is a relatively good doer (or used to be!) and is on alot of Alfa A Oil a day, and hasnt piled on the weight, but has improved muscle tone, and an amazing shine to his coat....he also has good sustained energy with a little bit of "sparkle"
grin.gif
 
Thanks everyone - thats given me a bit more to think about. The YM seemed quite shocked when I said I was worried it would put more weight on Jenny as she says she heard about it off a laminitis website!
I'm not sure how much of an effect it would have on Jenny's weight when everything else in her life is carefully controlled. Jenny never had any weight issues before she came to our current yard and she was on considerably more hard feed when we were based at a pro-SJ yard. But she now has more turnout and is generally happier in her life at her current abode. This year for the first time she has had to wear a grazing muzzle to keep her weight down - she had turned into quite a heifer
blush.gif
and in some ways may have contributed to her injury.
blush.gif
blush.gif
blush.gif
I do wonder if she is kept on restricted grazing through March to October via the muzzle and soaked hay in the summer whether her weight will remain stable with a bit more hard feed.
Part of the trouble is she totally lacks motivation on the flat and while we are playing at being dressagers she could do with a lot more oomph - she has been lazy to the point where I thought there might be something wrong with her....but I'm now wondering if she's just bored because I took her for a ride round the farm yesterday - first time in ages because its been too wet and the site of the XC jumps turned her into and jogging, piaffing, excited loon! God help us when we do start jumping again because "keen" doesn't quite sum it up - she felt like she could of done a days hunting yesterday and still had energy to burn!
So I'm in a bit of a dilemma - I think I will wait until we are jumping again before making any changes to her diet and see exactly how "keen" she is. If the Alfa-oil would give her sustained energy without being too heating it would probably be ideal for the jumping side and I may have to accept that she's never going to have the same level of "keeness" for dressage no matter what I feed her.
tongue.gif
 
I really like this for keeping weight on, I really struggle with mine losing condition in winter, he's in medium work at the moment and this is the first winter that I've managed to keep weight on, and the only thing I've changed is his conditioning mix to Alfa A oil. It hasn't made him any more sparkey though (thank goodness).
 
I've used Alfa-A Oil to put a bit of condition on my native type - he is usually a good-doer but lost a bit this Autumn. For extra oomph I was recommend to add oats to the diet - a handful every day and then a little bit more when I had a lesson etc though haven't needed to try this.

Just the extra food and a clip seem to have sparked up my boy - a bit too much. And when we add poles to a flatwork lesson....
crazy.gif
grin.gif
 
Dengie Alfa A-Oil is approved for laminitics.

Whilst it is great for horses that need condition because of the oil content, it is also good for improving stamina. Yes excess calories = weight gain but only if intake exceeds output.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top