Diet advice for new barefoot native pony ( not in exercise)

[scoobydoo]

Hi, our pony is currently on field turnout in the day and in hand walking due to injury, he was shod all 4 - has had back shoes off for 2 months & fronts off yesterday. His current diet is grass, hay, top spec anti lam, dengie good doer alfa chap - does he need more ? thanks

 

[ellie11987]

lots of barefooters don't get on with top spec so might be worth swapping to a forage balancer such as Forage Plus winter balancer or progressive earth pro hoof. Lots also don't get on with alfalfa so I'd swap to fast fibre

 

[Dry Rot]

So, it's a native and not in work.

What is wrong with grass, hay, or (perhaps) haylage, with a salt lick?

This question must be posted at least six times a week!

It's called killing them with kindness. Forget the extras. Natives don't need it. And don't give them too much of the basics, either.

 

[scoobydoo]

So, it's a native and not in work.

What is wrong with grass, hay, or (perhaps) haylage, with a salt lick?

This question must be posted at least six times a week!

It's called killing them with kindness. Forget the extras. Natives don't need it. And don't give them too much of the basics, either.

thanks for your reply - he was a competition pony before injury and i don't think the top spec anti lam and chaff are excessive - i am just trying to find out if anything more suitable to support his hoofs through the transition back to barefoot.

 

[mightymammoth]

You may find the hoof supplement a good idea I use forage plus but pro hoof by progressive earth on ebay is also good and would help you feel you were covering the bases. You could give him this is a little fast fibre or speedi beet or chaff as long as it's low sugar.

The salt lick is a good idea and then plenty of forage.

 

[fatponee]

Have a look at Pure Feeds. They do an 'Easy' mix, so suitable for a native, plus no cereals or molasses so ideal for barefooters. Hope he's better soon!

 

[thatsmygirl]

I would cut out the top spec, not a fan as it has molasses in and so low in goodness it really isnt worth feeding. and good doer as its quite high sugar wise. Most bagged feeds do more harm then good for ponies , and horses as well tbh and are more appealing to us owners!! Most don't need them. If he was mine I would feed a tiny bit of fast fibre with a good spec vit/min supplement ( pro hoof, equimins advance complete) and job done. Fibre first.

 

[Kikke]

So, it's a native and not in work.

What is wrong with grass, hay, or (perhaps) haylage, with a salt lick

It's called killing them with kindness. Forget the extras. Natives don't need it. And don't give them too much of the basics, either.

I agree, all this fuss. My trimmer always says they finds what they need and will do just fine on the minimum and when in work it's the work especially in the school that sorts out feet.

 

[Dry Rot]

When we got our stallion, he was shod. He was nine and had always been shod. All the others here are bare foot as I don't do many shows and the hacking is all soft. So his shoes came off! His feet were terrible after that and virtually disintegrated.

But they gradually came right after about a year. He is still bare foot and now has great feet. All done on grass, hay, or haylage with no additives and no supplements (except free access to a Red Rocky salt block).

If your land is capable of growing decent grass, without mineral deficiencies, that should indicate that it has the correct balance of nutrients. Everyone should have a soil test done at one stage or at least speak to a close neighbour to find out if there are any known local imbalances that need to be corrected. My soil is deficient in cobalt and copper which is easily corrected with the mineralised salt block. Otherwise, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", applies!

If commercial farmers in your area are successfully rearing sheep and cattle without problems, your grass should provide everything a native needs. Farm livestock are under greater pressure to grow (and produce meat and wool) than any native pony not stressed through hard work will be.