Do I need to feed a chop?

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Hairy Horror

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Hello, my HW cob is fed twice a day, he is fed a cup of Top Spec Lite, a cup and half of Top Spec Turbo in each feed, then split between the two feeds is a cup of speedi beet soaked in 3.5 cups of water. I don't feed a chop but someone said that maybe I should. At night He also gets two stuffed nets full of hayledge of which is almost always a bit left. If in at Day he gets one stuffed net. He is not out much as he hates the winter weather and screams to come in. He is ridden most days and is the right weight.
 
I don't like to complicate feed. If he's fine with his current diet then why "add" to it? The only other reason to add a chop would be if he bolts his feeds, as he'd need to chew more which will slow him down.
 
There is no need to, you feed plenty of fibre, the feed also has a good fibre source in it with the addition of speedibeet so there is no need to bulk it out just for the sake of it unless you want to slow down eating.
I stopped feeding chop several years ago as I found it expensive and most was coated in molasses, there are more options now without molasses so I do use a grass chaff but only because they get so little in the bowl otherwise and one only gets a handful of chop to keep her quiet.
 
Agree with the above. I feed balancer with some oats on hard days and don't bother with a chop ... unless they haven't had any turnout and then I add some plain grass chaff. Entirely for my benefit really, I feel sorry if they don't get any grazing :o
 
As you are feeding sugarbeet with his feed you are feeding a fibre that bulks up the rest of the ration - he will be fine with that.

If you were not feeding the beet then yes feeding a chop/chaff would be important.

The fibre encourages chewing which adds saliva to the food, it also slows down eating which is also better for digestion
 
see, I don't see why it would be at all important to add additional fibre to what is a small concentrate feed, when the horse is stabled a lot of the time and on pretty much ad lib haylage.

It's a similar set up to mine - my horses get a cup of balancer and a small scoop of oats, dampened. Neither bolt their tea, they spend time chewing it and picking up any dropped bits carefully.
They are eating hay before they get their tea in the evening, and when they finish their concentrate feed they go back to hay. it's all very relaxed, no frantic chomping. Why would i need to add more fibre to their bowls? The feed will get mixed up with plenty of fibre in their stomach ;)
 
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