Do you feed all year round?

[littlen]

Question in title really.

I ask because I have a horse who weight wise is an okay weight but has no topline from lack of working properly.

Many have suggested a feed such as baileys topline cubes to help build the muscle/topline back up again. This would be in addition to being ridden daily, muzzled, unrugged and living out.

He is prone to being overweight though and I am worried a feed in summer will cause him to be overweight. He is also laminitic.

Do you think it would help or cause problems?

Does anyone else feed in summer, since almost everyone on my yard only gives hard feed in winter?

 

[L&M]

I feed mine all year round but they are in full work and are both given supplements. I will cut down to 1 feed a day from around May time....
As he is prone to laminitus I would check with the relevant feed manafacturer what is suitable for him. However if he is being restricted in his grazing, he will still need his vits and mins, which an appropriate feed could provide.

 

[moses06]

yes I do - In summer they have 1 feed per day, only small with vit/min supplements and in winter 2 feeds per day, mine are good doers but I'm a stickler for giving vits/mins as they need to look good for showing (not fat though!) I have never had hoof or coat problems with any of mine inc TB's due to the fact they get a balanced diet all year round.

 

[only_me]

yep, i feed all year round

if you are worried, strip graze him and then you could feed him?

Tbh, the only best way to build up topline is through correct work, feeding will only supplement it

 

[littlen]

Thanks everyone.

I have tried everything to build topline with no luck. Nothing has worked and he looks awful along his bum particulally, hence using feed as a last resort really

I have tried schooling, lunging, long reining, stretching, hacking long and low.

I dont know whether he just dosent work properly at all, but I dont know where I am going wrong as I am happy with how he goes?