Do you use different feeds for winter/summer?

S

Scribbles

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 August 2008
Messages
1,655
Visit site
As title really. My 4 yo boy is currently ad lib hay, turnout in the day through the week, stabled overnight and fed 1 scoop spillers response and alfa A (2 scoops).

Soon they will be going out into 24hr turnout, and I'm not sure if I should change his feed to account for this.
 
I do for two of mine, the other two remain the same all year round.

The two that are on conditioning feeds during the winter change over to something less calorific during the summer to account for the increase in grass. It's fairly short lived though!

Depends on how well your boy holds his weight - you could always give him some Baileys lo-cal for his vits/mins in a couple of handfuls of chaff if he's a bit chubby.
 
My retired pony gets nothing just grass in the summer, my youngster whos in work went from Alfa A and build up last winter to Healthy hoof and pasture mix in summer - he got too hyper! Have actually kept him on that this winter with a bit of Alfa A, am tempted to switch to molichop for the summer tho - £4.50 a bag and he lives of fresh air anyway!
 
i was contemplating how odd one of mine is today, he is a really good doer in the summer and gets a handful of chaff to keep him quiet wen others r fed, in the winter though its a constant struggle to keep his weight up and he is on huge feeds twice a day, never known one like him before! yes i do alter slightly from summer to winter according to grass for the others.
 
For my mare feed remains the same as does the amount of balancer except i cut down the alfa a & beet considerably
 
Ponies have the same all year round (1/2 scoop happy hoof) but I change quantities with my lad as he needs a bit extra over winter - he has 1 1/2 scoops of alpha oil in winter and in summer 1/2 scoop alpha oil and 1/2 scoop happy hoof.
 
I used to use speedibeet in the summer as well as the winter as it was brilliant to take with me to shows. All I did was dilute it in some cold water for 20mins and it made brilliant drinking water for my horse, as horses often don't drink enough when they are away from home. I tend to feed a light competition mix in the spring as I increase workload too, especially with the pleasure rides I do. I also give an electrolyte supplement in the summer, a couple of days before and after an event, although it probably is cheaper to make your own.
 
I make slight alterations depending on how good the grazing is and how much work they are doing but all of mine are fed Baileys Lo-Cal Balancer all year round so that I know that they are getting all of the essential vitamins and minerals that they need.
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top