EMS pony - needs more calories without the sugar. Feed recommendations?

[maya2008]

Currently, she’s in an almost entirely bare paddock, on haylage and straw mixed. It’s summer, so her little sharer comes and we work her. She’s having a ball, so happy and so full of life. But…she’s losing weight. We had the same issue last summer and it was a real battle to keep enough weight on while not tipping her over the edge insulin-wise.

Can anyone recommend a feed that could help? Low sugar/starch, no alfalfa, high energy.

 

[slimjim86]

Had similar with a pony I was looking after, we gave her fast fibre, balancer and linseed oil x

 

[Gloi]

Add micronised linseed to her feed.

 

[maya2008]

Add micronised linseed to her feed.

Sadly she thinks that is the most disgusting food known to man. It was the first thing we tried, but was a complete flop!

 

[FieldOrnaments]

You can add straight supermarket oils to feeds. Add a splash of sugar free squash or a shake of fenugreek if they're not keen on new things.

 

[meleeka]

I'm about to buy a bag on A&P care and Gain. My shetland is the same at the moment. I've also used Cushcare with great success. One of mine won't eat linseed, I think it's the texture more than the taste as she eats anything with it in.

 

[Highmileagereindeer]

Speedibeet, Fast Fibre, and grass chaff is my go to with Old Dobbin, and a small measure of Pink Mash keeps the gut sounds going.

 

[Kirstd33]

A & P care and gain, kept weight on my poor doer living out over winter and a mug of micronised linseed and/or linseed oil.

 

[maya2008]

Thanks all! We’ve so far tried speedibeet (less keen on it in the summer), supermarket oil and linseed. All = no thank you at this time of year.

Will pick up some Fast Fibre today to try, with Care & Gain as the next step up (slightly higher sugar/starch levels). Fingers crossed!!!

 

[slimjim86]

I also soaked hay for 30 mins in hot water to remove sugars so could feed more of it than dry hay / haylage. Not sure how much nutrients are lost doing that hence adding in the balancer x

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Can you adjust the hay/straw ratio?

 

[Fransurrey]

Another one to try is Pure Condition. It does have linseed as one of the ingredients, but my picky cob ate it with gusto in the winter (we switch to Pure Easy for the summer).

 

[maya2008]

I’ve actually stuck her out on a bare field in desperation so she is getting a tiny bit of grass (and is so far sound and ok with it) then she’s getting 2x feeds of fast fibre mixed with chaff. She’s still skinny but I have lost sight of those ribs so all good! Will stick the muzzle back on in a few days and monitor.

 

[Beausmate]

Fussy old cob gets copra in the winter, or she gets very scrawny.

 

[meleeka]

I’ve actually stuck her out on a bare field in desperation so she is getting a tiny bit of grass (and is so far sound and ok with it) then she’s getting 2x feeds of fast fibre mixed with chaff. She’s still skinny but I have lost sight of those ribs so all good! Will stick the muzzle back on in a few days and monitor.

You dont really need chaff so could dispense with it altogether and just feed more FF to make up the volume.

It's good that she's looking better. It's been a funny old year for weight. None of mine look as well covered as they usually do, but I'm not sure why.