Feed Advice for Condition

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Olivia&Archie

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Hi All

Apologies for another feed post but I am looking for some advice as I am getting totally overwhelmed with the amount of products on the market and would appreciate people’s experiences.

I have a 7 year old warmblood who is very slowly gaining weight. He has been scoped and doesn’t have ulcers. Teeth have recently been done with no issues noted. He can be energetic at times so ideally low starch and sugar. Previously tried Baileys top line conditioning cubes and he went loopy and dangerous.

Currently fed:
Allen & Page Soothe and Gain mash (2 Stubbs scoops dry weight a day)
Alfa A Oil (2 Stubbs scoops a day)

Feeds are split between 3 meals. He is currently in during the day on ad lib haylage and out at night grazing.

I feel like I am feeding and feeding and not getting the best results possible. I am sure there are better and possibly more cost effective feeds out there but just feel a bit lost!
 
I would 2nd the linseed, my girl looked terrible after winter, gave her care and gain, balancer and linseed and she piled the weight on. That said she did test positive for cushings and worms so treatment for either of those would obviously of helped too.
 
I'd also add micronised linseed, I have a 17hh wb who needs a bit of help. He just doesn't eat enough hay to keep weight on and the grass turned to mud over the winter, then it was dry for ages so didn't pick up.
 
I know that A & P feeds can bulk out quite a lot when soaked so it might be worth checking that the size of the meals aren't too big. The advice is that it shouldn't be more than 2 stubbs scoops worth of food per feed.

Feeding Answers: General

www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk

If it's more than this it could be having the opposite effect and make him drop condition and not process his food properly. Is he getting adlib hay or haylage? If you're low on grass is he getting some out in the field?

Otherwise agree with the recommendation of micronised linseed.
 
i find linseed oil has a better effect and without adding more bulk to the feed.

my ex racer is on Spillers Ulca Power racing cubes-high DE but low starch (relative to the DE), flaked barley and linseed oil. This really has made such a difference to him-tried a few conditioning cubes and they just didn't give him enough calories.

i will say he isnt feed reactive and can have pretty much anything without being sharp. I would prob try the cubes and linseed oil, the barley would be the riskiest in terms of sharpness!

ollymay25.jpg
 
Hallo2012 said:
i find linseed oil has a better effect and without adding more bulk to the feed.

my ex racer is on Spillers Ulca Power racing cubes-high DE but low starch (relative to the DE), flaked barley and linseed oil. This really has made such a difference to him-tried a few conditioning cubes and they just didn't give him enough calories.

i will say he isnt feed reactive and can have pretty much anything without being sharp. I would prob try the cubes and linseed oil, the barley would be the riskiest in terms of sharpness!

View attachment 160737
Click to expand...
Thank you! Gorgeous boy! Fingers crossed my chap can look like this one day!
 
Hallo2012 said:
i find linseed oil has a better effect and without adding more bulk to the feed.

my ex racer is on Spillers Ulca Power racing cubes-high DE but low starch (relative to the DE), flaked barley and linseed oil. This really has made such a difference to him-tried a few conditioning cubes and they just didn't give him enough calories.

i will say he isnt feed reactive and can have pretty much anything without being sharp. I would prob try the cubes and linseed oil, the barley would be the riskiest in terms of sharpness!

View attachment 160737
Click to expand...

He's looking great! That's interesting re oil having a better effect, I'll keep it in mind for next winter.
 
I’m worried about coming across as an advert/rep, but the difference in my 5-year-old gelding after 3 months on Pure Feed, with extra micronised linseed, is amazing. He’s on the ‘Working’ one, as he’s in light work, but they have different ranges for heavier work, conditioning mixes etc. They also can advise and offer a free feed plan.
 
Hi! It sounds like you're doing a lot already. Since your horse is sensitive to starch/sugar but needs weight, consider swapping the Alfa A Oil for pure alfalfa pellets or chop (lower sugar). You could also add a high-quality linseed meal or oil for safe calories. The Soothe & Gain is good, but you might try Saracen Re-Leve or Spillers Conditioning Fibre for a different approach. Sometimes less is more focus on max forage and simple, high-fat/fibre feeds. Hang in there!
 
Cut the Alfa if he’s a good enough forage eater, it’s bulking the feeds up costing you £ but not adding much at a DE of 10.

Rooni also does better on linseed oil than the micronised. His feed is very protein rich (havens performance 14) so he doesn’t need more from the linseed husk and the oil means his feeds stay smaller.

He’s on 2 scoops of P14 and 400ml on linseed oil a day split over 2 feeds, he’s working very hard. He isn’t a good grazer or haylage eater so I supplement with baileys fibre plus nuggets as he love love loves them. I have tried higher DE and lower starch but he insists on these…

IMG_1002.jpeg

He has the same dimensions as a 5 bar gate and this is the best I’ve got him looking in the 6 years I’ve had him. He’s a lazy sharp slug. Would take rocket fuel to make him hot but he is sharp. He’s the third horse I’ve had on a cereal based diet and they’ve all done great on it. A similar feed is the saracens enduro. The supplement I give which has made a huge difference is st hippolyt gold medal.
 
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