Feed advice needed please

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Hayjay

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My 16hh ISH mare, aged 15, came to me in August very poor. She has put on weight and condition slowly - her ribs are still visible from some angles or when she turns, but generally she looks so much better. She was bought as a quiet happy hack - I was nervy after returning to riding after a 15 year break - With the improvement in weight and condition has come the anticipated 'feeling better' attitude - still safe but much more spooky and very forward going. Fortunately my confidence has returned at the same pace as her energy :-) I am currently feeding her molassed sugar beet and soft and soak ready mash extra twice a day Our paddock is a mud bath so she also has ad lib hay in field and in stable overnight. Does this sound a good way to continue? Would I be better changing to unmolassed beet and normal ready mash in order to keep a check on her energy levels? Any advice greatly appreciated.
 
Would I be better changing to unmolassed beet
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Anything with molasses in generally comes with a lot of fuel and gives in increase in energy. Unless she is an exceptionally hard to keep horse, then I'd switch if you're not going to be working her hard enough that she'll need the extra energy.
 
Have you thought about using an oil based conditioning feed so that you get the condition without the extra fizz you currently have?
Something like Copra, Outshine or equijewel maybe.
 
SpringArising said:
Anything with molasses in generally comes with a lot of fuel and gives in increase in energy. Unless she is an exceptionally hard to keep horse, then I'd switch if you're not going to be working her hard enough that she'll need the extra energy.
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No she definitely does not need the extra energy. She is a light hack and the last time I rode her, she was very bouncy! She'll never be a 'good doer' but now she has gained weight I think I will try the non molassed speedibeet and see how we go. Thank you :-)
 
tabithakat64 said:
Have you thought about using an oil based conditioning feed so that you get the condition without the extra fizz you currently have?
Something like Copra, Outshine or equijewel maybe.
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I haven't heard of any of those - I will have a google on them. Feed has changed so much since the days of bran mash and oats! Thank you
 
Feed has changed so much and I don't think until recently for the better. A lot of the mixes contain molasses and when you look at the sugar and starch content it's alarming what is produced. I, too, would strip out sugar based food and try micronised linseed should you need condition. It's also great for skin/hoof etc.....
 
Peregrine Falcon said:
Feed has changed so much and I don't think until recently for the better. A lot of the mixes contain molasses and when you look at the sugar and starch content it's alarming what is produced. I, too, would strip out sugar based food and try micronised linseed should you need condition. It's also great for skin/hoof etc.....
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Thank you. I get completely overwhelmed when I try and understand the contents of feed bags! I'm feeding the soft and soak on feed merchant advice as I am embarrassingly clueless! Would speedibeet and micronised linseed be a complete feed combination or do I need some kind of mix?
 
Hayjay said:
Thank you. I get completely overwhelmed when I try and understand the contents of feed bags! I'm feeding the soft and soak on feed merchant advice as I am embarrassingly clueless
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A word of advice - don't take feed merchant or shop sellers' advice at face value when choosing feed, or at least take what they say with a grain of salt and then refer to someone else when in doubt.

It's in their best interest to sell you something - they probably don't really care what's going into your horse's mouth as long as something is going into their pockets. Obviously not the same for all shop owners and merchants, but worth remembering.

You can feed Speedi-Beet on its own, but I have mixed it with a low-sugar unmolassed chaff in the past, along with a good splash of cod-liver oil.

The chaff is an extra source of fibre and will help with conditioning your mare up, without frazzling her brain at the same time!
 
Each horse is an individual and what works for one may not necessarily for another. Personally now though, I go for unmolassed chaff, I've got mine on the Dengi unmolassed Hi-Fi with micronised linseed. You could try that together with the speedi beet or with oil. I avoid mixes now as they seem to chuck all sorts in them.

Many people seem to feed the Simple Systems feeds with good results.
 
Thanks everyone. I think I will change to speedibeet and phase out the soft and soak and start to introduce micronised linseed. I already use dengi hifi molasses free for my shetland (he has a handful with supplement in) so I'll try that too.
 
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