Feed advice needed

[Thesnowbones]

I have recently purchased a 12yr old ISH who has been out of work for about 6-8 months. The previous owner had him just eating grass and hay, but he is lacking in muscle and gets tired when ridden. I would like to ask what you would recommend feeding? I think he needs to bulk up a little and I think he may have been neglected slightly too x

 

[be positive]

As he is new to you and the grass is coming through now I would be careful about giving him too much hard feed, he will take several months of slow steady exercise to build up fitness and muscle, feeding will not change that other than to possibly make him energetic in short bursts, he will still get tired until he is fitter.

Firstly I would ensure worming and teeth are done as if he has been left in a field they may not have bothered and this can pull them down, I would give him ad lib hay or haylage when he is in and access to some decent grass, with a small fibre based feed to carry a vit/ min supplement or balancer along with some micronised linseed or oil to add calories without risking making him silly, that way he will gain strength and condition in a slow steady way and it should be easily maintained long term.

As he builds up you may need to give him something more but that should suffice while he is in light work building his fitness, mine just get some soaked grass nuts twice daily and have plenty of energy to work at the level their fitness allows.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

As above, I would stick to a fibre-based regime, with ad-lib forage. He will benefit from the Spring grass but will take some time to build up fitness and stamina