Feed for TB

[J_sarahd]

Done to death, I know, but following my previous thread, I’m looking at changing my mare’s feed for something better for her to see if that helps.

Currently on:
Dengie Hi-Fi Molasses Free
Baileys Lo Cal Balancer
Magnesium
Calcium
Regumate
Ponease Ulc Maintenance before exercise
10-15kg hay overnight, out from 8-4

She is quite a good doer for a TB and is a healthy weight on this feed so I don’t need anything conditioning. But equally, I’m not sure if she will drop weight this winter as its the first winter she’s not been on a conditioning feed. Before anyone says, I’d cut her bucket feed out completely but I need to get her supps into her and she’s not a fan of being syringed.

She’s exercised 3-4 days a week at the moment with light schooling, hacking, lunging and the odd jump. She is pretty laidback but has a sharp/quirky streak in her.

She has a history of ulcers. Diagnosed with grade 2 squamous in December last year, treated with GG and scoped clear again earlier this year but I try and keep her life as ulcer-friendly as possible.

Any ideas?

 

[Roxylola]

I've heard alfa type chaff advised against for ulcers as it's spiky. I don't know how soft hifi is but I'd consider maybe alfa beet, fibre beet, alfa pellets or grass pellets instead.
Or maybe something like pink mash.

 

[J_sarahd]

Thank you! She used to be on the Dengie Ulser Lite but she didn’t like it at all so tried speedibeet but she coliced and I got very stressed about feeding it!

 

[Roxylola]

Charlie's mallanders flared up at a time I was feeding sugar beet and I've avoided ever since. There may have been no link at all, but I just daren't try it.
I'd possibly look at pink mash or something then, presume you're just using the chaff as a bulk to the balancer and to fill her tummy before exercise to limit acid splash - a soaked mash would do the same job, pink mash is imo a bit pricey but very palatable equally if she's on low cal I presume alfa is not an issue generally for her so maybe alfa pellets

 

[Squeak]

Not saying you should try it if it didn't agree with her last time but just to add for a knowledge base for anyone else reading - Sugarbeet (non molassed) is meant to be really good for horses that have stomach problems as it creates a mucus that protects the stomach lining, binds to acid and is low in starch. More details here:

Nutrition Library: Gastric Ulcers and How Beet Pulp Can Help

www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I feed Emerald grass tastic or the other one I can't remember what it's called but they look very similar both are just chopped grass, and I add unmolassed sugar beet mine don't get alot as they hold weight I've fed them this for years, they do well on it love it and never had any problems ever.

I also feed oily herbs and I think have both benefited from it seem calmer in themselves, I always believe a calm happy gut often makes calm happy horses so feed for good digestion abd gut health.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Dengie alfalfa chaff made my horse nappy and girthy, no issues since i stopped feeding it.

you could add a small amount of pink mash or grass nuts when the grass isnt so good

 

[Squeak]

I feed Emerald grass tastic or the other one I can't remember what it's called but they look very similar both are just chopped grass, and I add unmolassed sugar beet mine don't get alot as they hold weight I've fed them this for years, they do well on it love it and never had any problems ever.

I also feed oily herbs and I think have both benefited from it seem calmer in themselves, I always believe a calm happy gut often makes calm happy horses so feed for good digestion abd gut health.

I think you and I have posted in agreement about this before. I feed mine exactly the same and he's *touchwood* looking amazing on it. I think there's a lot to be said for keeping it simple, a bit like with us it's healthier to cook from scratch than buy ready meals full of who knows what.

 

[TGM]

If she seems happy and well on her current diet I wouldn't change it much. If she starts to drop weight you could switch the HiFi to a higher calorie grass or alfalfa chaff and add some micronised linseed.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think you and I have posted in agreement about this before. I feed mine exactly the same and he's *touchwood* looking amazing on it. I think there's a lot to be said for keeping it simple, a bit like with us it's healthier to cook from scratch than buy ready meals full of who knows what.

Yes I think we have I think Arab's and TB can be so similar with feed they are both hot bloods after all, when Arabi was young I struggled to keep his weight up and tried so many of the complete bag feeds and conditioning feeds and he was mental, the lady I kept him with on livery who had Arab's all her life told me she only fed straight simple feed so that's what I did.

If i think they need more I give them micronised linseed they are both OK on that.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I feed my tb grass nuts, non molassed sugar beet, spillers conditioning cubes, oil and salt. He has ad-lib hay, not much grass as there isn't any and is out for 5 hours or so a day. He looks fantastic at the moment.