Feed peeps - energy without calories?

Dodson & Horrell do one which used to be called Performance Concentrate, I think its got a new name now, and its for good doers and does what you are wanting - ie energy without the calories.
 
Isn't Performance Concentrate a mix?!! I think 12.5mj/kg, so not calorie free now called Competition Concentrate

Unfortunately no such thing as energy without calories; If there was I'd be a millionaire lol

Only way imo to get a laid back good doer to be more forward is to get them fitter. Lots of power walking ( don't let them mooch along) hill work etc.

I have a very laid back cob; I've tried Allen and Page Power and Performance; all sorts of Oats; EnerG, Red Cell etc etc.................zilch ( he's quite fit and not overweight)

So I've come to the conclusion that thats the way he is and I'm grateful I can ride him on the buckle with horses galloping past and he just plods along :)

I can understand if you have a competiion horse though, must be very fustrating!
 
Agree with AngieandBean. Fitness is the key. My very laid-back Anglo-Arab is horrendously behind the leg when unfit but much better after a couple of weeks of fast hack work in the spring. He enjoys everything so much more when he's fit.
 
If you want to give extra energy without increasing the horses overall feed intake I would recommend using fats (Oils).
 
While using oil for extra energy is a good source, it is fat at the end of the day and therefore high caloire, so unless the horse is going to burn it off with exercise it will just store it as fat!!!
 
Yes I realise that but if the horse needs extra energy, which the OP seems to be aiming for, without gaining any weight (which concentrate feed may cause) fats are a very valuable source as you don't have to increase the bulk weight of a feed to increase the amount of energy it gives. Obviously its no good feeding extra energy if your horse doesnt need it.
 
Stinkbomb said:
Is there such a feed that will give energy to a very laid back horse who doesnt really need any extra calories/ weight???
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Ahh if only...its like searching for the holy grail!!

Which pony is it for, some more details would help. If it's on poor grazing or restricted then a balancer (pink powder or a pellet balancer etc) may do the trick in perking them up. Oats are often the first go to for extra energy, and unlike other cereals you can feed them in larger quantities as they are the lowest in starch of all the cereals (I think thats right). But horses will react differently to oats, some you could stick a handful in and get a fire cracker, other (like mine) will just be no different.

Depending on workload a mix or cube is the next thing to consider. D&H Perfromance Concentrate (now Competition Contentrate) is a mix, with no pellet alternative. As someone else said it is for good doers and a relatively low intake feed. I have heard it is like rocket fuel for some, but again my Welsh Cob likes to go against the grain :rolleyes:
 
i find power and performance good - but it's not exactly low cal lol!
i jsut get my hrose mega fit tbh - and in doing that she needs fede so then i can give her P&P - without the work she'd just get fat - like at the mo she's being woudn down a bit due to forethcoming wedding and is on diddly squat lol!
 
Cocoa said:
Yes I realise that but if the horse needs extra energy, which the OP seems to be aiming for, without gaining any weight (which concentrate feed may cause) fats are a very valuable source as you don't have to increase the bulk weight of a feed to increase the amount of energy it gives. Obviously its no good feeding extra energy if your horse doesnt need it.
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1kg Fat/oil contains approx 2.5x more energy than 1kg cereals! So yes, you can feed more energy but keep bulk down but any energy not used up by day to day living will put weight on- whatever the source (cereals/fat/fibre/etc).

Oil provides slow release energy, as does fibre. Cereals provide quicker release energy. But there is no such thing as energy for oomph but not for weight gain as any energy not used for living or exercise will end up as fat. Exactlly the same as us- if we eat more than we need we get fat.:)
 
Thanks everyone. its for my miniature stallion.. yes yes i hear you say he's just a miniature BUT i keep him fit for the showring ( and by that i dont mean fat! ) He does work. He gets lunged 20 mins a day 5 times a week ( free and on a line ) and walks out in hand. However he does lack alittle energy. Ive tried the oats, no change! I tried mix but i have taken that out because he was just getting fatter. He is on very limited grazing but get two huge feeds a day ( mainly top chop lite ) and a little hay.

I just wondered if there was anything other than the mix i could add that wouldnt put on the pounds as much?
 
Box_Of_Frogs said:
Take him hunting! Guaranteed to wake any horse up!
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:D:D:D I can just see Stinkbomb taking Inky hunting!!

Perhaps a balancer would be a good place to start? You need to investigate whether he is getting all the neccessary vits & mins from his current diet, which he may not be as you say he is on limited grazing. I'm not sure about top chop lite (never used it) but have a read of the nutritional info to see if the amount he is getting would provide all that he needs. If it doesn't then I would be tempted to try a balancer.

Also, no experience of them personally yet, but Tiger oats come well recommended. Feeding oats will lead to an imbalance (think theres a thred in CR about oats) so Tiger oats have a balancer in with them.
 
Stinkbomb said:
Is there such a feed that will give energy to a very laid back horse who doesnt really need any extra calories/ weight???
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What about a very small amount of a fast release energy mix or cube with something like an Alfa A or Hifi Lite and then make up for the vitamins/mins with pink powder or equivite or something similar.

I know when I had a very good doer that was very fit and showjumping most weekends we used to give her a tiny amount of oats or then went on to give her a small amount of racehorse mix (Microfeed) and she did well on this, kept her fit not fat and full of energy!
 
Stinkbomb said:
Thanks everyone. its for my miniature stallion.. yes yes i hear you say he's just a miniature BUT i keep him fit for the showring ( and by that i dont mean fat! ) He does work. He gets lunged 20 mins a day 5 times a week ( free and on a line ) and walks out in hand. However he does lack alittle energy. Ive tried the oats, no change! I tried mix but i have taken that out because he was just getting fatter. He is on very limited grazing but get two huge feeds a day ( mainly top chop lite ) and a little hay.

I just wondered if there was anything other than the mix i could add that wouldnt put on the pounds as much?
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Ha ha sorry I just re read your post here and maybe oats or a racehorse mix wouldn't be the best idea for a miniature!!
 
I was recently recommended Baileys Lo-cal balancer as a way of giving extra energy without calories i also gives a grea mix of vits and minerals. Send an email to the baileys horse feeds team and they will get back to you within a day or 2 and are very helpful
 
Is he always in need of a bit of oomph or is it relatively recent? the reason I ask is that if its newish could be he's got a touch of a virus which isn't showing any symptoms as such other than just a bit sluggish.

if this is totally normal for him - then good luck :D Nightmare trying to get some extra vah vroom without extra calories :D
 
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