Feeding a 4 year old cob?

[Champion1969]

She hasn't had the best start in life and was a late foal. So when I bought her in February I started her on D+H Suregrow, and towards the end of summer I started mixing it with Safe and Sound only for the reason that I already had bought in for the laminatic pony we used to loan. She is out all day NAKED and stabled at night and is losing a little weight. I give her ad-lib hay, what would any of you recommend for the winter months, she is only lightly hacked?

 

[AmyMay]

Make sure she really does have adlib hay - and pop a rug on.

 

[Champion1969]

What feed would you recommend or should I keep it the same?

 

[AmyMay]

Well providing the horse has access to as much hay as they need I would be looking at popping a rug on first rather than increasing hard feed.

 

[xLove my horse!x]

I believe in feeding a good balancer, then you know your horse is getting all his vits/mins. Mine gets top spec fully comprehensive, hi-fi lite, and equibeet (unmolassed sugarbeet) twice a day, with hay in the field as they live out. A good rug will help as she wont have to work so hard to keep warm and maintain condition easier. So much feed out there its hard to know whats best, but as long as its low sugar and low starch, lots of fibre. Alfa a is good for condtioning. x

 

[HazyXmas]

I like to keep it simple, my 4 yr old cob has a handful of un-mollassed chaff, third of a scoop speedie beet & a handful of youngstock nuts twice a day, she also has about 50g of micronised linseed, salt, oil & a balancer (i use pro balance). She is out at night on good grass & has hay morning & lunchtime while she's in. She is in fantastic condition with a fabulous shiny coat, good hoovers & skin. She's had a bib clip so is wearing a lightweight rug.

Good luck with yours, best to get her diet sorted now before Winter really sets in, you don't want her losing too much condition.

 

[LeannePip]

provided she does have adlib hay i would put a rug on her in the first instance and then start looking at hard feed

 

[wildwest]

you could try fast fibre ? works for our 5 even our oldie is doing well on it
with ad lib haylage instead of hay maybe ?

 

[cobalobM]

i would feed fast fibre with 1/2 cup of micronised linseed and a balancer, and maybe put a rug on

 

[Champion1969]

All rugged up now

 

[Shysmum]

i would go with a good low starch/sugar balancer - it has made the world of difference to my lad.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I used spillers lite balancer for my cob with sugar beet and alfalfa when in work . She gets oats if needing energy and a small amount of linseed meal for her coat and skin. She isn't rugged or clipped this year due to me roughing her off and she's as fat as butter on balancer and just hay

 

[Iced_coffee]

Mug of blue chip mixed with a decent amount of sugar beet, fill em up.

 

[flirtygerty]

I give my 3yr old cob calm & condition, a 12oz mug of micronised linseed, a large hand full of chaff, two scoops of easibeet and a slug of rapeseed oil, he is in very light work and so far maintaining condition with two small haynets a day