Feeding a do gooder for more energy without more calories?

[FaldingwoodLivery]

Looking for some feed recommendations, my section d is a very good doer, he is currently out all day, in a night with a trickle net full of hay and he gets a handful of hifi twice a day, also give him Naf pink powder.

Hes currently muzzled during the day as the grass in our summer fields is lush and thanks to all this rain quite long. He will be unmuzzled as the grass gets more grazed later on in the summer.

He is still slightly over weight.....however work wise he is lacking that "spark" and he seems to be struggling with his workload (which tbh isn't much) worked 6x a week, mixture of hacking, schooling, Pessoa, all sessions around 30mins hacking sometimes up to an hour.

So question is is there anything I can give him to increase energy levels without extra calories?? Suggestions welcome

 

[dafthoss]

Sounds like he could do with being fitter. Could you add any fast work sessions to his work? makes loads of diffrence to my connie if he does proper fast work twice a week and also shrinks his waist line quickest, so much so that I completly control his weight by altering the ammount of fast work we do.

 

[wellsat]

Oats? TBH nothing gave my mare a "spark", I had to just accept that was the way she was. You might well find though that if you can get more weight off that they have more energy.

 

[Trot_On_Dressage]

Doesn't exist I'm afraid. Anything high in energy IS high in calories.

The best advice is to get your horse fitter

 

[thatsmygirl]

I use propell in my horses feed when he needs a bit more spark, works well

 

[Cuppatea]

racenuts

 

[FairyLights]

Try a few oats

 

[FionaM12]

Doesn't exist I'm afraid. Anything high in energy IS high in calories.

Yep. My dictionary's definition of a calorie is "Unit for measuring the energy value of food".

 

[StarlightMagic]

Fitness = energy not feed!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Changing the horses feed isn't always the answer. You need to set up a regime that will get your horse fitter. Riding for 30 mins 6 times a week doesn't necessarily mean he will be getting any fitter. It depends on the work you are doing in those sessions.

 

[FaldingwoodLivery]

I know he does need to be fitter but it's hard to fitten when he hasn't the energy to do any more, it's a bit of a vicious circle really.

 

[RutlandH2O]

A calorie is a unit of energy. I don't think you can feed your horse "energy" without calories.

 

[WandaMare]

What time of day do you exercise....I find riding early before turnout makes a huge difference to my good doer. She is much more forward in her canter work compared to if I ride in the evenings once her tummy is full!

 

[Trot_On_Dressage]

I'm afraid there isn't a quick fix to your problem. You say your horse is still overweight, this will be making him feel more lethargic. Put him on a balancer ( a low cal one) so he is getting his daily vits and mins and increase his exercise. Do you know much about fittening? There are lots of books on the subject, bhs etc, formulate a plan and after a few weeks with a slimmer waiste line and increased exercise you will see results you don't see overweight athletes for a reason

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Please DON'T feed anything else. As others have said, this magic 'no calorie - high energy' feed doesn't exist. Your horse needs more stamina. Get the weight off, good quality walking, up and down hills is the best way to do this IME. I have a Draft horse who was VERY overweight when I got her just over a year ago, she has been on a diet ever since and as she has lost weight, the quality of her work has improved, she is much lighter on her feet and her walk is much more active.