Feeding a good doer in medium work?

[WackyWelsh]

Hi, first post on here!

I have a Welsh X, good doer who has just dropped the excess weight after 3-4 months of moderate work (think schooling, jumping and fast hacks 5-6 times a week.)
Has anybody used the Spillers Lite+Lean balancer for a good doer in medium work? I was also looking at Mollichop Hoofkind or possibly Honeychop natural choice alfalfa to provide some extra ‘goodness’ while also fuelling his work.
Has anybody had any experiences with either of these? Or recommendations for any other feeds that give a bit more long lasting energy without piling on condition, and won’t break the bank!

 

[Pinkvboots]

Does he need anything extra most horses can easily do that level of work on hay alone if his coping leave him how he is considering his a good doer and we are coming into grass growing season.

 

[TGM]

I use the Spillers Lite & Lean Balancer for two of mine - one is a very good doer 14hh pony and the other is a 16.1hh 5yo warmblood. Workload varies, pony has had the winter off, but has happily competed and hunted on just the balancer and ad lib forage. The warmblood has been just doing light hacking during the winter, but now is doing plenty of flatwork and jumping. He gets the balancer with a little unmollassed beet and I adjust the amount of beet according to condition and work done. Both have plenty of energy for the work they do. I find it very economical to feed as well and have found hoof condition better when on the balancer. The recommended feeding rate is fairly low so you are not adding too many unnecessary calories to the diet.

 

[WackyWelsh]

He’s prone to weight gain so never on particularly great grazing, and although he usually has the energy to do his work, i’ve noticed that now I’m asking more of him in his ridden work he has a tendency to become sluggish. He’s a fit horse, just needs a bit extra ‘oomph’ sometimes!

 

[JennBags]

Most ridden horses are in light work, not medium work. Medium work is actually quite an intense level and it would surprise most people how much work constitutes medium. The fitter you get your horse the more "oomph" he will have, if you want some good long lasting energy, look at adding some oil to their chaff; oats are also very good and not heating as most people believe.

 

[JFTDWS]

Most ridden horses are in light work, not medium work. Medium work is actually quite an intense level and it would surprise most people how much work constitutes medium. The fitter you get your horse the more "oomph" he will have, if you want some good long lasting energy, look at adding some oil to their chaff; oats are also very good and not heating as most people believe.

Agreed - medium work is really quite intense training and much more than the average leisure horse does.

Fitness and training really are your friend - they will make the biggest difference to the level of "oomph" you feel. Oil, linseed and oats are good providers of energy and will provide the fuel a working horse needs (if it needs any more than forage), but the feel of the horse comes from the fitness and training (unless you're trying to make it whizzy or silly, in which case, you're probably on a hiding to nothing).

 

[Queenbee]

Agreed - medium work is really quite intense training and much more than the average leisure horse does.

Fitness and training really are your friend - they will make the biggest difference to the level of "oomph" you feel. Oil, linseed and oats are good providers of energy and will provide the fuel a working horse needs (if it needs any more than forage), but the feel of the horse comes from the fitness and training (unless you're trying to make it whizzy or silly, in which case, you're probably on a hiding to nothing).

Agreed! I personally wouldn't up a thing, don't forget grazing is starting to bloom - this should be more than enough to sustain with good energy levels