Feeding a good doer..

Chestnutmare

Chestnutmare

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I am off to buy some feed this weekend and wandering what to get as I have a good doer he's a 15.1 irish cob x (ish) i think got quite tubby living out, he's now back in at night with only a l/w on.

I am thinking dengie alfa a lite or their good doer chaff, and some everyday high fibre nuts or mix.

Only used to feeding a lami and with all the feed in the world on the market now, just wandering what you all feed yours?

I don't want anything high in sugar either, want it as high fibre as poss, I also saw that Spillers i think it was does a fibre chaff (think it was chaff).

Help ha ha
 
I would feed a handful of Hi-Fi Lite with 365 Complete (just google it).........works out a cheap feed and will have everything you need in it. Also feed your hay soaked (and weigh the hay before you soak to make sure you're not over feeding).
 
My horse is a fairly good doer, she also suffers with sweet itch and is intolerant to alfalfa. Im going to start feeding her on dodson and horrell safe and sound and allen and page quite nuts (the nuts she has had since i have had her) This seems to work for her, and if she doesn lose too much weight, she will have speedibeet as well.
 
I feed all good doers as if they are laminitic - prevention being better than cure!

So an approriate chaff (I use TopChop Lite) and a balancer/vit supplemnt, restricted grazing and soaked hay.

I'd steer well clear of all mixes and nuts
 
I agree with the others who have said why are you giving him bucket feed if he is overweight. If you are worried about supplying vit/mins then just give a supplement in a small handful of chaff or similar.
 
He is not overweight he will be fed a 'token' feed when the others are fed as the whole yard are fed at the same time as to avoid kicking etc, he is just getting a tiny tiny amount just so he has had a feed its litterally so small its pointless but keeps him happy when everyone else being fed.

I am looking for a chaff based feed with vits and mins incorporated.
 
Merlywerly said:
I am looking for a chaff based feed with vits and mins incorporated.
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I'd just give him a handful of pony nuts. If he's being fed that little, he'll get no benefit from any vits & mins. If you're concerned about supplying those, I'd feed him a block suppliment in his stable.

Merlywerly said:
He is not overweight
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Is tubby not overweight??
 
My good doers come into a handful of happy hoof and in harsh winter some horse & pony nuts. It's mainly a reward for coming in and something nice whilst feet being picked out etc. If the coats are clinging on in spring I sometimes add a balancer. They have access to mineral lick all year.

The really old chap that stays with us is fed on 16 plus mix but he has trouble maintaining weight in winter and would look like a coatstand without this.
 
tubby but not hugely overweight no, he has slightly little more than he should but def not obese.

He's 470kg for a 15.1hh cob x so is fairly well set anyway.

He has access to his salt lick in his stable one of those massive rock type ones.
 
TGM said:
Even if he is only a little overweight, he still doesn't need more than a handful of feed as a token.
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Hence why he is only getting the smallest amount ever but want to get him on a feed in preperation for winter as I have not had this boy through winter as yet, can't see him wasting away mind but to have him on a feed that can stay throughout winter more so.
 
Fast fibre, has all the vits and mins if fed at recommended levels and very low in calories. We give it to our good doers as a token feed xx
 
I used to give mine a token feed of a bit of speedibeet to mix in a vit and min supplement. If you are going to go for a chaff that includes vits and mins you will need to feed quite a large amount for him to be getting his recommended levels.
 
My good doer just has a couple of handfuls of dengie hi fi lite to put his all round vit/min supplement into (Feedmark Benevit). You would be best doing similar as whilst you can get chaffs that have vit/min in them, you have to feed the right amount (usually a lot) to get the dose right and that would defeat the object of trying to keep his weight down.
If I fed my lad the equilvalent Dengie product that has all the vits in it, instead of the Feedmark Benevit, I would be feeding him 3 or 4 scoops per day...which he really does not need at all.
 
You could try feeding something like Dengie good doer, it is only 7mj per kilo and will provide the necessary vits and mins at the recommended levels, providing you replace part of the hay ration then your horse should lose weight, I have used it to get weight off horses in the past with no problems.
 
I am really struggling with the feed issue at the moment, my boy is having a handful of chaff/diamond omega and carrots. He is coming at night from tomorrow so will need a token feed evening and morning. Is it best to feed chaff and a balancer and if so which one? or chaff with fast fibre or a high fibre nut, I just want to make sure he gets all the things he needs but does not put on weight as he is lame at the moment. Any input very welcome, there are so may feeds on the market and i am confused!
 
If you feed something like Bailey Lo Cal there is no need to add chaff, most horses will eat the pellets on their own.

I bag should last a horse weighing 500kg 40 days, I think the bags are around £26 atm.

Or you could give a handfull of Hi Fi Molasses free and add a vit and mineral supplement which may work out a lot cheaper
 
Ours get a single handful of Dengie hifi lite chaff and Dod & Horrell low cal balancer - just so they get vits and grumpy mare is easy to catch in the morning as she thinks she is getting a feed!

The balancer is £30 a bag, but lasts me 8-10 weeks for two ISHs - one is 17h and one 16h. We only buy about three sacks of hifi lite a year!
 
MIne has a bit of hi-fi lite (as a carrier) in which are 5 equibites fir vitamins and minerals - they are broad spectrum, low sugar and cheaper than a balancer, and 4 scoops of biotin. He also gets two slices of soaked hay and is on restricted grazing. His weight has been remarkably consistent all summer and he looks well in himself.
 
Found a fab chaff for good doers. It's chopped oat straw and is alfalfa and molasses free. 15kg bag is around same volume as other bags of chaff (as straw is lighter) and cost just over £5 per bag!! Bargain. It's by honeychop but make sure it's in the clear bag not the molassed version!
 
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