Feeding a good doer

[Lauramctag]

I have a 14.3 Welsh X who has handled winter brilliantly! He has been fat and hairy and wintered out with a rug on and seems to be thriving. Anyway, now Wer nearing the end of January he is losing a little weight. Not much, but I wouldn't want him losing much more, I can feel but not see ribs. They don't have much grass left in their field and are getting hay every day: what would you all suggest I feed him? Currently on no hard feed (like I say, he's living on fresh air and has so far done great!) just hay and grass, think he might just need a wee extra help towards the end of winter. He's in light work (maybe two days a week, light schooling a slight hacking.) he has a history of attitude and bolted before so nothing that could send him a bit wild! Thank you all!

 

[TGM]

Is he eating all the hay that is put out? If so, I'd just increase the quantity of hay before giving bucket feed. I don't know what area of the country you are in, but down here in the South temperatures are rising rapidly after the last cold snap so the grass is likely to start growing again soon if it stays mild.

 

[PorkChop]

I agree, just feed more hay, it sounds like you have him at a great weight and it won't be long before the grass starts growing again.

My fields are still really green and I live in Scotland too

 

[SusieT]

Personally unless you can very easily feel his ribs I'd let him keep dropping - might as well do as nature intended and then come spring he'll pile it back on!

 

[dollyanna]

From observation my fells don't lose weight until this time of year, they do well through the whole first half of the winter and make me think I'm going to have to manage them closer but then end of Januray/February they start to gently lose excess ready for the spring. I wouldn't panic just yet, monitor and make sure there is adlib hay as suggested, but the spring grass will come through sooner than you expect and then you'll have he opposite battle! Better to go into spring slightly under than any over, and bear in mind we tend to underestimate our ponies' condition these days.

 

[Lauramctag]

Thank you! We are in Scotland too, the fields are a total mess with rain and we can't find any more grazing unfortunately. He's in with a Shetland and a 16.2 TB X so not sure how much hay he is actually eating, they are getting a massive pile every day between them. But he is the boss and will chase the others away so there's no fear of him starving lol. Maybe our next hay delivery we will get the farmer to put it right into the field then he can eat at his own rate? Although knowing him he Will stand there day and night until it's gone! If I could figure out how to post a photo Id post a recent one but I'm new to this whole thing!

 

[Lauramctag]

I should say, I have to be really strict with myself not to baby him. He's a horse and a very sturdy hardy type at that. He's barefoot (with the advice from
My vet and amazing farrier!) and he doesn't get rugged until absolutely necessary. He won't be stabled so lives out 24/7.

 

[M4X]

How much hay are you going through? When my horse was out 24/7 with a field mate they went through a full round bale a week. We just used to out the bale right in the field with a cattle ring feeder over it

 

[Lauramctag]

Ah he's probably not getting enough then! A round bale is lasting a couple weeks between two of them! Our next delivery is due this week though so we are gonna get one out right in the field! I was really having to limit how much he was getting because he was really quite fat!