Feeding advice/experience please

[majors]

I bought home new horse yesterday so far great. He is a belgium driving type, can't read passport yet as it needs translation. He is over weight slighty, and unfit as not done much work recently. He will be out on limited grazing and limited hay when in, as I am planning to ride up to 4 times a week what food would you all recommend. He is 7 in June. Thanks for reading

 

[neelie OAP]

Did you not think to ask what feed the horse was on before he came to you, as a sudden change of diet isn't a very wise thing to do !

 

[TGM]

As he is overweight and only going to be in light work to start with, he really shouldn't need much in the way of bucket feed. You can just give him a handfull of chaff as a token when the others are fed, and if you are worried about his vit/min intake give him a broad spectrum vit/min supplement or a low calorie balancer.

Once he is fit and in full work you can then assess his condition and energy levels and feed accordingly.

 

[majors]

Thanks TGM, that the balancer was the way I was thinking, he is only on grass and hay at the moment as not been in work.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

None!

I have an overweight draft horse, who , much to her disgust, is on a diet and has been ever since I bought her just over a year ago. I gave her a balancer as her droppings were loose because I had to change her from hay onto haylage (we can't get good quality hay). The balancer made her loopy! She now just has Brewer's yeast and a small amount of dried grass, which works just as well as the balancer without the side effects. Unless you are sure that your horse needs a balancer - don't use one.

 

[Becki1802]

I would try a scoop of Hifi & something like Bailey's Local Balance - when I introduced it to my boy I did it 1/4 of a cup at a time as too much too soon sends them loopy in my experience.

I think a diet sounds a good plan but the balancer ensures he has all the hits & mins he needs to cope with the work!

 

[Miss L Toe]

If he is only slightly overweight I would go for limited grazing but a little less than ad lib hay and a kg or more of Fast Fibre for his minerals, start him off with 20 mins walking and build up to 40 mins in three weeks, this will trim the fat off, you don't need to starve him.
If you intend to ride only four times per week, I would keep him out as much as possible, he will increase his fitness if he can canter about the field.