Feeding advice for a 3yro TB!!

[aparmo]

Hello lovely people,

I've recently taken on a rising 4 TB Gelding, he has limited turnout in the winter (sadly), he's coming into work and I'm looking for some feeding advice.

He's is still slightly bum high, and has a grass belly and has absolutely no muscle on him so looks a bit (very) scraggy as thoroughbreds do! I'd like to get him looking healthier and filling out, whilst still giving him everything he needs to grow that extra inch!

I have a general idea of what I'd like to feed him, but would like to hear your thoughts and opinions on what you'd feed him. He's currently quite fluffy and isn't rugged, and isn't skin and bones, so he's not that bad a doer (fingers crossed he stays like that!).

Thanks guys!

 

[tallyho!]

Sounds like what you're doing so far is working on a growing horse... Considering he's not racing or doing anywhere near enough work to warrant energy rich feed, why don't you provide the all hay/haylage he will need over the winter, a general balancer mixed in with some grass nuts (soaked) and see how you go? Just because he's a tb, doesn't mean he'll need any more than any other horse. If you think he needs a bit more then you could add micronised linseed for extra energy. I wouldn't personally go giving him grains at this stage.

 

[ImmyS]

Hello lovely people,

I've recently taken on a rising 4 TB Gelding, he has limited turnout in the winter (sadly), he's coming into work and I'm looking for some feeding advice.

He's is still slightly bum high, and has a grass belly and has absolutely no muscle on him so looks a bit (very) scraggy as thoroughbreds do! I'd like to get him looking healthier and filling out, whilst still giving him everything he needs to grow that extra inch!

I have a general idea of what I'd like to feed him, but would like to hear your thoughts and opinions on what you'd feed him. He's currently quite fluffy and isn't rugged, and isn't skin and bones, so he's not that bad a doer (fingers crossed he stays like that!).

Thanks guys!

I think the key is to keep it simple. With my exracer I gave adlib hay, soaked grassnuts with a balancer, then when in work and needing more I added micronised linseed or coolstance copra to feed. I would split feeds into two or three smaller ones where possible. High fibre, low starch/sugar is the key.

she went from this -





to this on that diet -

 

[Welshie95]

Mine's 11 so not got any growing left to do, but is a total hat rack and never keeps weight come rain or shine. I'm currently having great success with 1kg (dry) speedibeet, 500g micronised linseed and a couple of handfuls of oats (I soak them in the SB water) which will increase to 800g once in full work. He gets ad lib hay on top and this has seen him through coming back into work over the last month, a whole day's travelling and competing at Team Quest Regionals, a yard move the next day and settling in etc. without him tucking up or loosing condition and he is extremely stressy by nature.

 

[Fiona]

I think the key is to keep it simple. With my exracer I gave adlib hay, soaked grassnuts with a balancer, then when in work and needing more I added micronised linseed or coolstance copra to feed. I would split feeds into two or three smaller ones where possible. High fibre, low starch/sugar is the key.

I totally agree with this...

Fiona

 

[MuddyTB]

Agree with the above. I'd add some micronised linseed anyway as it could help with his feet as mentioned on the other thread. A mug a day won't do any harm and can be upped if he does/needs more.

 

[aparmo]

She‘s beautiful and looks so well. Good on you! I was planning on going down that route as he really doesn’t need anything else. Do you have a recommended Balancer? Thanks very much ��

 

[ImmyS]

She‘s beautiful and looks so well. Good on you! I was planning on going down that route as he really doesn’t need anything else. Do you have a recommended Balancer? Thanks very much ��

I believe I used topspec lite balancer.

Another example of current horse on similar diet ( I seem to have a habit on unintentionally taking on 'poor' horses)

When I got her last year:





And now -