Feeding advice for a novice owner

[FinellaGlen]

I have always kept my horses on full livery because I work approximately 70 hours a week and don't get any time off even at weekends. This has always worked well for me but I am acutely aware of a gap in my knowledge when it comes to equine nutrition, hence the novicey question to follow

Basically, I have noticed that my Highland mare has been a bit sluggish this week. There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with her. She's eating and drinking fine and has galloped round her field 8 times this morning. This led me to wonder if she needed a more energy giving feed but I thought I'd see if anyone had any advice for me before I go and speak to my YO.

The mare is turned during the day and in at night. She gets a few pony nuts, a handful of chaff and a bit of Speedi Beet for her breakfast and a haynet at night. She also gets a seaweed supplement and some cod liver oil.

If this is a really stupid question I do apologise but I really don't know the first thing about feeding

 

[scotsmare]

If she's working regularly then the feed she is getting won't be providing enough energy, try upping the nuts and feeding her twice a day and see how you get on from there. Then, if she still doesn't have enough sparkle you can look at changing things from then.

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I wouldn't worry too much they often get a bit sluggish this time of year as their coats start to change. Probably as a good doer she doesn't want much extra feed. She should be getting sufficient energy from what she is having unless she is working very hard.

 

[Shilasdair]

I'd probably wait another week or so, just to be sure that there isn't any other reason she is sluggish...some mares will be slow to move off the leg when in season, for example.
It could also be that the grass is less 'sugary' at the moment, so may be giving her less energy (there is usually a flush of good grass in Sept).
It may be worth moving her gradually onto a more 'heating' feed...such as a mix or cube for horses in slightly harder work. Maybe best to ask your YO what he/she feels would suit your mare?
S

 

[the watcher]

There are so many factors to consider, the size and approx weight of the horse, how much work it is doing and at what level, and then the quality of grass and other forage available.

The grass is going off at the moment so you could consider giving a feed at night too, similar to the breakfast you mentioned, and also ensuring that the full range of vits and mins are provided in a broad vit/min supplement.

You would be surprised how much i feed the Highlands, but although the dinners look big they are high in fibre.

 

[FinellaGlen]

Thanks everyone. She is worked 6 days a week. When the first flush of grass came through this spring she turned into Turbo-Charged Pony so maybe a lack of sugar is having the opposite effect? I'll leave it another week and see how she seems and then talk to my YO (who is really approachable so no problems there)

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

is this the same feed she was getting on full livery before and did she lack energy then?

 

[FinellaGlen]

random_rach, this has been her normal feed since she started going out all day and she's been ok up until this week. Actually I think I have got it wrong and she has two feeds a day and then a big haynet - oops!

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

lol that might explain

 

[SirenaXVI]

Rather than upping the nuts (this will just make her fat), try adding a vit/min supplement or a balancer, Highlands will tend to put the extra energy to fat rather than 'sparkle', however, if she is receiving the correct levels of vits etc, this will automatically make her feel better. Baileys Lo-cal is good as is D&H Suregrow or Triple Crown Even Keel (which is specifically designed for british natives).

Having said all of that, some horses are already changing their coats and that does make some of them a little sluggish.

 

[Shilasdair]

QR
Had another thought...it might be worth trotting her up on the hard to see if she is at all unlevel...sometimes slight lameness (below that which you'd feel easily when riding) can be shown by a slight sluggishness.
S

 

[FinellaGlen]

Thanks for feed suggestions Sirena. V helpful!

Shilasdair - I did wonder about that. I will trot her up tomorrow and ask YO to have a look for me as she is way better than I am at spotting subtle lameness issues.

 

[hellybelly6]

I would be wary of upping her feed. Having a Highland myself, I know they just need to look at feed and put the weight on. As has been suggested, its probably due to her shedding her summer coat.

I would also be wary adding a feed balancer too. She is on seaweed so she will be getting all her vits. Balancers contain a lot of calories and protein, it may be too much for her.

Sounds like she is burning all her energy having fun in the field.

Check her for lameness as suggested and if lame but still sluggish add a a few pony nuts, carefully.

 

[TGM]

Agree with Sirena that vit/min supplementation might be the best route to go, if you feel she has sufficient condition but just lacks energy. But also check nothing else is amiss (virus, mild lameness etc) before messing with feed too much!

 

[SirenaXVI]

[ QUOTE ]
I would be wary of upping her feed. Having a Highland myself, I know they just need to look at feed and put the weight on. As has been suggested, its probably due to her shedding her summer coat.

I would also be wary adding a feed balancer too. She is on seaweed so she will be getting all her vits. Balancers contain a lot of calories and protein, it may be too much for her.

Sounds like she is burning all her energy having fun in the field.

Check her for lameness as suggested and if lame but still sluggish add a a few pony nuts, carefully.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually this is not true, balancers are perfect for good doers, as you can add the vits/mins WITHOUT adding huge amounts of calories because you feed a balancer in much smaller quantities than you would nuts or mix. Neither will protein make a horse fat, this is a myth, protein is essential to build MUSCLE not fat, and, in the past has been unfairly blamed for lots of problems, it is STARCH you need to avoid to prevent the horse putting on too much weight and/or causing laminitis. In any case, again because you feed a balancer in a smaller quantity, protein overload is highly unlikely.

I have to watch the weight of all my horses (spanish horses get fat on fresh air) including the youngsters, they are all on a balancer and it works perfectly for them.

Seaweed alone will not provide all of her essential vits/mins, some of them but definately not all of them.

I would not up the nuts at all, nuts are in the main slow release, I would try adding the vits and mins either through a supplement or a balancer, if after a month she was still sluggish, I would think about adding a few naked oats (just a few!), these provide fast release energy and are the lowest in starch and highest in fibre of all the cereals, but you do need to go carefully with them.

I also think it may be worth checking for lameness

 

[Mrsf]

Without wishing to offend anyone on here who gives advise on feeding - can i suggest that you speak to an equine nutritionilist (they are available to speak to in most of the large brand companies) and ask their opinion. Feed companies invest hundreds and thousands of pounds each year developing new products and have the expertise you need. There are specific products on the market designed for good doers such as highlands who live on fresh air and put weight on easily (i know the feeling!) i am sure that they will be able to help you if your horse's sluggishness is due to diet. Try looking on the websites of the feed companies such as Saracen or Dodson & Horrell.

I do agree with who ever said leave it a couple of weeks and if the horse is still sluggish then maybe change the feed then. However, please remember that the grass will come through again in September (or earlier with the amount of rain that we've been having lately) so beware of changing the feed around that time or you may end up with a laminitic pony (a problem far worse than a sluggish one!)

Good luck - i hope you get it sorted

 

[FinellaGlen]

Thank you very much everyone. I will definitely check for any sign of lameness first and then, if all seems ok, will monitor the situation for a couple of weeks. I would hate to cause Finella any problems due to my inexperience so I think talking to an equine nutritionist sounds like a very good idea.

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
Thank you very much everyone. I will definitely check for any sign of lameness first and then, if all seems ok, will monitor the situation for a couple of weeks. I would hate to cause Finella any problems due to my inexperience so I think talking to an equine nutritionist sounds like a very good idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hope she regains her ooomph....but just a word of warning about equine nutritionists. They are in the business of selling feed, even to horses who don't need feed, some might say.
If I fed my three anything like the amounts recommended by some of the feed companies, they would be too fat to get through the gate, and high as kites.

I have found Dodson and Horrell to be more sensible though - maybe try them first.
Good luck with your Highland (I have slight Highland envy).
S

 

[FinellaGlen]

Thanks Shilasdair. I will try Dodson & Horrell first and make my own mind up (with help from my YO) as to the quality of their advice, particularly regarding amounts of feed.

You are welcome to come and have a ride on Finella if you can find your way up from your current location

 

[SirenaXVI]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Thank you very much everyone. I will definitely check for any sign of lameness first and then, if all seems ok, will monitor the situation for a couple of weeks. I would hate to cause Finella any problems due to my inexperience so I think talking to an equine nutritionist sounds like a very good idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hope she regains her ooomph....but just a word of warning about equine nutritionists. They are in the business of selling feed, even to horses who don't need feed, some might say.
If I fed my three anything like the amounts recommended by some of the feed companies, they would be too fat to get through the gate, and high as kites.

I have found Dodson and Horrell to be more sensible though - maybe try them first.
Good luck with your Highland (I have slight Highland envy).
S

[/ QUOTE ]

Echo what Shilasdair has said, the feed companies are in the business of selling feed. however, D&H does have a very good helpline. If you can get advice from an independant nutritionist all the better. However, I am willing to bet that there are a couple of them here on HHO

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]

You are welcome to come and have a ride on Finella if you can find your way up from your current location

[/ QUOTE ]

If she suddenly morphs into something large, black and forwards going, you'll know I've swapped you!
S

 

[amandaco2]

i would check for any slight lameness or sore in the back muscles
if shes ok physically i would look at her workload-has she been doing the same things in the school everyday for weeks?a different routine could be all she needs.are you doing different sort of work than shes used to-for example doing alot of school work when shes normally just hacked-she could be tired from using a different set of muscles and not fit in that respect.
she is probably a good doer so i would be wary of just adding in more feed unless she is actually underweight.
if she is over weight from all the summer grass it could be she is lazy due to being too fat and needs feeding less!
i would feed a mineral and vitamin suppliment or balancer as her diet at the moment may be lacking in minerals and vitamins.
if all the above fails and shes perfectly healthy you could try adding a small amount of instant release feed such as instand release comp mix, but be wary of laminitis.