Feeding advice needed please

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RachelB

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Finally a little luck has landed in my lap and I have been able to move Maiden to a field where I am able to attempt to manage her weight (well, more than just sticking a muzzle on and hoping for the best
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Basically she needs to lose about 75kg
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The grazing she is on now was fertilised three weeks ago and is rather lush, so I have fenced her off bit and she is out 8am-6pm with a muzzle on and is stabled overnight with well-soaked hay. The one thing I am really worried about now is that with this restricted diet, is she getting the nutrients she needs? She certainly can graze with her muzzle on so isn't being starved, but once she's lost some weight she finds it very easy to lose condition and start looking poor (big belly stays as she's built with a round barrel, but she loses her "shine" - best way to describe it!) Am I being an over-fussy owner or should I be feeding her a balancer like Lo-Cal or a powdered supplement??!
 
All of our are warmbloods, either babies or competition horses apart from my old pony who is 1/2 New Forrest and an extremely good doer! We had the Saracen people out to see all mine and come up with menus for them all and they said that he would be best on Stamm 30 which is a balancer but not as expensive as some of the others . It has worked out well for him as he couldn't have the recommended amount of nuts etc as he would get too fat so this means that he still gets a feed with all the others, gets everything he needs to keep him well and doesn't get too fat! We have mosrt of the others on it to in conjunction with youngstock nuts or a conditioner so it appears to be pretty flexible stuff. You have to ask for one of their measuring cups though so that you can make sure you are feeding the right amount.
 
I would give her a daily token feed with a broad spectrum supplement in it. Doesn't have to be a super duper expensive one - something like Equivite or NAF general supplement would be fine.
 
Thanks for the recommendations guys, but my main question is still unanswered - do you think I need to be thinking about feeding a supplement/balancer?
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I was looking at Formula 4 Feet today as I am keen to get a decent set of feet on her, but not sure I can afford it
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As you can see as soon as a thread regarding feed is posted you get loads of diferent answers & if anything it confuses more than solves a problem.
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I'm sure everyone posts in good faith but it really complicates matters.

Best advice I can offer is to send an email to Dodson & Horrell, Spilers, Baileys etc infact any of the feed producers as they all have help lines. Tell them the details of your horse, the problem you have & they will provide you with professional advice for free. I did this & now I have my lad's feed spot on.
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As you can see as soon as a thread regarding feed is posted you get loads of diferent answers & if anything it confuses more than solves a problem.
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I'm sure everyone posts in good faith but it really complicates matters.

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I didn't mind that as I know what I'd feed her on, the question was really *should* I be feeding her!
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I would contact the feed companies but surely if I asked them if I should be feeding or not, they would say yes and suggest one of their feeds?
 
I went to a talk on Simple Systems feed, and ok they were there to promote their feed, but the lady explained how horses produce all the vitamins and minerals they need with the different organs of their body, the exception I think being vit e which you can get in oil.

I do feed all mine Lucie bix which is just a lucerne chop, I don't think your horse needs feeding tbh if is overweight.

So basically she thinks that its a waste of money feeding additional vit and mins. I do however feed biotin for my tb feet, and after 3 months they have started to become much better, and its fairly cheap if you buy the refill bags.
 
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I went to a talk on Simple Systems feed, and ok they were there to promote their feed, but the lady explained how horses produce all the vitamins and minerals they need with the different organs of their body, the exception I think being vit e which you can get in oil.

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Really? ALL of them? From what? I was under the impression that only a few vitamins are actually synthesised within the horse and all the rest come from dietary sources...
 
Blimey off my head can't remember it was over a year ago, but you could call them, she will be able to tell you!

What she probably meant was they produce all the vit and minerals they need; not neccessary all of the vit and minerals!
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Even so, I have been feeding mine SS since then and its so economical; 1 bag lasts my four a month ( about £9.30)
 
Yes they can produce all the vits and mins they need as long as they are fed the right nutrients to be able to do so! They can't make things from nothing!
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Sorry I'm trying very hard to not sound like I'm biting, I've studied equine nutrition for three years now and I've never been told that they can produce everything they need without having to be fed something!
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I am torn now between Lo Cal (she has had it before but not at the recommended levels so I have no idea how well she did on it...) and Formula 4 Feet, considering she has holes in her front soles dug out by my vet last week I am thinking she needs the extra biotin!! I'll do some research, thanks everyone for the replies!
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Top spec has hoof supplement already included all with recommended levels of biotin and add supps. I changed over from hoof supplement to top spec last month and im pleased with results.They do two types of balancer and are really helpful with enquiries.
 
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