Feeding Advice please - am I doing it right?!

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SarahAllen

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Hello hello,

Thought i'd ask for some more advice but this time about feeding
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My horse has been on pretty much the same feed for the whole time i've had him and has done very well on it. However now his circumstances have changed i.e. is coming in at night and has less grazing in the day, I wanted to check that he was still getting everything he needs.

A bit of info:

He's 13yrs, 17.2hh IDxTB
Out in the field from about 8am-3.30pm
Ridden 3-5 times a week, a mixture of hacking & schooling, never for more than an hour and a half at a time and mainly walk & trot as he's not overly fit yet.

At the moment he's having 1 feed in the evening and it comprises :

1 scoop mollichop
1/2 scoop pasture mix
1/2 scoop top spec comprehensive balancer
Splash of cod liver oil & cider vinegar
Garlic
Fresh fruit/veg

My plan is to gradually switch him over to mollicop & top spec and cut out the pasture mix. I will keep the garlic and the fruit/veg in too. I was also thinking about splitting the feed into 2 - one in the morning and one at night.

He has adlib haylage when he's stabled.

At the moment I think he is in almost perfect condition, needs muscling up a bit but that will come with time. He is neither a poor nor good doer, his weight stays pretty constant without much effort on my part!

So, I just wanted to make sure that you think im covering all his nutritional needs and that he's getting enough fiber?

All advice welomed
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Thanks again!
 
I think your feed sounds great, feeding in to two feeds would be best and if his condition is good stick with it! If he starts to loose weight without the pasture mix add a bit back in to keep the calories up.
The balancer as long as its the recommended amount will provide all the vits and mins and the chaff and hay will provide the fibre.
I feed my WB's a scoop of chaff and the recommended amount of balancer twice a day as well as adlib hay, they keep their condition really well.
 
The mix is a waste of money, as you have a comprehensive balancer. At only 1/2scoop of mix, it isn't actually adding any tangible energy to his diet. Best of running it down & cutting out when you've run out.

He's on plenty of fibre (grass during day, adlib haylage & mollichopp), so wouldn't worry there. It sounds like you have the feeding sorted & nothing to worry about.
 
Thank you both for your help - its much appreciated.

Sorry I din't make it clear in my first post, DollyDolls, the pasture mix is only there because i'm introducing the Top Spec gradually as he was initially only on the pasture mix. In a few weeks i'll have cut it out completely and he'll only be on the mollichop + balancer
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Thanks again!
 
Hi.....the only thing here I wouldn't give would be the cod liver oil ..simply because horses are herbivores and don't eat fish naturally.and other plant stuffs do exactly the same job should you feel the need for them.

Lots of people would disagree with me on this..and many many people do feed cod liver oil and fish oil compounds.
 
Hi. i agree with genie, horses are herbivore, if you want to feed oil, then feed linseed oil or micronised linseed. if you're feeding haylage then you won't need to feed much else for the work you're doing, just enough to mix your balancer or vit & min supplement.
 
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