Feeding advice please?

[Jingleballs]

I am looking for some advice please on what to feed my boy.

He is a HW cob, very good doer in light work.

He is currently on 1 scoop of hi fi light and 2 cups of Top Spec anti lam and has about 3 - 4 hay nets a day. The grazing he is currently on is poor so he's not getting much forage when he's turn out during the day.

I am happy with the anti lam and specifically chose it because he has recently gone barefoot and anti lam has a higher level of biotin - he's been on it since early September.

Despite the poor grazing etc he seems to have gotten quite heavy again in recent weeks - in the last few weeks 2 people have commented on his condition which although is not overly concerning, I'd expect, as with last winter, he should be dropping weight by now.

He hasn't worked as much in the last 2 weeks due to saddle issues but has still been lunged 2 - 3 times a week and is fit enought to do 2 1 hour lessons a week without really breaking sweat.

Can anyone suggest changes I could make to his feeding plan?

I need him to get all the vits and minerals he need without the calorie and I want to ensure his feet stay healthy.

Someone has suggested formula for feet which sounds good but is ridiculously expensive even when compared to the top spec!

Any advice welcome!

 

[BlueberryPocket]

http://www.simplesystem.co.uk/

I recently read a very interesting article about these guys & gave them a call & they were very helpful, I'm thinking of putting my good doer on their feed.

 

[MrsMozart]

Ours on light work get only hay, and only that cos the fields have turned into mud baths

They have a balancer, but it's in a small handful of feed.

 

[LankyDoodle]

I am swapping from F4F because of the expense.

George is also on poor grazing during the day and gets about 5 thick slices (adlib) hay overnight. He is on 2 feeds a day of:

Handful Hifi Original (just to mix in the other stuff really)
30ml Respirator
Naf Biotin
Naf gen purpose supp
1/2 cup BOSS

The 2 Naf things will take the place of the F4F.

He is in quite good condition. He could lose a bit more weight and will do as winter ensues. I won't add anything to his feed regime, apart from hay in the field, unless he starts to get too thin.

 

[concino]

I have 3 horses, full ID, IDXTH (4rs) and very old arab with bad heart condition. They are out full time but have access to barn. All are bare foot.

My horses have only sufficient amount amount of chaff ( a handful) and only as a means of administering a broad spectrum vit / min supplement (winter only). They have constant/ year round access to hay and are in light / occassional work only at this time of year but even when they do more in the summer, they do not have feed or supplements.

Please remember that horses have evolved to survive on quantity not quality, to obtain their nutrients from low quality grazing and from other plants, hedgerows etc. Unless they are in very hard work, hunting / racing/ eventing etc. they do not need hard feed they just need clean, not top quality (in a nutritional sense) forage.

My horses are fit, have a real shine to their coats and good feet. They have room to move and play and even when they have fields of fresh grass in the summer, when given the chance to regulate their own diet, they do. It is a constant source of amazement to me that my horses will choose to eat hay, even when they have good grass and never gorge but are often to be found sleeping - and I have often seen them do this for 2 hours or more at a time. As my farrier once said, " laminitis is about good management - not starvation", I would add to this that this means activity/ exercise, allowing horses to keep moving; this is the key to their good health.

If your horse is doing well and is not in hard work - don't feed it. If it is a little bit too heavy - work it.

 

[bex1984]

You'd probably be suprised at how much he's actually getting during the day from his "poor" grazing - if he's putting on weight he's getting more than enough.

I do tend to bang on about this but soaking hay for 24 hrs is a brilliant way to help them diet in winter, it takes the calories out but they still feel full so everyone is happy.

Mine (HW coblet) has D&H equibites for his vits and mins, they are very low cal and pretty cheap

He just has a handful of happy hoof and some carrots, and a glob of cod liver oil because it helps keep his metabolism going.

If poss with a chunky cob/native, clip them out and underrug them slightly, I did this with my boy last year, he had a nice layer of blubber to keep him warm.

plus up the work - and make him sweat!!