Feeding advice please!

[JackDaniels1]

This is probably a completely useless post by myself as I haven't got any pics and not sure what size the paddock actually is

My new mare lives out 24/7, there was quite a lot of grass in her paddock when she came but she's eaten it a lot quicker than expected!

I am now worried that she will loose weight/condition. When she arrived I personally thought she was a little underweight but a couple of horsey people have assured me she isn't and she is just right weight wise

- v muscular back end and chest, just need to work on her neck!

She is in a small paddock, ridden 3-4 days a week but when ridden we do quite a lot - lunged before ridden then either schooled or a reasonable length hack. I have recently been leaving her a haynet out at night, it is eaten up by the morning.

I know it is v hard to advise without info/pics but should i be leaving her hay? if so, both AM and PM? Also, wasn't sure whether to buy haylage instead?

Thanks!

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

Unless she is a poor doer, I wouldn't be thinking about giving hay (and deffo not haylage as it has more calories than hay!) until the autumn.
If she is a poor doer then a little hay or chaff everyday should cover it during the summer.

 

[hadfos]

I would pesonally give her a feed with a vitamin supp in,especially if you work her quite hard on the days you do work her,from your description sounds like she ideal weight(as you say without pics hard to say)if she is finishing up hay overnight then grass obviously not great,maybe split a decent sized net between morning and night

weigh tape her,if she loses up what she gets

 

[JackDaniels1]

What would you feed her?

Forgot to say (not sure if it will make any difference) but in her previous home she was stabled more or less 24 hours a day (not much land) , just given ad lib hay/haylage and a handful of feed so she didnt feel left out while the others were fed.

 

[popsicle]

You are right. Not much to go on. lol. For the last few days I have left mine a hay net out once a day as the 1.25 acre summer paddock (for 2 large horses) is eaten well down and is also very yellow and dry at the min. Until recently, one was on slightly restricted grazing. Both are ideal weight and are ridden 3-4 times a week for long fast hacks. They also get a mouthful of feed each morning with their supplements etc in it. I'd try just the one haynet a day and keep weight taping her. Good luck

 

[hadfos]

Meant to add...it has been very very dry so the grass will be parched also and not growing as it should,so they will need a little help on the forage front

 

[hadfos]

Be worth buying a bag of chop/alpha/grazeon etc,just to give her some multivits

,good doers may not need the feed but if they working quite hard they definately need the vits/minerals

,my lad gets a little hard feed when he comes in at night but he has all his supps in it...garlic,and equivite mineral supp

,he is a very good doing tb,lol

 

[Cliqmo]

I'd say hay or chaff NOT haylage

How is she now? Sounds from your original post like you are moving along nicely with her??

Ps was there any news on the Blue thing??

 

[JackDaniels1]

I just meant haylage as I still personally think she could do with a little more weight on her - think I am paranoid

especially now she has eaten the grass down!

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

I think we are used to seeing horses carrying too much weight and therefore when we see one that is about right, our reaction can be "feed them up now!"
If she starts to loose condition, or you feel you need a little bit more oomph, a feed of molassed chaff possibly with some added supplements should be more than enough.

 

[JackDaniels1]

Thanks!

I will stop worrying and just enjoy her!

 

[TGM]

Can you see her ribs at all? Ideally, you want her in the sort of condition where you can't see her ribs but can feel them easily. If you have to press hard to feel her ribs then she is getting too fat.

If she is in the correct condition at the moment then she doesn't need any extra except a broad spectrum vit/min supplement in a handful of chaff if you want to ensure she gets all her vit/mins.

I would then continue to weigh tape her once a week - if she starts to lose weight then start supplementing with extra hay.