Muddyboots
Well-Known Member
Help please! I find it all a minefield! My horse is a 16.1hh ISH gelding, 8 years old. In the summer he events and in the winter he is kept relatively fit and still goes out most weekends. I moved yards about 2 1/2 months ago and he's gone from being on poor quality grass to good grass (for this time of year!) and from poor quality hay to ad lib hayledge. At the old yard, where he had been for three winters, i always struggled to keep weight on him but now he has got a bit of a tummy! I feel i need to change his feed to suit his new situation.
He is currently fed;
AM - 1 scoop of Alpha A and 1 scoop of D&H conditioning mix
PM - handful of Alpha A, 1 scoop of above mix, 2 cups of top spec comprehensive balancer and half a scoop of sugar beet
At the same time as moving yards, i have also changed instructor and my new instructor has suggested that the D&H is probably too high in starch. He can be very arsey at times which she wonders if a lower starch based feed would help with. In addition, she would like to see him have a little more energy which i would agree with as i do find him lazy at times.
At the moment he is on average schooled twice a week, lunged once and a lesson and a hack at weekends. As soon as i can hack mid week (mid feb), his work load will be increased to 6 times a week mixture of hacking, schooling, lessons/competions ready to start eventing (90/100 level) mid april.
I would like to change his feed, that will suit him now but that can be altered to suit the increased work load (and the grass when it comes through) when the time comes (rather than making a radical change now and another one in say 1-2 months time).
In addition, he is a picky eater and i have had feeds in the past that he hasn't liked. The trend i have found is that it is anything with too high oil content.
Any suggestions welcomed .
Thank you in advance!!!
He is currently fed;
AM - 1 scoop of Alpha A and 1 scoop of D&H conditioning mix
PM - handful of Alpha A, 1 scoop of above mix, 2 cups of top spec comprehensive balancer and half a scoop of sugar beet
At the same time as moving yards, i have also changed instructor and my new instructor has suggested that the D&H is probably too high in starch. He can be very arsey at times which she wonders if a lower starch based feed would help with. In addition, she would like to see him have a little more energy which i would agree with as i do find him lazy at times.
At the moment he is on average schooled twice a week, lunged once and a lesson and a hack at weekends. As soon as i can hack mid week (mid feb), his work load will be increased to 6 times a week mixture of hacking, schooling, lessons/competions ready to start eventing (90/100 level) mid april.
I would like to change his feed, that will suit him now but that can be altered to suit the increased work load (and the grass when it comes through) when the time comes (rather than making a radical change now and another one in say 1-2 months time).
In addition, he is a picky eater and i have had feeds in the past that he hasn't liked. The trend i have found is that it is anything with too high oil content.
Any suggestions welcomed .
Thank you in advance!!!