Feeding advice - Should I be feeding Patches?

[Patches]

For the last month Patches has been living out, as have the others. In that time I've not given Patches, Tweenie or Dinker a hard feed at all. Talis has had a bit as he seems to need something else.

Generally speaking I'd say Patches seems quite fit, but is it really fair of me to expect her to do 3 plus hour hacks 2/3 times a week, plus lessons now and schooling in the field at home, not to mention the pleasure rides as well?

They are on a starvation paddock pretty much too. I bring them in for a couple of hours twice a week to have a rest and some long fibre in the form of hay.

 

[burtie]

If she looks well and has enough energy then there is no need to feed her. If the grass is very poor it won't hurt to give her a all round vit and mineral supplement and a handful of nuts to mix the supplement with to make sure she is getting the vitals she needs.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

[ QUOTE ]
Generally speaking I'd say Patches seems quite fit, but is it really fair of me to expect her to do 3 plus hour hacks 2/3 times a week, plus lessons now and schooling in the field at home, not to mention the pleasure rides as well?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well if it's not, then I'm just as mean. Mine is out at night on a bald patch and comes in for the day as tends to get sunburn. While she is in she has adlib hay, but isn't piggy, so a bale is currently lasting a week. She also get a small feed (if you can call it that!!) handful of Hi Fi Lite, scoop of vit/min supplement & half an apple coz I feel mean.

We did a 10mile sponsored ride today and a 12mile ride two weeks ago.

 

[pottamus]

No problem, she will be fine, just monitor her weight with a weigh tape on a fortnightly basis. Last year I was doing 15 mile pleasure rides every weekend with my boy and clocking up another 20 miles during the week and he just has 2 handfuls of hifi to put his supplement into once per day. He had stacks of energy and kept his weight down well as he is a native type.

 

[AmyMay]

Providing she has the energy to do what you want - then she needs no hard feed.

However, if she is lacking in umph then yep.

 

[MillionDollar]

No, my NFs are hardly ever fed hard feed (except for now as they are in-foal) even when they were in hard work unless they dropped weight. I don't even feed my WB much at all.

 

[Theresa_F]

If she is keeping weight on and has enough energy then I would just give her a handful of chaff with a vit and min supplement, maybe after being ridden as a reward.

Mine do get fed twice a day when out - some chaff, carrots and their supplements and when in they have hay but they are on fairly sparce grazing though do not work as hard as Patches.

If they start to lose weight/energy I add some of the green gold (pure alfa) to the lucie stalks.

Talis - I would definately give him some sort of vit and min supplement as he is young and if anything like Chancer, still sprouting up and out.

 

[Patches]

Talis has Super Molli Bloom, Stud Balancer, Linseed Oil and Sunflower Seeds! The full works! lol

Patches seemed a bit "flat" on the fun ride last weekend. However, it was hot and I guess it's only to be expected that she'd flag towards the end. I just keep thinking how she felt fresher around Somerford last year and she wasn't half as fit as she is now.

I do have Super Molli lite and I still have a plentiful supply of the Corn Oil and Selenium/Vit E supplement I was feeding her last year. I guess I could feed her a bit of that a day or so before a long ride and the day of the ride too, afterwards too?

Her girth does seem to have gone up another hole.

 

[henryhorn]

I imagine she is a good doer but would probably feed her a little after every ride.
Nothing too heating just some coarse mix and a bit of speedi beet but it will help maintain her condition. If you want her livelier change it to a competition mix.
We alays feed ours something s a reward even a few carrots, it helps them associate work with food afterwards.

 

[Patches]

[ QUOTE ]
I imagine she is a good doer but would probably feed her a little after every ride.
Nothing too heating just some coarse mix and a bit of speedi beet but it will help maintain her condition. If you want her livelier change it to a competition mix.
We alays feed ours something s a reward even a few carrots, it helps them associate work with food afterwards.

[/ QUOTE ]

Must admit, I want her to feel rewarded too. She works really hard on the farm rides but does run out of puff. I have been hacking for hours and hours a week as well as long steady canters around the edge of one of the fields, on top of schooling.

Last year she seemed to cope going around Somerford perfectly fine and there was no way she was as fit as she is right now.

Thanks HH. Will seriously reconsider what to do with her. If she starts piling weight on, I can always cut it back. Just feel as though she needs something just before/after a farm ride.