Feeding..again...

[aldato_daz]

hey again...

if any of you remember, i was having problems finding a good diet for my horse...

for those of you who did comment on my previous posts...im now feeding Alfa-a and speedibeet. i was going to feed him some cool mix along with this but his topline is terrible. i always fed him cool mix and conditioning cubes (both spillers) and he always kept really good condition. but he was really fizzy on this..so should i just ditch the cool mix and get a bag of conditioning cubes to feed along with the alpha-a and speedit-beet? as i know that these conditioning cubes will definately get his topline back along with work.

what about Blue Grass cool n condition...does anyone use it?

thanks guys...

 

[AmyMay]

If he has a tendancy to get fizzy then I would just feed the cool mix - conditioning cubes can be quite heating.

 

[aldato_daz]

hey...so what do i feed to get his topline back?

 

[AmyMay]

Well I've never fed for topline - it comes from work (I find anyway). As long as the horse is being fed and work correctly, then the topline will naturally develop.

 

[GatefieldHorses]

hey
add a few top line conditioning cubes in. my horse goes loopy on most feeds but hes fine on top line cubes.
Work in in draw reins and lunge in a pessoa if you have one. Lots of hacking too!

 

[wizzi901]

we have similar problem in that we cannot (dare not) change feed for the newbie tb as his head falls off....but having worked him correctly and lots of lunging, no pessoa, just free work, his topline is gradually coming on nicely.

I think you can supplement a feed to help it improve but mainly the correct work and ensure they are working through their back as well not just hauled in at the front, will make all the difference.

He is on alfa A + calm & condition, water, bit of cider vinegar and cornoil, thats it! - anything else tips him over the edge.

 

[mandagus]

echo marsden

If you just stick draw reins on he will jsut bring his head in incorrctly and not be working correctly through his back, you won't acheive self carriage and proper topline.

You will jsut make his back end weak and a dipped back

 

[MagicMelon]

I would try one of the others like Calm & Condition (like you say) which I think leaves out the barley which is probably what made your horse fizzy.

Otherwise go back onto whatever mix you know doesnt make him fizzy (ie. cool mix?) and then try adding other conditioning things like Soya Oil, even the Alfa A could be the Alfa A Oil etc.?

 

[PuddingandElla]

I had a simiale prob with my mare a while ago. She went to fizzy on cool mix so i spoke to spillers and they gave some good advice.
I now feed D&H calm and condition with mollichaff and sugard beat.
The thing with mix is that even the cool mix contains starch and it can be that they are reacting too. I certainly helped with my mare.

 

[lilym]

i would ditch the cool mix........ the cubes will be much better as they will be less starchy, especially if you go for bailey's no4's topspec cool conditioning cubes or saracen show improver cubes, all are high oil and hi fibre,,, so called "cool mixes" are often full of barley, which although a valuble ingredient in the make up of compound feeds is very high in starch, which can lead to silly, fizzy behaviour, so the term is actually quite misleading, and you will be far better off with a cube.

 

[GatefieldHorses]

[ QUOTE ]
echo marsden

If you just stick draw reins on he will jsut bring his head in incorrctly and not be working correctly through his back, you won't acheive self carriage and proper topline.

You will jsut make his back end weak and a dipped back

[/ QUOTE ]

Why do you see so many people using them then? The likes of top showjumpers etc etc. I didnt say just use draw reings but they help

 

[PuddingandElla]

If used correctly draw reins can be helpful. However, it's like so many gadgets in the wrong hands it can all go very wrong! You need to make sure that they horse is not just tucking it's head in and looking pretty but not actually using it's back. I don't use them but i do use a pessoa on my horse, this is to encourage her to work long and low cause if not she would happily trot round with her head in the air having a good look round. Also some horses rather a contact to work into.
Hope that helps