Feeding - at my wits end

Northern Hare

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I always found it a tricky balance having my horse at full/party livery that included hay and feed. My horse always needed (quite a lot) more than was included - both of the forage and the hard feed. It's difficult because you are paying for feed in the livery so you don't want to lose that and start from scratch, thereby effectively paying twice for feed, it's really a balance.

Things that I found worked were to ask the YM if they could add a third feed? Also, could they swap the regular pony nuts that you say they feed as standard, to conditioning cubes? Also I may have missed it but how much hay/haylage does he (truly) get? Can they add extra haynets? The other change I made on my vets advice was to add oil (quite a lot of it) - he didn't have ulcers, so I don't know if this would suit your horse.

Good luck, I know how difficult it can be to reach the balance with your livery regime, especially if you are used to constantly monitoring and adjusting feed to your horse's needs.
 

ycbm

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Just a thought to confuse things even more. I had aTB who only put on weight when I took all the susa based "conditioning"fed out of his reactions. He was actually eating less but getting fatter.
.
 

YourValentine

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I feed soothe & gain and alpha A neither at the recommended rate.
I've worked out how much he needs for weight & energy and that's what he gets.
Has access to adlib hay and out on grass daily.
 

ycbm

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Just a thought to confuse things even more. I had aTB who only put on weight when I took all the susa based "conditioning"fed out of his reactions. He was actually eating less but getting fatter.
.

Soya, not susa 🙃
 
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