Feeding for Condition

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Matafleur

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What is everyone's current favourite for feeding for condition? I want to stay fibre based as far as possible, and nothing that will hot a horse up!!

My new boy is a bit lighter than I'd like (he was cut last summer as a 5 year old and apparently dropped a lot of condition after the op). He doesn't look terrible but he also lives out 24/7 to help his mind so could do with some extra help. There is no grass but he is well rugged and has ad lib hay at all times.

He's been on Dengie Healthy Tummy and outshine for the last 2 months but not really showing the results I'd like. The Healthy Tummy has good protein levels and I thought the outshine would top up for weight gain. I usually use linseed and Alflafa pellets but for some reason I've gone off linseed, so looking for a fat building, non fizzy alternative.

TIA!
 
Cool-stance copra or equijewel can be good alternatives to linseed. However, ad lib good quality haylage and Dr Green (once spring finally arrives) are usually the best thing for condition but difficult when there is none! I assume you will have also done the usuals like worm count and check teeth as this can also make a big difference to condition.
 
Yes, he had a wormer on arrival as a new horse to the yard, he'll go onto worm counts soon but had come from a pro set up so I'd hope wouldn't be too bad. Teeth were looked at the week he arrived, they aren't great in fairness and need checking in 6 months but he eats very happily, no obvious problems.

Equi Jewel was one I was looking at, just interested in any other options 🙂.

I'm sure he will pick up in spring, I just can't imagine it ever being spring at the moment!
 
Grass chop and equijewel or just grass chop + oil. After linseed, olive has the best omega 3:6 ratio which is why it's fed; a skewed 3;6 ratio is inflammatory but correctly balanced it's anti inflammatory
Also pea protein can help but it's pricey and some horses can react badly to it
 
FieldOrnaments said:
Grass chop and equijewel or just grass chop + oil. After linseed, olive has the best omega 3:6 ratio which is why it's fed; a skewed 3;6 ratio is inflammatory but correctly balanced it's anti inflammatory
Also pea protein can help but it's pricey and some horses can react badly to it
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Thank you, I don't think I'm brave enough to go the pea protein route! I'll probably keep the Healthy Tummy (really alfalfa with a balancer), and probably try equi jewel. He is looking stronger from his work but I'd like a little more coverage.
 
I use Saracen condition improver cubes for one of mine who always tends to be a bit light, I find it suits mine very well, no extra fizz, but keeps him in good condition, its active ingredient is Equijewel, so you could certainly just add that to what you already feed, and hopefully once the spring grass comes through you wont need it.
 
I followed piggy march's advice and moved to 3 feeds a day and it was revolutionary. I feed morning, when come in around 5pm and late feed at 9pm. Piggy said with horses who lacked weight they would always have the late feed and it has been transformative on a horse who was hard to keep weight on. I appreciate if on DIY maybe not so easy but ways around it - lunchtime maybe? Depending on set up.
 
I'm struggling this winter (with a cob! He's just not greedy....). My grazing has vanished under bog.

If I'm at the yard he gets an extra meal. Sainfoin mixed with hay cobs, a glug of oil and he's on a lower starch conditioning cube. So 2-3 times a day. He has loads of hay overnight but he rarely eats it all. On riding days he gets his chaff pre ride and a full feed post ride.

I'm struggling to get anything that's really conditioning which doesn't blow his mind.

I'm hoping March is warm and my fields dry quickly so he can be my lawnmower
 
LEC said:
I followed piggy march's advice and moved to 3 feeds a day and it was revolutionary. I feed morning, when come in around 5pm and late feed at 9pm. Piggy said with horses who lacked weight they would always have the late feed and it has been transformative on a horse who was hard to keep weight on. I appreciate if on DIY maybe not so easy but ways around it - lunchtime maybe? Depending on set up.
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This is interesting, thank you. I am on full livery, this is probably do-able.

I think I'm going to try the Equijewel and see how we go with that. Surely the ground will dry up soon?!
 
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