Feeding for energy, but worried about condition

dollymix

dollymix

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I have finally managed to get my welshie to a weight I'm happy with. She is on strip grazing at night time and very coarse hay during the day. (Only a small amount). She also has a handful of happy hoof chaff to add her joint supplement.

However, I have started to find she is loosing energy for the work I'm asking her to do (hacking and schooling in walk, trot and canter and jumping 5-6 times a week) and therefore wondered about her feeding.

I am obviously very wary of giving her anything which will Add condition, as it's been a long battle to get the weight down through work and diet. I'm happy with her fitness but she doesn't seem to have much fuel in the tank at all.

Any suggestions?
 
If you are working her daily you can probably increase her intake without her gaining weight, plus work her harder if she has enough energy to do more she should also get fitter with more exercise.
I would give her more fibre, extra hay and some oil for energy, if you still require extra some oats would help and should not make her put weight on, does she get a vit/min supplement or any salt added it could be she is lacking in them.
 
My welshie gets oats = more energy so he actually burns off the intake - he doesn't seem to gain weight on them (although he had a couple of months without march/april just to see if I could get him to drop a bit before spring- although we don't actually seem to get as much grass here as back in somerset). I too find that on his restricted grazing regime can struggle to actually have enough energy for the work required too- prob similar amount to you.

He is muzzled at night, has approx 14lb of good hay in the day (otherwise I would worry he isn't getting enough roughage) and 2 feeds of fastfibre/micronised linseed/oats/vits and mins.
 
Red cell is a good supplement. I have a very lazy NF pony and I spent a whole spring/summer getting him fit. I ended up feeding him spillers instant energy mix and red cell. He was working hard though so burnt the extra calories off but I needed rocket fuel to get his bum moving!

Some horses are naturally less "fizzy" and energetic than others. Now I'm getting older I know which I prefer!!!;)
 
F did well on instant energy mix but the sugar in it meant his feet didn't! I'm not sure re. red cell tbh as most uk grazing is high in iron.
 
Falconers said:
Red cell is a good supplement. I have a very lazy NF pony and I spent a whole spring/summer getting him fit. I ended up feeding him spillers instant energy mix and red cell. He was working hard though so burnt the extra calories off but I needed rocket fuel to get his bum moving!

Some horses are naturally less "fizzy" and energetic than others. Now I'm getting older I know which I prefer!!!;)
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Interestingly enough, she is actually on red cell as she had a virus in January and the vet recommended this. He did say I could stop once the bottle is complete (although it seems to be a magic, never-ending bottle!)

My RI recommended using Baileys Outshine for slow release energy....but would switching to something like Alfa-oil be just as effective? She is currently on Happy Hoof chaff.
 
I am here looking for an answer to your exact question Dollymix! I was considering those instant energy shots in a syringe for competitions but they are no good for daily use. I don't know what to do my welshie is getting slower and slower even though she has very varied work and is ridden 6-7 days a week! :( I'm scared to try any high sugar feeds Incase I gave her lami..I would never forgive myself!
 
Dodson & Horrell Competition Concentrate. Its for extra energy without weight gain. I've used it this yr & last yr with good results & sometimes a wee bit too much energy ;)
 
Hi there, I have a Dartmoor pony, on very restricted grazing, fed twice daily with very low levels of sugar, ie, Dengie Healthy Tummy and D&H Fast Fibre and with soaked hay at night. 13 months ago had a laminitis scare so super strict now. We found he lacked sustainable energy levels. Was recommended Saracens ReLeve which certainly works for us! He has good energy levels now and looks fantastic! He is a dressage pony worked 4 times a week schooling x minimum 1 hour at a time, hacked once a week x 1.5 hours and competed once a week, normally 2 tests per competition. He is working harder now than at any other time and a bag of Re Leve last at least 6 weeks as he literally has a mug full morning & night. Good feed for chubby natives and no sugar!! Hoof up in agreement! ����
 
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