feeding for energy minus the fizz

[Firehorse]

also in Stable Yard....hi all, i hve a tb riding pony type 13.3hh. he's 16 and lives out 24/7. i ride him 2-3 times a week, usually 1-2 hours hacking. sometimes do 3- 4hr rides, occasional lunging. always vary the routes, and sometimes school on hacks to keep him concentrating. other times, we jst hve a leisurely plod. he's semi-retired, having been pony clubbed before i had him.

he is fed a large scoop of happy hoof per day with a linseed/vit supplement. gets haylage dec-apr. the grazing is fairly good, but not the best. he does well all yr round, rugged in winter. i often put him in a smaller paddock by day where there is more grass available as he lives with 7 other very good doers!

he jst seems to be lacking a bit of oomph sometimes! last week he was raring to go for a gallop. this week he couldnt be bothered if he walked all the way! i find that in september when they go onto the winter grazing he gets fizzy and also when he has the haylage. he's all fit and healthy, been checked by vet recently. jst wanted advise on his feeding. is there a supplement or feed that will give him a bit more energy without making him go silly. he can be pretty hot headed when it suits him.ie, if we go somewhere new or to a show...i spent the first yr i had him being tanked off with. lol. of course, it may be that he has calmed down as we now hve a good bond and trust..but he has jst lost that bit of sparkle i like. any ideas pls?

 

[Myhorseeatsmoney]

I have had a couple of ex-racers that I mainly used for hacking and one was ridden regularly on rides of 8+ miles. He lived out 24/7 and as long as he had several rugs in winter he did not lose condition.

When there was plenty of grass he was fed once a day:
1/2 a round scoop of Hifi-Lite
1/4 a round scoop of Baileys No 1
The recommended amount of top spec balancer
Apple and carrots.

In winter he was fed the same diet twice a day but in slightly smaller quantities with plenty of haylage.

This suited mine but might not suit yours. The foods that I would never give him were oats and barley. I learnt very quickly that foods which were described as being non-heating for most horses could make him really sharp and it can be a minefield. I am afraid that it is trial and error with all foods, but also when the spring grass appears and when the weather is cooler they do get sharper.

If you can, give hay not haylage, chaff not hifi and pony nuts instead of mix. You will eventually find a food combination that works.