Feeding for fitness

chancing

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Hi,
Im currently upping my mares workload in order to get her trimmer and fitter ready for cubbing :D so excited!! Shes developed abit of a summer tummy as she was a hat rack when she arrived and so i wasnt concerned about getting her fit just healthy. However now we are raring to go. Currently riding 5/6 times a week for an hour of trotting and walking and sometimes 1/2 hour of almost all trotting and she is coping well with this. However when it comes to fast work 10 yards of canter and shes blowing like a train.

Sorry will get to the gist basically Im wondering whether to give her a feed from now on or not? Shes turned out 24/7 on a field with not alot of grass due to me wanting to get the weight off etc but should she be in more grass as she is working harder and needs the energy?

Sorry if this is a ramble

Thanks in advance
 

xloopylozzax

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fitness through work not feed.

thats really light work, more prolonged trotting- my mare can trot a hour and half hack without puffing or sweating including 2.5 mile canter round the back of an estate near us.
add more canter work (try interval training- canter a bit, back to trot let her get her breath, back upto canter etc)

have you tried lunging on a morning, then riding on an evening aswell? my 'fat' show horse managed that easily 7 days a week

if im hunting i prefer them over fit than just enough, fit horses get less injuries and get themselves out of trouble (eg not jumping tired)

i would give a little hard feed after working to replace what she looses, but not in preperation for work :)
 

posie_honey

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i'd only add feed once she gets to the weight you are happy with - ie when you dont want her to loose any more - i'd not bother beofre then - although i'd have either a feild lick or feed some vits and mins in a handfull of chaff before then to ensure she is getting all she needs

after that i'd feed a good quality comp type feed- for example i feed power and perfermance by allan and page - something like that is designed for a horse in harder work and will aim muscle growth and recovery etc. i'd start small quantities and up as required to maintain her new slim line shape :D
 

chancing

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ok thanks for the replies I was meaning feeding her after work to replace what shes burnt off. Its still only light work as she previously hadnt been ridden that much with work etc and had practically been on holiday. Im upping it week by week rather than going straight in at the deep end. She is also barefoot getting shod this week.
 
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