Feeding for more oomph?

[dwi]

D has always been on a restricted diet of chaff and soaked hay, living out 24/7 in a starvation paddock because weight has always been an issue. I've finally got it sorted, she's nice and slim for her type and has an improving topline.

The problem is that even now she's skinny she's so laid back she's horizontal. Lots of novices would give their right arm to have such a laid back ride but it would be nice to have a bit more sparkle. Even out hacking in company you have to ask her to canter, she would quiet happily stay in an ambling trot and let the others go off without her.

She's probably always going to be slow and tbh I like it that way but I was wondering about looking at her feed to get her just a little fizzier without looking at conditioning feeds that would make her fatter.

 

[Ezme]

I don't think its possible.... magnus (3/4 shire) is on 3 scoops of competition mix and it makes no odds.... just gets fatter...

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

The problem you may find with a lot of the mixes that will give her more 'energy' is that they will include cereals - not good for coblets like Daisy. Have you tried just giving her more chaff etc so she isn't using it all up keeping warm etc? and although she is on a staravtion paddock will there be some grass coming through in it? Inca is the same as Daisy and although a bit sluggish at the moment I know she will perk up no end when the grass comes through properly - even in her starvation paddock.

 

[teddyt]

Unless you use up the extra energy you feed with exercise then it will make the horse fat. So, you could try increasing the overall energy level of the diet but make sure the workload matches. Energy is energy, there is no such thing as energy for weight gain and energy for oomph. The energy from feeds can be released at different rates when digested but the bottom line is that if the horse gets more energy than it needs to live it will put on weight.
Slow release energy feeds are fibre and oil. Faster release energy feeds include cereals.
Maybe try feeding the hay dry first if you need more energy. Soaking removes the energy content

 

[dwi]

She's exercised 6 days a week for at least an hour at a time during the week, 2-3 hours at the weekend. Plenty of trotting and cantering so she is doing the exercise to burn it off.

She can't have dry hay, it makes her cough.

I've been wondering if good old fashioned oats added to her current chaff might be worth trying.

 

[Damnation]

Is she on a vitamin suppliment?
Being on a starvation paddock on only hay and chaff could make her sluggish because she isn't really getting all of the nutrients you need.
If that fails you could always try oats. If she is worked enough she won't gain weight, in theory

 

[Bay_Beasty]

What about speedi beet? fed with the chaff? I dunno if this will help but its fed to lami's so not going to get her super fat but has I think 12.5 MJ energy level which is quite high. Or you could change her chaff to Alpha A, (I am assuming here you feed Hifi bit I am probs wrong). Alpha A has more protein but not cereals or oil so should no make her massive. Though I feed a WB x TB so really I have no idea how to feed a cob.

 

[dwi]

Yes she gets the recommended amount of benevit on a daily basis.

 

[kirstyhen]

I can highly recommend Hickstead Eventa Mix

Hen has been on every competition mix under the sun, nothing seems to work (apart from having him stabled 24/7 anmd pumping it IV into him

but then I fear for my life

)

My YM buys Hickstead in bulk so stuck me 5 bags of Eventa Mix in with her order....... Hen has been fantastic on it. His coat is in the best condition it has ever been and he bounces with energy (without being a lunatic

).

The best part is that I feed it in very low quantaties (1/4 scoop twice a day) and it is only around £8 a bag, ATM a bag is lasting a couple of months so it is a bargain!!

He will have it upped as his work increases, but he is currently re-habbing a ligament injury (and is only being fed competition mix as I had bought it long before he did his leg!).

ETS - He is also fed 1/2 Scoop Alfa A Oil twice a day, but he's always been on that, so I don't think the change in him is down to that.

 

[dwi]

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it is only around £8 a day,


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That's one expensive feed!

 

[Bay_Beasty]

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it is only around £8 a day,


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That's one expensive feed!

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Lol. me thought so too. I feed my horse a lot and its no where near that much

 

[kirstyhen]

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it is only around £8 a day,


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That's one expensive feed!

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Ooops, I meant a bag!

He was on Spillers Instant Energy, which was nearly £12 a bag, and he was getting nearly a full scoop twice a day!

 

[angiebaby]

I used to feed my pony Spillers Instant release; only on the mornings I was going out for a long hack; It gave him lots more energy just for that few hours and he burnt off the excess calories!!

 

[melaniemarks]

I use allen and page sustain for my cob, who gets a bit sluggish at times and its worked a treat, although he is not a good doer so weight gain is not an issue... However in the past (in his younger days), I gave him this stuff called haemaboost - that certainly gave him a boost!!! its a liquid supplement that goes in the normal feed. May be worth a try? Cant remember how much it costs, but don't think it was that expensive..(else I wouldn't have used it lol)

 

[Sarah1]

Haven't read all posts so sorry if I'm repeating anything, how about trying the Winergy Equlibrium feeds? They do a low/medium/high energy variety and I've used the senior for our little old mare, does exactly what it says on the bag!
Other than that you could try a balancer, my lad is on lo-cal cos we have weight issues and he has plenty of energy!
If he's working really hard & needing a bit more ooomph I change his hi-fi to alfa-a oil - usually does the trick, sends him a bit loopy tho so only an option if the workload stays up!