Feeding for safe weight gain - oldie

[Inthesticks]

Just wondering what others would feed this mare

25, 14.2 Native. On 4 acres of ok grass with 2 other 14.2's. Even the good doers are perfect weight so not really any good value in it. No option to move fields but I do feed half a bale of hay a day between the 3.

Ribs can be seen.

All medical things checked recently, teeth fine, wormed, general health quite good.

I want to start feeding September, for some extra weight before winter, what would you feed her?

Like fibre based feed rather than concentrate.

 

[kerrieberry2]

I give my mare allen and page fast fibre, she's quite a good doer but does get fed during the winter! she just had the fast fibre and some molasses free hi fi! she done really well on it last winter! looked really good despite being out 24/7 in a really muddy field!

oh and shes 28

 

[mytwofriends]

My big old boy is on Top Spec - cool conditioning cubes, senior balancer and top chop alfalfa - my vet recommended them and the difference is amazing. Bit pricy but no need for additional supplements.

 

[LynH]

I have a 22 year old TB who stayed out 24/7 last winter for the first time in her life. To keep the weight on her I fed A&P Veteran Vitality with High fibre nuts, SpeediBeet, Omega Rice (rice bran and linseed) and an oil supplement. At the end of the very long winter she dropped off a little so I added in Sixteem Plus. I normally avoid feeds with molasses in as it trashes her feet but she just needed a bit extra by March so one bag of Sixteen Plus was enough to pick her up again.

 

[BlackRider]

Grass nuts or fibre beet might help.

(also if she is really struggling to maintain condition, get the ACTH levels checked)