Feeding for 'topline' condition

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fruity

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what do you guys feed? I have an anglo arab i am hoping to show in veteran and hack classes this summer and he is in perfect condition apart from his TB neck! Its lacking top line and although i am working him over his back and feeding hay etc from the floor he def needs a different feed to help it. He is currently on D&H veteran cubes,Allen & Page fast fibre and D&H fibergy at the mo. I've used baileys cubes on my mare in the past but i didn't see much difference,any recommendations? Thanks
 
I highly recommend blue chip, either the original or the other one they have...im using the original on my 18yr mare and she looks fab, coat is in perfect condition and she is well covered and building a beautiful topline. not expensive when you dont have to be buying bags and bags of feed....i just feed with some chaff and sugarbeet (will stop SB when its warmer!)
 
qr-There is no such thing as a feed that will put muscle on a horse, however clevelry named some feeds are. You can achieve topline that is fat solely through feeding but not muscle.

To gain muscle you have to train the horse correctly (as you acknowledge) and ensure there is adequate protein in the diet. You could swap the fibergy for alfalfa, this will provide more protein. Or analyse the overall protein in your current diet and calculate a diet that will increase it.

At the end of the day though it is training that builds muscle, not feed. The feed needs to provide sufficient protein for the workload but it isnt the only answer. And if the horses weight is ok you have to make sure that if you increase the protein you are not simultaneously increasing the energy of the diet, or the horse will get fat.

Building muscle takes time, especially with old and young horses. And if the horse is hollow at all or has a high head carriage the neck muscles will never develop over the top of the neck. Older horses also lose muscle tone and tend to look upside down, with big bellies and less topline but unfortunately you can be limited due to the natural ageing process of the individual horse.
 
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qr-There is no such thing as a feed that will put muscle on a horse, however clevelry named some feeds are. You can achieve topline that is fat solely through feeding but not muscle.


[/ QUOTE ]

The same goes for these new so called "slimming" feeds and supplements..it's the correct work that makes a difference on both sides of the coin.
 
he does have a high neck carriage which doesnt help,am of course not expecting it to work miracles but was thinking of using a different feed to work with the exercises i am doing to encourage the topline. He is currently slightly under the condition he should be,he is a stressy type but isn't a hatrack by any means. I think i might change him on to Alfa A oil instead of fibergy.
 
Yes I would like to add that I spend ALOT of time building that topline through work, lots of trotting poles, transitions etc on the ground. But I believe feed to be extremely important in helping build a topline.
 
You could use Allen and Page Calm and Condition as this helps condition without fizzing. As you already feed their fibre, you could try substituting part of the fibre for the C & C. Has worked wonders with our TB x ID (coupled with lots of schooling) who originally had such a skinny neck she looked like a giraffe! Email A & P as they are very good at providing advice.
 
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