Feeding help needed please

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KateandWillow

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I have a 4 year old cob mare who is getting rather excitable when ridden. She is forward going and loves been out doing stuff. She is currently fed on A&P Fast fibre and Spillers Conditioning fibre, however I'd like to take the Spillers out and change it for something that won't make her bounce off the walls.

She will be doing more work over the summer such a schooling, hacking, fun rides, clinics, shows etc so I want something that will give her some energy.

She will be having a balancer through the summer, and I've added in a general vit & min supplement at the moment, but is there anything else I can add to the fast fibre?

I also have an 18 year old gelding who has the same feed
 
oldjumper said:
Grass + hay if needed + balancer. Lots of turnout + as much work as consistent with age and fitness.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately we can't turnout all the time, it depends on the weather, however I do turn out as much as possible.

She's ridden 2 - 3 times a week, somtimes more again dependent on weather and time.

She has 2 nets of haylage a day
 
I'd drop the 'conditioning' fibre and fast fibre. Haylage is ok if it's low energy (and doesn't smell a bit like a brewery when you open it)! If it is, try feeding hay instead. Only start feeding for next summer's work when you do it - not now.
 
Does she need anything added to the fast fibre? i would just stick to that on its own with the minerals unless she needs something for weight?
 
Be careful using a balancer and vit and min supplement together. You can cause overload of the vits and mins. One or the other is how they should be fed. Not sure of you mean your just feeding one at the moment or both so apologies if the former. If she is a good doer then really haylage alone with a small handful of unmollassed chaff with a powder vit and min supplement would be sufficient. 2-3 days is really light work and shouldnt require what your feeding unless it's for weight gain/maintenance. Also though if this has just started then spring grass could be the cause. The 5 at work are full of themselves at the moment and they are out 24/7. My 2 who aren't ridden are also full of themselves playing high jinks in the field at the moment like spring lambs.
 
I really don't understand your post!
You say at the beginning " shes getting rather excitable when ridden" then say you want something to give her more energy?
2/3 times a week is not even light work so I wouldn't feed her anything, if u want to keep the fast fibre going that's ok with a balancer but shouldn't need anything else " fibre first"
Feed for what work she is doing in the summer when she is in " that work" never up the feed before the work. Most horses are over feed and under worked.
 
That's quite a substantial amount to feed a cob that's barely doing anything but stand in stable all week...

These horses are naturally good at making the most of hay and water.
 
Mine would be mental on a conditioning feed! He cant handle sugar, it sends him absolutely stupid! He gets pro mineral from progressive earth in a handful of hi fibre cubes, and hes in work, doing at least 5 days a week of road work for an hour a time
 
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