Feeding hunters

S

Stigg

Member
Joined
16 October 2011
Messages
13
Visit site
I'm looking to buy a couple of hunters in March-April 2017. Ready for 2017-18 season. Irish Sport hunters 17.2hh to 18hh. What is the best feeding pattern.
I've asked a couple of Hunts, but nobody has go back to me yet (3 weeks a go!). And I've asked a equine vets, although pleased. Its always a good thing to get lots of info... Ideas x
 
It's an impossible question to answer without further information.

Depends on the type of country you plan to cross, the number of times a week you plan to hunt, how good a doer your horses are - a million different factors
 
As above it depends on what your doing .
But my horse get haylege when stabled mostly as much as they want but I do restrict them at certain times of year .
They get hard feed based on chopped oat straw or dried grass mixed with speedi beet oats micronised linseed and a good supplement and electrolytes.
But you don't usually feed an Irish draught the same as a TB and if you had two Irish draughts for instance they might need very different amounts . A horse hunting two days a week is very different to one doing one and the length of day they do affects how much it takes out of them as well .
 
I'm hoping to hunt each horse once a week & my be some times twice a week (depends on horse/weather). Their coming from a good Irish Sports breeder with good parents... So finger crossed lol x.
Its Belvoir Hunt country. (The country lies in Leicestershire & Lincolnshire. Extends from Melton Mowbray and Newark in the west to the North Sea in the east but on the Lincolnshire side is a large area of fenland "not hunted").
I'm keeping the horses at my new home, on a 300 acre hobby farm & currently having 30 xc/hunt style jumps made. So grazing/hay/haylage. I'm hoping to keep them out most of the time (weather allowing). As a really hate horses being kept in there stables to long!
I'm looking into horse feed at mo. You made some good comments x
 
Thanks for that neddy man, I email Baileys Feeds. "I was advised, to go on there wed site as the info is there. However, our reps are not allowed to give specific feed routines". For legal reasons. I was not happy & rote to the company Director.
 
This is an impossible question to answer.

Until you have the horses how can you possibly make decisions on their individual needs. Their base needs will be met by quality forage, the rest will be dictated by how each horse maintains body weight, fitness, performance and temperament.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top