Feeding Iberians

[Kimperkins500]

Hello, I have a 16hh pre mare, I have had her six months direct from Spain. She isn’t the best at keeping on weight, turned out 7 hours a day with hay over night she has one feed of molasses free hifi and supplements. Any sugar blows her brains.

with the winder approaching and limited turnout what have people used to stop their heads exploding and keep weight on?

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I used coolstance copra which is a coconut meal - high in fats, slow burning and didn't send my warmblood off the rails. You could also look into micronised linseed which is a firm favourite of many, but supposedly isn;t good for those with sarcoids which is why I stopped using it.

 

[ycbm]

he isn’t the best at keeping on weight

You lucky thing! Most PRE, mine included are the epitome of a good doer.

I would add oil to her feed. The Spillers advice is supermarket vegetable oil is fine but at 1000iu vitamin E for every 500ml oil, as I recall. 500ml is a lot!

How much hay is she getting? If its not ad lib with some left in the morning, then I would increase that first.
.

 

[Kimperkins500]

She h

You lucky thing! Most PRE, mine included are the epitome of a good doer.

I would add oil to her feed. The Spillers advice is supermarket vegetable oil is fine but at 1000iu vitamin E for every 500ml oil, as I recall. 500ml is a lot!

How much hay is she getting? If its not ad lib with some left in the morning, then I would increase that first.
.

she has hay left most mornings! When she came over from Spain she was a sorry state and very underweight. She’s a very petite version of a pre.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Ah, whoops, never mind.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think as long as you have had a vet check and done all the necessary things with a new horse I would try Equijewel and a good vitamin and mineral supplement, my friend bought a skinny Spanish horse home and 2 months on Equijewel he looked like a different horse.

 

[Kimperkins500]

I think as long as you have had a vet check and done all the necessary things with a new horse I would try Equijewel and a good vitamin and mineral supplement, my friend bought a skinny Spanish horse home and 2 months on Equijewel he looked like a different horse.

That’s good to know, she’s had all checks etc. She’s already built up a lot, the improvement is massive. She has an “above usual” temperament for the type of horses Soto Gil breed, extremely spicy!

 

[Kimperkins500]

** Soto Gil breeder

 

[j1ffy]

Another vote for copra - mine all enjoy it although they only get a tiny bit to bury their powder balancer as they are very good doers! They also have some linseed for their hooves, again a minimum amount but it's another good way to add calories without fizz.

Two of mine can't cope with alfalfa chaff at all. One goes footie and the other goes even spicier than usual (aptly, his name is Chilli!)

 

[Kimperkins500]

Another vote for copra - mine all enjoy it although they only get a tiny bit to bury their powder balancer as they are very good doers! They also have some linseed for their hooves, again a minimum amount but it's another good way to add calories without fizz.

Two of mine can't cope with alfalfa chaff at all. One goes footie and the other goes even spicier than usual (aptly, his name is Chilli!)

I tried her on alfalfa and … nope no no! She was an absolute maniac. She’s called Sultana … so she’s fruity ?

 

[j1ffy]

I tried her on alfalfa and … nope no no! She was an absolute maniac. She’s called Sultana … so she’s fruity ?

? Chilli is officially 'Enchilado Ancla III'. I'm not sure what an Enchilada would be other than tasty! Chilli definitely suits him though.

 

[shortstuff99]

That’s good to know, she’s had all checks etc. She’s already built up a lot, the improvement is massive. She has an “above usual” temperament for the type of horses Soto Gil breed, extremely spicy!

Was this the mare that was on one of the Sh*te groups and everyone was getting their knickers in a twist?

 

[shortstuff99]

Ease and excel was good for putting weight on my old mare who had cushings so couldn't have a lot of sugar etc. My Spanish are very good doers so only get equidgel, plain chaff and vitamins.

 

[littleshetland]

Mine has sugar free everything. He has small handful of oat straw chaff, handful of fibre nuts and Pink mash every other day. He's on a very 'skinny' paddock for about 6 hours a day and as little hay as I can manage in the evenings when he's in. He's a pudding.

 

[splashgirl45]

my warmblood cross did well on fast fibre during the winter, i had to be very careful what i fed her as she was very spicey as well

 

[Kimperkins500]

Was this the mare that was on one of the Sh*te groups and everyone was getting their knickers in a twist?

Oh yep that’s the one! That was my friend riding her, less than 24 hours after she had the vet out because it blew my mind all these people saying she was lame. Two vets agreed she wasn’t lame. Lesson learnt never post on groups!