Feeding, is this too much?

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SamanthaG

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Ok new horse I am getting is on,

Calm and Condition mix
Spedi beat
Alfa A oil
Blue chip Dynamic
Pink powder
Seaweed
Nettle
Garlic powder

Are there too many supplements there?

He has had 2 years off so need to get fit again and re condition, he is an ex racer so does have some small splints on his legs.
 
Sounds like overkill to me but I suppose it depends on the reasoning behind it....so many people feed supplements for the sake of it and it can make things worse instead of better. If he's on a balancer I don't really see the need for the other things?
 
IMO the nettle garlic are a waste of time/space/money!

I think that if you want a joint supplement there are better options on the market than BC dynamic, but that is just personal preference.

As for the pink powder and seaweed, they have their uses. It would for me depend on the quantity of calm and condition the horse is on, combined with his general condition, that would determine if these suppliments would be beneficial.
 
i think that you are feeding a rather complicated menu! assuming he is inclined to drop weight over the winter like so many TB's...

1) feed the recommended quantity of the C&C
2) feed generous quantities of the alfa oil
3) feed the speedibeet in a full bucket by itself and leave it in the stable overnight for him to snack on
4) add a joint supplement like NAF 5* superflex, or cortaflex
5) you shouldn't need to feed the pink powder unless he suffers from an unsettled gut (which many ex-racers do IME)
6) the garlic doesn't add anything to the nutrition really, but if you need to encourage him to eat up it would help.

the key to keeping them warm and round and sensible is stuffing them full of fibre, and I have found that feeding the speedibeet separately lets you give them a lot more without overfilling their stomach's!

I hope that helps!
 
I think you need to find out the reasons why the current owner feeds what they do!!

All of those supps have different properties. Nettle is good as a detox and for the feet but i will NEVER buy it in a tub... I pick my boy some in the summer and dry them myself. his feet did improve on them. Seaweed is also good for the feet and IMO I would keep feeding this if his feet were a problem and have improved since being on it. It's so cheap compared to most hoof supps and is also a good alround vit and min supp.

The NAF pink powder is a probiotic and Vit and min sup.. and obviously the blue chip dynamic is a joint supp. Maybe theres something that combines the two or two cheaper options? I personally feed Equivite oringinal and Equine america Glucosamine plus MSM.

I've given up on the Garlic, I have to say... doesn't do much tbh and isn't even that good at detering flies in summer...

As for the Calm and Cond... I'd be tempted to drop it... simply because I don't like mixes and if the horse is fed enough fibre (increase the speedi beet if Nec and feed at least half a bale of hay a day) then it shouldn't have a problem holding it's weight.
 
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I would proberly take away the nettle, seaweed and DC and use a one good quality joint/mobility suppliment. I would look at the reasons behind the pink powder and see if that needs to be a long term thing, it does have it uses so would access that seperatly. The calm and condition will proberly work quite well for and ex racer coming back into work an you can alter the amount when the level of work.

Good luck with your new boy
 
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Thanks for the info guys, personally I was going to stick with the mix, pink powder and beat and alfa oil, but if I do this should I add a joint product? Was just thinking that he was prob worked hard as a youngster so if would be beneficial in the long run

The nettle they give for one week every month to all their horses. He has the pink powder as the haylage doesn’t fully agree with him other wise.

I was considering a hoof supplement as he has typical TB feet but wasn’t sure which people have had good results with.

He will be stabled at night from 5.30pm until 7 am and grazing the rest of the time they also have haylage in their fields on frosty mornings. To start with he will be ridden out twice a week and lunged twice a week as his fitness improves he will be ridden and lunged for longer and once the lighter evenings start to come back ridden 5 days a week with 2 schooling sessions. He will be a general all rounder really but I do like long day hacks so will be in fairly hard work in summer.

He has no top line or muscle and found the short bit of work he did in his vetting tiring and was very lazy but I don’t want him fizzed up either. Once he arrives and settles in I will have more of an idea of what he needs.

His weight is ok and they say he is a good doer in summer but just really lacks condition and muscle.

He hasnt been on any of the products to of made any difference to him yet either
 
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