Feeding lazy horse

[My_breadbagel]

Gelding, HW cob, 10, on nothing but hay. He looses his spark when he comes off grass and is in moderate work, two long hacks a week (45min- 1:15), a schooling session or two around an hour long, a few quiet hacks etc. He’s toned and not fat, but a big barrel on him. He’s well fed and seems happy, just lacks energy! He starts off great but I can feel him saying “ugh, can’t we just WALK!” A year or two ago he was fizzing over, and this summer he was more or less forward. He does as he’s told and is happy too, but he just feels like internet explorer- willing to do the job but a little slow!
I feel like putting him on some oats & healthy tummy, as he was on it last year and helped, what do you think?

 

[View]

From what you have described, I would class that as light work.

I wonder if he is lacking in fitness?

 

[Gloi]

I think that's not moderate work and hacks of 45min to 1:15 are not long hacks. Build up his fitness with a lot more miles and it will increase his energy in time.

 

[milliepops]

I would agree that sounds like light work (most leisure horses are in light work I'd say) but I'd consider a light balancer or vits/mins supp, a bit of grass chaff to carry it and a dose of salt each day just to give him a base to work from.

 

[My_breadbagel]

From what you have described, I would class that as light work.

I wonder if he is lacking in fitness?

Again, not light work. Was recently seen by physio and most of ridden world is trotting.

 

[My_breadbagel]

I would agree that sounds like light work (most leisure horses are in light work I'd say) but I'd consider a light balancer or vits/mins supp, a bit of grass chaff to carry it and a dose of salt each day just to give him a base to work from.

I think that's not moderate work and hacks of 45min to 1:15 are not long hacks. Build up his fitness with a lot more miles and it will increase his energy in time.

Again, I know my horse, and those hacks are mostly trotting. For us, that’s a long hack, and it’s very hilly/ steep. He works up a sweat and is muscly, and his top line is great, simply just a matter of the hay does t give him what he needs.

 

[My_breadbagel]

From what you have described, I would class that as light work.

I wonder if he is lacking in fitness?

NOPE physio saw him, and so has vet/ instructor. He’s full of muscle and can definitely do the work, but lacks the buzz to do it keenly

 

[Gloi]

It might seem a long hack to you but it really isn't even if you are trotting. Build up the miles and you'll build up his fitness.
For example mine lost fitness over lockdown and he was really stuffy to ride when we started again. We now try and get in at least 30 miles roadwork a week, about 6 hours, and a bit of arena work and he is getting some fitness back and is a lot more forwards going. I still wouldn't call that much more than light work, it's just leg stretching for a healthy animal.

 

[crazyandme]

Last year I was regularly doing 100km a week with my horse at an average of 10kph (walked on all the roads, trot and canter otherwise), up and down the Chiltern hills! That was just about edging into moderate work for a horse really! So would agree he is possibly not as fit as he could be!

Edited to sort distance out, apparently my memory is awful!

 

[milliepops]

Ok... my horse is schooling advanced dressage and she's still in light work ? she sweats daily and is tired by the end, according to the feeding guidelines its still light work.
I'd still start with covering off vits, mins and salt and see if that helps.

 

[gostelr]

one that I was riding ended up diagnosed with EMS & cushings when they lost their zip. It was quite a noticeable & sudden change, not gradual. She was much older than yours though (18)

 

[Winters100]

Sorry to say that to me it sounds like a fitness issue. I count a day when they only hack and go on carousel as a day off. Do you have some option to increase the work? I am afraid a 1h15m hack in walk and trot won't work for fitness if that is all he does that day. Maybe you could go early morning to lung or loose school, or if time does nit allow take a sharer and have him moved twice a day?

 

[SOS]

I’d say definitely fitness. He’s in very light work, if you consider horses already walk around all day anyway, so have a good base level of fitness. Fit horses don’t have ‘barrels’.

Id up the fitness before feeding anything. I say that as someone who enjoys and has experience bringing fat hunters back into work every summer. They start sluggish but once the fitness goes up they are more and more off the leg!

Having a look online at activity levels I like this extract from a BHSxSpillers magazine.

 

[My_breadbagel]

It might seem a long hack to you but it really isn't even if you are trotting. Build up the miles and you'll build up his fitness.
For example mine lost fitness over lockdown and he was really stuffy to ride when we started again. We now try and get in at least 30 miles roadwork a week, about 6 hours, and a bit of arena work and he is getting some fitness back and is a lot more forwards going. I still wouldn't call that much more than light work, it's just leg stretching for a healthy animal.

Where we live is hilly and steep, so an hour for him would be time well spent working. I want to add that it’s definitely NOT fitness- he was fine and energetic until about a week ago when he went onto hay. It happens every year- nothing else changes, he’s still in the same amount of work.

 

[Trouper]

I think I would be starting to think about gut health. It sounds as if he is not absorbing the full value of the food he is getting.

 

[Gloi]

Where we live is hilly and steep, so an hour for him would be time well spent working. I want to add that it’s definitely NOT fitness- he was fine and energetic until about a week ago when he went onto hay. It happens every year- nothing else changes, he’s still in the same amount of work.

A lot of horses lose energy during the period they are changing coats.

 

[scats]

Another here who would consider your horse in light work.
That aside, you could perhaps try adding a good vitamin supplement or balancer to his diet.
Is his coat changing? You say it happens every year. I’ve known some horses go a bit lethargic at coat change time.

 

[Carlosmum]

My gelding is in 'light work' but he lacks oomph. I feed D & H safe & sound, Speedibeet and a few D & H Stay Power Cubes.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I have a horse that can lack energy when just on hay. I add a vit/min, alfalfa, oats, and linseed to his diet. He does really well with this. I adjust the amount a bit when he's on grass. I also add Vitamin E. His vit/min has some in it, but I find a bit more does the trick when he's off grass. Horses mainly get Vit E when on grass, so when just on hay, they may not get nearly enough.

This horse also sweats a lot, so I make him an alfalfa pellet mash with added electrolytes to make sure he stays replenished.

As you said, you know your horse, so if you want to try oats, then go for it. They're high in starch and not my first choice, but many horses at the yard (all in work), mine included, do ok on them.

 

[southerncomfort]

Do you mean that he's now stabled 24/7? Apologies if I've got that wrong but you say that he came off grass completely and now only has hay, which suggests he is now stabled full time.

Fitness levels will most certainly drop in those circumstances and most people would work a fully stabled horse at least 2 hours a day.

ETA: I would also give him either a balancer or pelleted via & min supplement.

 

[MissTyc]

I know a few cob types that loose sparkle during coat change season. Mine, who is very fit, goes into a sort of "I'm preparing to hibernate!" mode where he doesn't want to do much but wants to eat more. I used to worry about EMS but it seems cyclical (maybe EMS precursor if he was less fit?). Vitamin E can do wonders as well as a good low calorie balancer (I've used Antilam in the past, but haven't needed a balancer for a while now as have better grazing than before).

 

[bubsqueaks]

We have a coblet & she loses impulsion during coat change & is on restricted grazing/soaked hay
Shes on a balancer & electrolytes.
For the upcoming hunter trial season we've just put her on some top spec turbo flakes for more energy as recommended on here.

 

[My_breadbagel]

A lot of horses lose energy during the period they are changing coats.

I know a few cob types that loose sparkle during coat change season. Mine, who is very fit, goes into a sort of "I'm preparing to hibernate!" mode where he doesn't want to do much but wants to eat more. I used to worry about EMS but it seems cyclical (maybe EMS precursor if he was less fit?). Vitamin E can do wonders as well as a good low calorie balancer (I've used Antilam in the past, but haven't needed a balancer for a while now as have better grazing than before).

It seems to be the same time each year, but shedding has never caused a problem, just getting fluffy

 

[My_breadbagel]

Do you mean that he's now stabled 24/7? Apologies if I've got that wrong but you say that he came off grass completely and now only has hay, which suggests he is now stabled full time.

Fitness levels will most certainly drop in those circumstances and most people would work a fully stabled horse at least 2 hours a day.

ETA: I would also give him either a balancer or pelleted via & min supplement.

He’s still out 24/7, but in a paddock with no grass.

 

[My_breadbagel]

I have a horse that can lack energy when just on hay. I add a vit/min, alfalfa, oats, and linseed to his diet. He does really well with this. I adjust the amount a bit when he's on grass. I also add Vitamin E. His vit/min has some in it, but I find a bit more does the trick when he's off grass. Horses mainly get Vit E when on grass, so when just on hay, they may not get nearly enough.

This horse also sweats a lot, so I make him an alfalfa pellet mash with added electrolytes to make sure he stays replenished.

As you said, you know your horse, so if you want to try oats, then go for it. They're high in starch and not my first choice, but many horses at the yard (all in work), mine included, do ok on them.

Thank you, he’s had oats before as a treat and it seemed to agree with him, made him a bit sparky. I’ll put him back on it with molasses and something with alfalfa.

 

[ycbm]

Thank you, he’s had oats before as a treat and it seemed to agree with him, made him a bit sparky. I’ll put him back on it with molasses and something with alfalfa.

Molasses? It's concentrated unrefined sugar, why would you feed that? Most of us go to some lengths to strip carbohydrates out of our horses diets because it's bad for them, not pour it in. A typo maybe?
.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Yeah, I can deal with oats, but I'd definitely skip the molasses.

 

[My_breadbagel]

Molasses? It's concentrated unrefined sugar, why would you feed that? Most of us go to some lengths to strip carbohydrates out of our horses diets because it's bad for them, not pour it in. A typo maybe?
.

Yeah, I can deal with oats, but I'd definitely skip the molasses.

He’ll only get the smallest amount on work days, studies have shown tiny amounts are no trouble. I don’t plan to just pour it in.

 

[Gloi]

He’ll only get the smallest amount on work days, studies have shown tiny amounts are no trouble. I don’t plan to just pour it in.

But why? It's hard enough to reduce sugar consumption as it is without actively adding it. What good do you think it is doing?

 

[Bernster]

It’s clear you have a different view on what light work is but if you read those guidelines id say he’s in light work. As are loads of horses, inc mine.

Mine lacks oomph too. Sometimes it’s their nature and it’s difficult to really make a big difference tbh but upping fitness and workload is certainly the first port of call. I’ve added oats and a balancer in the past (alongside getting him fitter) and it has helped although just to give him a bit more stamina rather than it being anything like rocket fuel.

But coat change time can also impact them so if it happens at limited but specific times you could look at what is changing in his environment to see if that explains it.

PS ditch the molasses though sugar isn’t what you need. That will just make him fat.