Feeding - losing a bit of condition

Boxers

Boxers

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 April 2003
Messages
4,771
Location
Lincolnshire
Visit site
Daughter's pony is 14.1 and slimly built. He doesn't look so good at the moment and I'm wondering if I should change his feed in some way.

He has ad-lib haylege and his nets are never empty, so he's not hungry for haylege. He is living in and has about 5 hours turnout per day in a field with grass but not much. For breakfast he has a double handful of chop, and one scoop of pasture mix with some speedibeet. For tea he has 2 double handfuls of chop, one scoop pasture mix and one scoop competition mix and speedibeet.

I'm just wondering that as chop is more or less chopped up hay, should I decrease this and increase the pasture mix?

What about some sort of conditioning mix? Should I buy some?
 
I would say he is getting alot of hard feed for just 2 meals, I only ever feed a max of 1 scoop of chop/chaff/Alfa a and 1 scoop of nuts/mix, if i need more they get 3 feeds! So from what you have said i would try a conditioning mix/cube and cut the quantity down, or maybe into 3 feeds.
 
I've cut out all mixes and things and gone to fibre based feeds.

Mine has a basis of TopSpec Balancer with Alfa A (you don't say what chaff it is?) then to top up with fibrebeet or alfabeet. I also use the TopSpec ceral free conditioning cubes (Cool Condition cubes).

I've found this far more effective with both of my girls plus my OH's skinny TB.
 
I'd be inclided to change that to Alfa A or Alfa A Oil if he is loosing weight
smile.gif
 
Well I'm making a couple of changes. Spoke to her riding instructor today and she suggested Top Spec, and am also going to put his haylege in a haynet rather than a haylege net. She suggested that he may not eat all his haylege because he is fed up trying to get it through the small holes - never crossed my mind!
 
Well if you are really trying to put on condition:

1 Feed on the floor
2. Change Hifi to something with more goodness in it
3. Consider your rugs and whether horse is using too much energy to keep warm
 
[ QUOTE ]
1 Feed on the floor
2. Change Hifi to something with more goodness in it
3. Consider your rugs and whether horse is using too much energy to keep warm

[/ QUOTE ]

1. Yes, he's fed on the floor (apart from haynet but am considering feeding hay from floor too.
2. Will change Hifi when this bag is finished
3. He's fully clipped and is wearing 2 stable rugs and a turnout rug. He doesn't appear to be chilly.
 
I spoke to the lady in the feed shop (recommended by many) So I have changed/am changing him, over to Top Spec balancer, hi fibre nuts and sugar beet. Also having a bucket full of Hifi twice daily - although at the moemnt he's not eating all the chop in the bucket. I will change the Hifi to Alfa A when this bagful is finished. Also he's now have 3 smaller feeds per day instead of 2 larger ones.

Thinking about lunging in a pessoa or riding in draw reins too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top