Feeding my young horse

[Kendall]

Hi all,

I recently got a new boy, he is a 6 y/o, 15.1hh Irish Sports Horse and is quite fine. He is currently on a scoop of standard pony nuts morning and evening and I don't think that is sufficient for him? I ride him 4/5 times a week and find he lacks energy. Though he is definitely getting fitter he lacks that drive that I think could be to do with him lacking energy from food. He is currently not going out a lot as the weather has been bad so other that the 2 feeds he has hayledge. I would like something that gives him a little more energy but won't make him fizzy and maybe something that promotes muscle build up across his topline and back? I know that is a lot to ask and obviously I wont change his feed too dramatically at first as he is still young and not really used to a proper feed. Opinions? Im not that knowledgable on feeds!

Thank you!!!

 

[PorkChop]

Tbh he probably lacks energy because he is in light work and not very fit!

Hard at this time of year for some I realise.

Lots of hill work and transitions for building up topline, really march up hills, walk is the best as they use the most muscles in walk.

If it were me I would ditch the pony nuts, I feed grass nuts as a base and then supplement if necessary, but you will get lots of different opinions on feeding

When you do get time to ride, make him work, he should be getting enough protein from the haylage to build muscle

 

[Kendall]

Tbh he probably lacks energy because he is in light work and not very fit!

Hard at this time of year for some I realise.

Lots of hill work and transitions for building up topline, really march up hills, walk is the best as they use the most muscles in walk.

If it were me I would ditch the pony nuts, I feed grass nuts as a base and then supplement if necessary, but you will get lots of different opinions on feeding

When you do get time to ride, make him work, he should be getting enough protein from the haylage to build muscle

Yes I think it deffo can be improved with fitness and building muscle through riding. Im trying my best but I am still at school doing A levels so struggle to find time and the weather and dark evenings don't help! Thanks for the advice.

 

[Shay]

A whole scoop of pony nuts twice a day is actually quite a lot of feed - although that depends on which make nuts you are using.

Have a look at the back of your pack of nuts and see what the Mj/Kg is. That tells you how calorific the feed is. A quick google hasn't helped as there is quite a range between different makes of pony nuts. As a rough guide a light work feed will be about 8MjKg; medium work anything between 9.5 and 11MjKg. Competition mix up to 13MjKg and racehorse mix about 14MjKg. (Grass nuts are about 10 - 11MJKg depending on make)

You are currently in light work so you want to feed either the recommended amount of something about the 8MjKg mark or less of a higher rated feed, perhaps with a Vit/Min supplement. The advantage of the latter is that as he gets fitter you can increase the feed without having to change again. This disadvantage might be that you fizz him up - depends on the horse.

Better fitness and more correct work is the best thing to build his energy levels. My daughter is 2nd year A's too so I know how hard it can be.

To give you something for comparison - we have an 8 yr old ISH (we've had him since he was 4) the same height. He is ultra fit and in hard work - hunting in winter, eventing in the summer. He fizzes up at the drop of a hat - but also looses condition very easily so he's a bit of a pain to feed. After much chopping and changing he gets two feeds of 3/4 scoop Allen & Page Cool & Collected (9.5MjKg), 1 cup linseed and 1/2 scoop chaff per feed. 4 - 6 hours turnout on adequate grass (more in the summer) and hay at night. Haylage sends him nuts. When his work drops to light (when turned away for example) he drops hard feed right down to 1/3 scoop and linseed. No chaff, but ad lib hay or turnout.

Hope the essay helps at least a little - as pork chop says - you'll get a lot of opinions!