Feeding - need to put weight on without fizz

[SueAllen]

Just started feeding my boy again after a summer on grass. We have started with Alpha A, Ride and Relax and a little Blue Chip. However, at trainers suggestion have just weigh taped him and he is 511kg. Is this a bit light for a 16hh? He doesn't look underweight but he certainly isn't carrying any extra. We are about to start hunting so really I do need him to be in as good shape as possible as he does lose weight in the winter through the season. I think I might have left it a bit late to be feeding him up for hunting so any ideas what I could be doing. Thinking of feeding haylage and maybe some not heating, weight gain feed. Any suggestions as I am feeling a bit lost ......

 

[vicster]

I was always told to feed little and often like one feed for breakfast, one at lunch and one at dinner. It worked for my old boy.

 

[AmyMay]

I would say that if he looks fine at the moment - then don't worry. Remember ideally we feed for the work that they are doing. So it's not a matter of feeding him up in preparation for hunting - but getting him fit for hunting, the regime of which by neccessity will include increasing his feed.

What did you feed last year - did that work? Haylage is great for putting on and maintaining condition, so yes feed that.

 

[Sparklet]

The weight for height you give doesnt sound that underweight but you dont say what his breeding it. I am used to TB's and that would be a good weight for a TB.

I always struggle to keep weight on my and prefer not to have too much fizz. I have just started feeding Dodson and Horrel Build up to my girl and that has not affected her in any way but in your shoes I might be tempted to turn the Alpha A into Alpha oil and keep the rest the same.

 

[montalcino]

I find Bailey's No. 1 good for putting on the weight, this takes my TB through the winter no problems, he also gets Alpha Oil, this is great for giving them a good coat and D & H Calm & Condition, he doesn't get ridden much in winter so this seems to decent fattening, non heating mix.
This summer I've put him on Ride & Relax and Alpha Oil although he doesn't get much, it's more a maintenance feed as he works quite hard in summer but is a good doer on the grass

 

[SueAllen]

Sorry, of course. Not knowing what type he is doesn't really give any idea whether he right or not. Well he is an IDxTB type. Not particularly lightweight. I can't see any ribs atm (which I usually can in the depths of winter - maybe 2 or 3. Trainer thinks he looks a bit 'hippy' (don't think she means that he smokes dope and wears an Afghan!!) and that he really could do with some more weight on as his flatwork and jumping schooling will be getting more demanding and that he could do with turning it into muscle to help with his balance, suppleness etc. Does that actually make sense? Or am I, as I often do, talking baloney?!

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

I have always used Baileys No1 to put on weight without fizz. Some horses don't like it very much though because it is a bit boring - goes down better with a mix rather than a nut sometimes.

I wanted to add that I used to feed my horse Alpha-A as a chaff and he was very hot. A friend said that she had fed it as well and found her horse got very excitable on it. I changed to a chaff on the hi-fi line rather than the Alpha-A line and I found that my horse was much quieter. I think it is something to do with the quality of the Alpha-A can make some horses hot?

 

[Twiglet]

soya oil........recommend it a billion percent. have a horse that's not a particularly good doer and fizzes up at the suggestion of any form of sugar, or cereals.
Last winter he dropped a lot of weight quite quickly, and the vet suggested soya oil for weight and condition.

He now lives all year on Hi Fi Lite, with soya oil and supplements - I've literally never seen him look as good as he does now - his coat is so shiny it looks like I actually groom regularly(!).

His temperament is more even - plenty of spark but without fizz or stupidity.

Plus, it costs about a fiver and lasts about 8 weeks!

 

[vicm2509]

I fed my IDxTB up on Baileys conditioning mix (or the cubes). He wasnt underweight when I bought him but I was increasing his workload and toning his muscle.

 

[horsegirl]

where do you buy the soya oil? From the feed merchants?

 

[SueAllen]

I have been thinking about that......you're made my mind up! Shopping at Tescos later so will get a few bottles. Bet it works out cheaper than the feed merchant.

 

[SueAllen]

I keep forgetting that rule about not feeding in preparation for work but as we are actually doing more work (fittening hacks, some sj and more demanding lessons) I hope I am feeding him right I've got the haylage now so I'll be adding that. And there's been some recommendations for Baileys so I'll try that too. Funnily he was on that before I got him but also on sugar beet but I took him off both and started the R&R because he was so spooky. He is less spooky now so I'll try gently introducing the Baileys again and see what happens...! Thanks for everybody's help. I am less confused now.