Feeding question

[Baileyboo]

My pony was a humongous monster when I bought her in september, the thing is now I have got her down to a good weight and want to maintain it. At the moment she is getting d&h safe and sound (which she was on when she came to me) multi-vits, omega oil and carrots, she gets sugarbeet in her morning feed and ad-lib hay, she is out 24/7 and is rugged. She is a 7 year old 14.1 welsh cob and at the moment we are really only hacking. I don't know if I should introduce something else to her feed like nuts or if i should increase the volume of her safe and sound as I want her to stay the weight that she is now.

 

[kerilli]

Watch the carrots, as they're very high sugar. If there's any chance she might be the sort that's prone to lami, then 1 per feed max, unfortunately.
Without knowing the quality and protein levels of the hay (and this is only really determinably by a lab test, not by how it looks/feels/smells), it's hard to say. best thing is to play it by ear, and be ready to give her a bit more if she starts losing weight. if she's on adlib hay, she'll keep herself right, i think! you're more likely to have to cut back on that when the spring grass comes through, i think.
if she gets tired and hasn't got the stamina you want, i'd introduce a bit of Alfa-A instead of pony nuts, personally. it's fibre, but high protein, and easily digestible. but i don't feed any mixes or nuts, haven't for years.
sorry, i don't know anything about Safe and Sound, never used it.

 

[MagicMelon]

If she's at the perfect weight now then Id probably just keep her on the same feed until she changes (ie. loses or gains). Like Kerilli says, be careful with carrots. Also sugar beet, you could change that to Alfa Beet or Fibre Beet (anything unmolassed) in the spring when you'll expect her to possibly gain weight again with the new grass. Safe & sound is fine to stay on IMO, its got fibre nuts in it and its interesting enough for them not to get bored of it. Id be more worried about the spring grass and keeping that controlled.

 

[Baileyboo]

Thank you for the advice. I didn't realise carrots were so high in sugar if i'm honest. I probably will change to unmollased beet in the spring but its easier at the mo as my old pony needs molassed in winter.