Feeding the Competition Horse

S

ShowJumperL95

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 November 2017
Messages
145
Visit site
Hello,

My boy is going to be doing a lot of competitions this year mainly Showjumping (much more than last year), we will not be going higher than novice but I feel like he may need something extra to help him along when the warmer months start coming in.

He is already on Allen & Page Power & Performance 1 1/2 scoop dry weight and Alfa-A Oil 1 scoop and he has been doing well on this but feels like he is lacking energy a bit now his workload has upped.
I would like to keep him on this just looking for another feed or balancer that I could add to it to help energy levels but nothing that is going to blow his brain!

Does anyone have any suggestions

TIA :)
 
I would look to his fitness rather than his feed in the first instance. You haven't given age, height, current weight or workload so it isn't possible to judge if your feed currently is about right or not. But having had showjumpers and eventers for some years you are feeding pretty much what I would feed a larger pony or smaller horse in medium / hard work. Certainly ample for a competition schedule. Unless you have a larger horse (in which case this is probably not enough hard feed) then I would suggest improving his fitness first before adding anything.

The Eqinox products above have quite a lot of selenium in them. Selenium is an important trace element - you'll find it in the A&P you are currently feeding. But too much is toxic. As little as double dosing can be harmful so if you do opt for that particular product be very careful how much you feed.
 
Shay said:
I would look to his fitness rather than his feed in the first instance. You haven't given age, height, current weight or workload so it isn't possible to judge if your feed currently is about right or not. But having had showjumpers and eventers for some years you are feeding pretty much what I would feed a larger pony or smaller horse in medium / hard work. Certainly ample for a competition schedule. Unless you have a larger horse (in which case this is probably not enough hard feed) then I would suggest improving his fitness first before adding anything.

The Eqinox products above have quite a lot of selenium in them. Selenium is an important trace element - you'll find it in the A&P you are currently feeding. But too much is toxic. As little as double dosing can be harmful so if you do opt for that particular product be very careful how much you feed.
Click to expand...

He is very fit, he is 16.3 ISH rising 8 year old weighing 650kg and he does 45 min to 1 hours schooling 4 times a week these sessions vary each day with pole work, lateral movements, transitions etc. 1 jump session a week at home and then competing or Flat/Jump lesson or 2-3 hour hack on the weekend
 
He's a bit on the heavy side - unless there is a fair chunk of draft in the ISH mix? They are usually connie / TB but some do have elements of draft. His workload is more medium than high - but I am used to hunters and eventers now who do need a different kind of fitness. Although even my daughter's BS Ponies were worked 6 days a week rather than 4. But that said he should be tolerably fit on it. You are feeding pretty much the same as I feed a smaller Connie (15.3) hunted twice a week so you might have scope to up the feed slightly. If you call A&P they can send a feed consultant out to you with a weighbridge so you can get an accurate gauge of weight and condition.

How long ago did you raise the workload? And from what? Has he had time to fitten up? Has he lost condition since you increased the workload?

Oopps sorry - lot of questions. Trying to understand and help only!
 
I'd say it was more light work than medium! You need to increase his fitness. Can you up the hacking? Introduce interval work? A water treadmill/swimming? Big heavy horses are harder to get fit than lighter more blood horses.
 
I read it as he is worked 6 days a week - 4 flat schooling, one jumping, one competing/hacking/lesson.

But even so, I would agree that getting out hacking more would give him a bit more bounce and general fitness. If you're concentrating on showjumping then you can get away with doing the vast majority of your schooling out hacking.

My horse is a fairly heavy set 16.2hh sports horse type, and he weighs in just under 600kg, so if he really does weigh that then he may be carrying a bit too much, so boosting fitness really will be key
 
I’d say that unless he’s almost pure ID, he’s too heavy. My heavy set 16.1 (and a bit) weighs close to 500kg when fit, and even slightly out of shape, like he is at the moment, is about 540kg.

Btw, we have one small horse on the yard, who is out competing (and winning) at 1m20 in 2 day competitions twice a month who is fed nothing but hay and Baileys Lo Cal.
 
I think fitness too, best fitness is hacking on hills, and include interval training.

My 16.2 mare (also not a TB type) evented to Intermediate and CCI* on haylage and 1 scoop (3lb scoop) of Spillers horse and pony nuts twice a day! At the stay away events she had her scoop 3 X a day.

I think if the horses are well covered then it is more about fitness and getting them off the aids than feeding for extra fizzyness.
 
My hunting horse was on a simliar feed, Alfa-A Oil plus fast fibre and linseed. He started to go really sluggish on it, and I put it down to an imbalance with the Alfa- A Oil. I started feeding an Alfalfa balancer with it which perked him up.
 
21616207_10156715413585031_8487064641133737512_n.jpg


This is my full up 16.2 horse, working adv med, schooling 3/4 times a week, hacked 1/2 weekly. I consider he's in light to medium work. He's 7/8ths TB with a smattering of RID. He's fit enough and never lacks energy. He gets ad lib late cut haylage when in + turnout on not much grass currently + Dengie HiFi + unmollassed sugar beet + haylage balancer. If he's starting to lose a bit of condition I add in micronised linseed. I used to feed competition mix to our horses but tbh if they were a bit sluggish, they were usually too fat. I spend next to nothing on feed these days and I think the horses are better for it.
 
oldie48 said:
21616207_10156715413585031_8487064641133737512_n.jpg


This is my full up 16.2 horse, working adv med, schooling 3/4 times a week, hacked 1/2 weekly. I consider he's in light to medium work. He's 7/8ths TB with a smattering of RID. He's fit enough and never lacks energy. He gets ad lib late cut haylage when in + turnout on not much grass currently + Dengie HiFi + unmollassed sugar beet + haylage balancer. If he's starting to lose a bit of condition I add in micronised linseed. I used to feed competition mix to our horses but tbh if they were a bit sluggish, they were usually too fat. I spend next to nothing on feed these days and I think the horses are better for it.
Click to expand...

Gorgeous horse!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top