Feeding the Retired

[itsapiebald]

Sorry if this subject has already been discussed.

I have a 15 year old cob who is retired, he is slightly over weight but not massively. He needs a feed for his joint supplements to go in. He is stabled at night and out in the day. With him being retired he doesn't need high calories or extra energy.
What would you feed him?

 

[TGM]

I'd probably give him some Fast Fibre, just enough to mix his supplements into. It's low starch, low sugar and low calorie.

 

[itsapiebald]

I'd probably give him some Fast Fibre, just enough to mix his supplements into. It's low starch, low sugar and low calorie.

Do you think he'd need a balancer to get vitamins?

 

[TGM]

Lots of horses are fine without vit/min supplementation especially if they are on decent grazing in the summer months, but if you are worried you could always feed a powdered vit/min supplement which is likely to be less calorific than most balancers. Fast Fibre is supplemented with vit/mins but you are unlikely to be feeding it at the recommended rate.

 

[itsapiebald]

Lots of horses are fine without vit/min supplementation especially if they are on decent grazing in the summer months, but if you are worried you could always feed a powdered vit/min supplement which is likely to be less calorific than most balancers. Fast Fibre is supplemented with vit/mins but you are unlikely to be feeding it at the recommended rate.

He has good turn out in the summer but in the winter the hay/haylage isn't the best. Do you think I could feed him fast fibre in the summer and then add a balancer of some kind of the winter or would I be better keeping his fed the same all year round?

 

[TGM]

Yes a balancer could be a good solution in the winter.

 

[itsapiebald]

Yes a balancer could be a good solution in the winter.

okay thank you

 

[Leo Walker]

A tiny handful of fast fibre and then something like Pro mineral from progressive earth. Is cheap, no calorie and covers the basics

 

[itsapiebald]

A tiny handful of fast fibre and then something like Pro mineral from progressive earth. Is cheap, no calorie and covers the basics

Thanks, will look into pro mineral

 

[Leo Walker]

It works out roughly £10 a month for a 500kg horse and covers the basics of what will be missing in normal grazing. I see a noticeable difference in my boys hoof growth when hes on it

 

[itsapiebald]

Do you think he'd need a balancer to get vitamins?

It works out roughly £10 a month for a 500kg horse and covers the basics of what will be missing in normal grazing. I see a noticeable difference in my boys hoof growth when hes on it

That's good, my boys hooves are very good

 

[itsapiebald]

*aren't