Feeding

[JosieSmith]

My 20 year old arab has put weight on over summer, but she's not overweight. She at grass 24/7 and gets a handful of chaff with balancer, garlic and oil in summer, only on the days she is ridden (every other day usually). Is this enough or should I be feeding her everyday? In winter she will be in overnight and she'll get chaff, balancer and sugarbeet twice a day to supplement the bad grass. Last winter she lost weight but not until the end of winter, by which time the better grass was coming through so she naturally put on weight as the grass grew again. Is her feeding ok? Any concentrates and she goes nuts, and she doesn't do enough work to warrant them anyway.

 

[maggiesmum]

I'd be tempted to give the balancer everyday to make sure she's getting her full quota of vits & mins, if she struggles with weight loss over the winter you could try coolstance copra which is a kind of coconut meal and is high oil and low starch.

 

[JosieSmith]

Ok thanks. Can I give her the balancer with a handful of chaff everyday without her putting too much weight on do you think? I suppose it's slightly better that she's got a bit of extra weight going into winter, especially seeing as she's likely to lose a little, or am I deluding myself?

 

[teddyt]

Feed the balancer everyday with chaff. Increase the chaff and sugar beet as the weather gets colder. Ensure a-lib hay when stabled and also put hay out in the field when the grass drops off. If shes not overweight now then her diet is fine but the grass nutrient quality will be changing from now on. Combined with coler nights an different weather you need to keep a close eye so she doesnt lose weight. Adjust feed quantities accordingly, weekly if necessary.

 

[kellyeaton]

personally i would feed your winter feed every day!