Feeding

J

JaneMBE

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As the year has been awful (weather I mean, and rubbish grazing) I have been feeding the boys daily. Herbie had dropped weight after he came, as he was very stressed and paddock walked.
That is all in order now, as he was put with Phantom, just the two of them, to bond. (Worked too well, he is now a shadow!)

The grazing at their field took a bashing when it flooded, so feeding was continued.
I have now my own paddock for the two, hasn't had horses in for 2+ years and is huge and green!
The two have put on weight, and probably have a bit of a belly at the moment. Herbie is as he was on day one of arrival, looking back at photos.
Would you continue with their daily feed, or just let them benefit from all the grass (which I probably will have to section off at some point) They were being fed a conditioning mix and alpha a oil chaff.
They are just starting to work after not doing much for various reasons, so hopefully they will start to look toned.
A couple or 3 pics to show you.
I now can concentrate on just these, after hanging up my (business) hat, and am really happy, I just want to enjoy my boys (and Magic when she comes here too) but have suddenly turned into a complete novice about horse ownership! doh!


herbiefield.jpg

phantomfield.jpg

twofield.jpg
 
Personally I would continue a feed for another week - but then let the grass take over. There seems to be plenty.
 
There is plenty of grass indeed. I also have another bigger paddock to rotate them in when one starts to look iffy, so I know I will always have good grazing.
Thanks Amymay
smile.gif
 
So much grass and space, lucky things!

With the way the weather has been there doesn't seem to be a lot of goodness in the grass just now even though you have plenty of it! How about giving them something like Bailey's Lo-Cal, the balancer, it could be all they need? They've been used to a conditioning feed so they will have to hoover up a lot of grass to get anywhere near that intake! You only feed a couple of mugfuls a day so does not work out too expensive but you then know they are getting all the vitamins and minerals they need. Just an idea and it's what I would do I think.
 
Yeh, I think that's what my sister gives hers.
I have a bag of alpha to use up though, it wont keep fresh really will it? Perhaps give them a smaller amount than they have been getting, to use it up?

I have suddenly become useless lol!
 
Yes, do that, don't waste it! (mortal sin in my book to waste things!) They'll soon tell you if they don't want it anyway!

I was exactly the same, all fingers and thumbs, when I first had Dolly to ride; shall I do this, do I need this, why haven't I got this and so on! It was nice to feel 16 again after a very long time though!!
 
I'd continue with the feeds for a bit longer - there's not much goodness in the grass at the moment what with the flooding (Where are you?). You could use the alpha supplemented with a smaller amount of cubes, until the alpha is gone. Perhaps add in some general supplement from naf as well to give them a bit of a boost?

Love the last pic! Wheee!
 
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