Fibre and energy

[Stinkbomb]

Can horses get enough energy from fibre based products rather than cereal based ones? I was always under the impression for them to have energy they needed some kind of mix or nut. However inky just seems to put on weight despite doing plenty of work and not having a great deal! Im just worried hed not have enough energy with just alfa a and speedibeet?

Thoughts please?

 

[JulzS]

My cob gets worked 6 days a week and only gets hay, he has plenty energy and if I gave him any hard feed he'd soon resemble an elephant!

 

[TGM]

What do you mean by 'energy'? Do you mean 'energy' as in the scientific form of 'digestible energy' which is the same as calories? If that is the case then certainly horses can gain the energy they need to work hard without needing cereals. Many horses can get this from just fibre, but some may need additional oil sources as well.

 

[Stinkbomb]

energy, as in he is able to cope with his workload without being tired and lethargic.

 

[be positive]

They should easily be able to cope with a fibre only diet doing a fair amount of work provided they are actually fit enough. Most ponies and many horses could do with less feed than they get they may need some extra vits/mins and salt replaced if sweating.
I feed my horses Fast Fibre, chaff and haylage they have plenty of energy, the event horse does get a small amount of mix but only because he will not eat his feed without some mix in it and he is working hard every day.

 

[Dizzle]

Speedibeet is 5% sugar!

 

[claribella]

My girl is on fast fibre and linseed and she has plenty of energy!!

 

[sonjafoers]

Do you mean maybe 'oomph' rather than energy?

I have a cob x who definately lacks oomph on a fibre only diet, I've experimented with all sorts of things and I find she needs a slight amount of cereal just to give her a bit more power.

She goes very well on Winergy Equilibrium Medium which is about 14% starch I think, a high fibre mix containing some cereals.

I've tried Saracen ReLeve which is a high 'energy' mix as in DE but completely cereal free. It is used for racing off so Saracen said she shouldn't lack oomph on it but it just left my girl like a wet weekend.

I guess it's horses for courses

 

[Rockchick]

I have 2 cobs fed purely on a fibre diet, they have plenty of energy and do extremely well on it too

 

[chestnut cob]

My horse gets a bit of Speedibeet, a handful of D&H High Fibre Nuts plus supplements (magox, linseed, brewers yeast and seaweed) and adlib hay.. he's hunting on that and still pulling like a train at home time!

 

[AngieandBen]

Speedibeet is 5% sugar!

And? but it doesn't have any starch, so a very good good source of fibre with slightly higher energy than say FF. I feed all three of mine on this and have done for the last 10 years.