Fizz explosion to dead calm - can't it be somewhere inbetween?!?

[icklemadame]

Hi everyone!!

Just a little bit of help needed - I think its an issue of correct feeding but I may be wrong so any advice would be most appreciated!!

My pony was originally used purely in my mums riding school, and I started riding her this autumn as she was getting so fizzy and strong that none of the children were happy riding her. I've been riding her for a couple of months now, and building up her fitness to start hunting her, and although she was very strong at first out hunting she has now settled to the point that its fun and enjoyable - all good!! However, in every day life she is now so ploddy I'm having difficulties keeping her fit - my mum is amazed at the turn around, I'm not quite so impressed!! Plus, her weight has dropped considerably, again making it difficult to keep her condition up. When I first starting hunting her, and once she was brought in for the winter (she's grass kept during summer) I went to our local feed merchants to ask for advice on what to feed her - at this point she was still very fizzy so I was advised to feed a cool mix, mollichaf, sugar beet and a vitamin and mineral supplement. I think this is now no longer suitable but I'm unsure what direction to take with her - I'd like her to have more energy when she's not hunting, but to remain calm (ish) when I am - is this asking too much?!?

 

[KatB]

You need slow release energy by the sounds of things! I would personally try something like Alfa Oil as it keeps weight on and is slow release but quite high in energy for a chaff, and the possibly try something like naked oats to give some fizz? Combine it with a Broad spec supplement, and I think you'd do well..... And a cheap diet!!

 

[icklemadame]

I definately like the sound of slow release energy!! I had looked at alfa oil before, but decided to start her on what I had been recommended in case she exploded!! I've never had any experience of oats of any kind (with riding school ponies you tend to steer clear of such things - the ploddier the better!!) however I've turned my fizzy nutter into a plod and am now longing for the days when I could barely stop - or at least something happened when i squeezed!!

Sounds funny but she feels like she's bored unless she's out hunting - you'd think flying around the countryside and doing lots of jumping (and this is on my non hunting days) would enthrall a pony who used to tank off with small children and circle the field/arena jumping whatever it was far more times than necessary... and yet ask her to move these days and I feel like its all a game of persuasion!! Shame because it means I haven't been able to properly do and enjoy long hacks or jumping with her now for ages - and she needs both, hacks for fitness, and jumping for practice, being a school pony she'd barely jumped above 2ft and certainly doesn't know what to do with her feet as you come over a big drop hedge, as she neatly demonstrated on boxing day by collapsing us both in a heap!!!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

If you believe the problems is down to feed then contact the experts. Their advice is free & impartial. They don't 'rubbish' other companies products but will give sound advice. Some links are below:-

http://www.allenandpage.com/products/13.htm

http://www.spillers-feeds.com/en-gb/united-kingdom/header-top/corporate-spillers/

http://www.dodsonandhorrell.com/index.phtml?detailsMode=news-listing

 

[icklemadame]

Oh good idea, I'm enquiring and investigating as I type!! I think, and hope, that it is purely down to feed, I have worried that its due to boredom, but I vary what I do and where we go every day to try and keep her interested, and she appears happy, shiny and healthy, just not very... 'plump' but this is probably due to her workload, and as I've said, her feeding regime. But it does concern me when I see the pony clubbers on their wizzy ponies who are hunting as much as me and their ponies appear perfectly capable of being just as wizzy every day of the week!!

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

I found tiger oats very good for energy for my cob.