Hard feed - should i change it?

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MizElz

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For the past six years, ellie has just been fed D&H pasture/competition mix (dependent on work load) and chaff in the summer, and pasture mix, chaff and bran mash in the winter - as well as numerous herbs!!. this year, i added Bailey's Conditioning Cubes to her feed, in the hope that it may assist in developing her topline. i cant say i have noticed any real difference over the 6 month period she has been on it, and as its nearly £10 per bag, im wondering whether or not to take her off it (or, alternatively, just buy Countrywide Horse & Pony Cubes.) However, my mum did say to me this morning that, for a hairy horse, the bloom on ellie's coat is amazing. if the baileys cubes are contributing to that, i dont want to risk her losing condition! what do u think?
 
The conditioning cubes contain oil which is probably why her coat looks so good. If you wanted to cut the cubes out then you could add some oil to her feed to keep the coat shine.
 
ah cool.....wat sort of oil? cod liver? coz she's on cod liver powder too at the moment. what about cider vinegar too, is that good for condition?
 
The oil in the conditioning cubes is soya oil, but I use standard Sainsbury's veg oil and that works just as well.

I don't think cider vinegar will help much with condition, although lots of people say it helps with their horses' joints.

One of the best feeds I have found for condition and topline is Dengie Alfa Beet.
 
I feed linseed oil for my mares coat and she is starting to look quite good, she also gets, garlic, seaweed, Glucosamine and Cider vinegar... Garlic = flys.. (will take her off it soon lol but i love the smell sad i know) Seaweed for conditioning, Glucosamine and cider for her joints..
 
Thanks guys!

i'd quite like to put her on linseed, actually. *makes mental note to search ebay for slow cooker*. the veggie oil sounds an easy option! she's already on garlic, nettles, mint, camomile flowers and codlivine - it smells gorgeous!
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I doubt very much that the bran or pasture mix is doing anything towards her condition, I would be inclined to drop the bran and pasture mix and add some sugar beet to the conditioning cubes. Soya oil not only helps with a shiny coat but also helps maintain condition and it is much cheaper than cod liver oil.

Bran affects the calcuim balance so make sure if you keep with the bran you balance this out with a supplement or sugar beet , but unless you need it for laxative purposes your chaff or sugar beet would be a better bulk feed.
 
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I doubt very much that the bran or pasture mix is doing anything towards her condition, I would be inclined to drop the bran and pasture mix and add some sugar beet to the conditioning cubes. Soya oil not only helps with a shiny coat but also helps maintain condition and it is much cheaper than cod liver oil.

Bran affects the calcuim balance so make sure if you keep with the bran you balance this out with a supplement or sugar beet , but unless you need it for laxative purposes your chaff or sugar beet would be a better bulk feed.

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only one prob there - she wont touch sugar beet (only horse ive ever known who wont) and its all i can do to get her to eat chaff; if she can nose it out of the way, she will! we've always fed hot bran mash in the winter though; i think its a throwback to my mums work in racing; she was brought up with it as a norm!

thanks again for ur help!
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Thanks guys!

i'd quite like to put her on linseed, actually. *makes mental note to search ebay for slow cooker*. the veggie oil sounds an easy option! she's already on garlic, nettles, mint, camomile flowers and codlivine - it smells gorgeous!
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I feed linseed oil, much easier!
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Gold Label also do a Ready Linseed which im going to try, saves cooking and faffing around!
 
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we've always fed hot bran mash in the winter though;

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Not being judgemental here, but can I ask why you feed it? I was brought up with it as well
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