help! feeding advice please!

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hula_hula

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In need of a bit of advice...
My boy is a 15hh 5yr old and needs to build up more muscle and work in his topline and im going to start putting him on the pessoa to help with this. He is still growing a bit but is quite a good doer and seems to put weight on quite easily! Im currently just feeding him pony nuts and chaff twice a day but have been advised to put him on some sort of conditioning type feed to help him muscle up a bit more but im worried that he'll end up putting loads of weight on.
Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for feeds that I could try that wont make him fat but will help with this?!
Thank you :)
 
Spirulina: completely natural supplement (effectively algae!), fed as a powder, a pinch a day - strong taste so introduce gradually. Very high in protein and vits and minerals and v effective for muscle pain. I also feed linseed.
 
With the best will in the world - you build topline and muscle slowly and through correct work. Not through what you feed. If he is holding his weight and managing his workload then you are fine just as you are. If he starts to thin out a bit as you increase the workload then look to add something a bit more. Personally I favour linseed oil for weight gain without also sending them loopy - but there are probably as many views as there are options - if not more!
 
A feed balancer such as topspec lite would have all vits/mins and enough protein for muscle building. I would feed balancer, good quality forage, lots of turnout and do lots of hill work!
 
Nudibranch said:
This. Ad lib forage, linseed. Then hacking and hill work for a 5 yo. I personally wouldn't use a pessoa on any horse.
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Nor me. For muscle and a growing youngster you need protein - look for protein levels in the feeds you are considering. Linseed is oil, slow release energy and calories, but good June cut hay, grass (nuts during winter) all have reasonable protein levels. Then you need to convert the protein (amino acids) into muscle by work.
 
I plan to build up the muscle through work and have been advised to put him on a feed with more vits and mins and protein etc. to help support/ compliment this but wasnt sure which would be best ;) Was also wondering why you dont like the pessoa as they do get very mixed reviews!
 
I don't like pessoas as the pulleys at best don't give a consistent contact and at worse catch the horse in the mouth. I also think they act as muscle taps. It's very easy to have the horse in an incorrect/forced/false outline and build the incorrect muscles, unduly stress muscles and have the pelvis over rotate when on a circle.

Slow and steady wins the "race" when producing horses correctly.

If you read the small print on the white label on your feed bags you might find you're feeding a lot of "floor sweepings"(oat/wheat feed) and sugar (molasses/mologo).

For a young growing good doer I'd feed a good balancer/supplement like Pro Balance or Equimins vit advance

Micronised linseed

Maybe some speedibeet and an unmolassed grass chop

Keep it simple and use your eyes and hands to see and feel how your horse is doing.

Good luck
 
TPO said:
I don't like pessoas as the pulleys at best don't give a consistent contact and at worse catch the horse in the mouth. I also think they act as muscle taps. It's very easy to have the horse in an incorrect/forced/false outline and build the incorrect muscles, unduly stress muscles and have the pelvis over rotate when on a circle.

Slow and steady wins the "race" when producing horses correctly.
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^^ This is why I don't like pessoas.
 
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