Help - Feeding Question

[bandit]

Hello guys… and Eventers in particular…

Wonder if you can help me feeding my new horse. She’s a 6 yr old TB, bred for racing, bought for eventing – to start 2007 season at Intro and see how far we can go! This winter we plan to do as much RC stuff as we can, all disciplines… She’s come to me looking slightly underweight – not overly worried about that just now. Prev owner also gave me the last of her current feed (Show Improver mix / Baileys number 4 / Hi Fi), and what I’d love to know is what I should typically feed her. She’s a total opposite to my old boy with EPSM so my feed is no good for her. Have to get all her feed this w/end, and she’s fairly fit and will be kept fit. She’s an absolute greedy monster too, so don’t think the change will be too traumatizing!!

Thanks in advance guys!

Bx

 

[horsegirl]

well you could move to bailey's normal cubes (No1?) and to Hifi lite?

 

[bandit]

thanks - just wondered if you could tell me why - not used Bailey's ever, is this a good one/

 

[ihatework]

Why change?
Baileys top line cubes and hifi sound like a good diet.
If you want a bit more weight on her just up the amount a bit and make sure she has plenty of hay/grazing

 

[juliehannah58]

If you want more weight gain the only thing I'd change would be Hi-fi to Alfa-A, it has all the goodness of a normal mix and I haven't found it hypes any of mine up.

If you really want to see an improvement FAST then I can't recommend blue chip / topspec enough, they transformed my girly, looks and attitude wise! Worth it's money IMO

Good luck with her, and no more falling off you hear!!

 

[Kelly1982]

Baileys NO1 is the cereal (bit like bran) not cubes and it is purley to put on weight

 

[horsegirl]

sorry for some reason I read that as overweight!!! It is the same problem I have with my TB but I have added speedi beet and that seems to be working

 

[so03]

I'm a fan of the Dengie range as it's mainly based on fibre.

You don't say how big she is, but based on say a 16hh. Split feed 75% hay 25% hard feed. Feeding approx 21llb (9.2 kg) hay 7llb (3.1kg) hard feed split into 2 feeds. You can easily increase hard feed if she still isn't keeping weight. Rule of thumb is each feed should not weigh more than 4.5llb (2.2kg). So if you need to feed more than 9llb hard feed each day you'll need to split into 3 feeds.

If she were mine, I would gradually change her to Alfa A and fibremix extra (the comp mix). Ad lib haylage (I like haylage too). Plus a general supplement. If she still isn't keeping weight I would add Baileys No1. Would also consider feeding NAF pink powder if the horse gets a bit worried when taken to events. This has helped keep weight on my old TB.

It's the only feed regime that allows my old TB to keep weight. She does get fed sugar beet too but wouldn't feed that to a horse in hard/fast work.

There are many many different ideas on feeding and of course each horse is different. I think best thing is to do lots of research and then make your decision from there (which is really what you're doing here).

Good luck.

 

[bandit]

Hi - not interested in gaining weight fast, just i've had 3 years feeding a totally different horse for a different purpose and he's got EPSM so asking ideally what she should be fed.

i'm not unhappy about her current feed, but Kate said the show improver was just to help her gain weight. and i'm running out and shopping @ the w/end.

i use alfa A lite for my boy and suspect that will be OK for her too.

yes - no more falling off LOL!!

 

[lizzie_liz]

If she is fine on what she is being fed at the moment then i don't see any reason for changing.

If she needs to put on a bit more weight then just increase her intake of food, mainly roughage. Is the HiFi light or the normal stuff? If the normal stuff then switch to Alfa A.

 

[bandit]

thanks for that.

so many different feeds avial it's a minefield!!!