Help me with feed advice please...

[I_A_P]

Ok, my boy is 16.1 ISH, is quite easy to keep condition on and is pretty well muscle toned although anything to help this would benefit him as we are really working on getting him using himself properly and expect him to build more muscle. He is more TB type (see previous posts with photos). He has had foot problems in the past (not sure how much of this was down to previous farrier though as they are much better now!) however anything that can improbe the quality of hoof and growth would be great as he is quite flat footed. feet are a work in progress so anything that helps him long term feed and nutrition wise would be great.

He is currently doing hacking, schooling approx 3 times a week and a bit of jumping, will plan to be doing some dressage and show jjumping but ideally I would like to event him again at some stage, possibly later this year at BE100 level.

Currently he is fed:
1x flat round scoop of hi-fi lite
1 x flat round scoop of charnwoods economy mix
measure of supplement which contains linseed, seaweed and brewers yeast
measure of Newmarket hoof supplement.

He is fed this 1 x a day.

Currently turned out 24/7, he usually goes on to a paddock with 'better' grass in the morning for a few hours or until lunchtime depending how much grass there is and then back onto a paddock with less grass the rest of the time.
He has his feed in the evening and then at the moment an armful of haylege at about 11pm although once it warms up again I am expecting to cut this out completely.

I have been researching on here and it seems it is best to feed low sugar and starch and although hi-fi lite says it is low on those to wonder if there is a better chaff type feed that would be better? I have also read on here about some people not liking alfafa?

In regards to the mix, again I am guessing contains some mollases and therefore best to get rid and possibly just feed a fibre type feed and a balancer.

There are so many things to choose from I really don't know where to start! He is not overly fussy about feeds and I dont want anything overly heating although he is quite good temperament wise.

I do not want anything overly complicated - Any ideas? I must keep him out 24/7 as he doesn't like being in and although tolerates it in winter (still out during the day) he gets a bit of a stress head and hates being in.

It would be ideal as well if I could use at least some of the same feed for my other horse too - he is elderly but on the same feed as above minus the supplements and is an ideal weight but again at the age of 27 he could probably benefit from the low sugar/starch diet too. If possible to at least have a base feed that suits both would be great as saves having to store lots of stock of different feeds.

 

[Tnavas]

Unmolassed sugarbeet, meadow chaff, Fresh ground Linseed and a good balancer. Brewers Yeast to supply Lysine which is a very important Amino Acid and when you need to increase weight add corn oil.

Any product with Lucerne (Alfalfa) in it can have an adverse effects on some horses

 

[I_A_P]

Thank you.
I will look at the meadow chaff. I can keep feeding current linseed/brewers yeast supplement probably then.

What balancer do you recommend?

Have been looking at Allen and page fast fibre too. What do you think of that? It seems to have unmollased sugar beet in it

 

[Tnavas]

Thank you.
I will look at the meadow chaff. I can keep feeding current linseed/brewers yeast supplement probably then.

What balancer do you recommend?

Have been looking at Allen and page fast fibre too. What do you think of that? It seems to have unmollased sugar beet in it

If money is tight try to source the basics that are not wrapped in designer labels. Talk to your local feed suppliers and grain merchants, but don't be sucked in to buying commercially prepared feeds.

Don't buy any commercial feed that doesn't show you the list of ingredients. I believe that fast fibre is primarily unmollased sugarbeet which you can buy at far cheaper rates.

Unfortunately I can't advise you on brands of Balancer as I am in New Zealand. Maybe someone else will advise you. Just read all the labels carefully before buying and if you have to go to a few different places to look at feeds.

Fibre is best food you can give your horse at any time - it's what his body id designed to run on.

 

[I_A_P]

Thanks very much for your help

 

[TwoStroke]

Chaffs that don't contain alfalfa or molasses are hard to come by! Simple systems do a plain Timothy chop, as do Halleys. There are also plain grass chaffs, though i suspect the horse is already getting enough grass, and you probably don't want to add to it . Unmolassed beet pulp is a good base for most horses, and you can add micronised linseed for extra coat and hoof condition.

Iiwy I'd swap the seaweed combo supplement for a good high spec forage balancer such as pro hoof/pro balance +. This should really help you grow some healthy hooves.

 

[I_A_P]

Thanks two stroke. I don't mind cutting he seaweed out sunce researching on here sens people dont like it much!

I would like to keep him on brewers yeast as it has made him a little more relaxed in general. I guess i could just get the linseed and brewers yeast as separate things rather the mixed one I am using at the moment.

Re the chaff do you think I could just do without I if went for unmollased pulp instead? Or would i still need a token amount of chaff?

Will look t those balances thanks- guess with those could cut out his current hoof supplement.

Researching on here seems a lot of people find the beet pulp and linseed add condition- I guess as he is a fairly good at keeping weight on would just be careful with his portions to start with.

 

[d_morrow]

Fast Fibre is mostly nutritionally improved straw with some unmollassed sugar beet. It has a DE value of 8 so it is very suitable for a good doer. (Ingredients listed below.)
It is a quick soak mash that can be used in small quantities as a carrier for supplements or in larger quantities as a hay replacer. I use it for the former.
Ingredients -
(min 40 percent) cereal straw (treated),
(10-25 percent) unmolassed beet, (less than 10 percent) oat fibre, expelled linseed, grass meal, Di-calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, expelled soya oil, sodium chloride, natural vitamins, vitamins and minerals, mint, herbs garlic.

 

[d_morrow]

Oh - and for a useful list of feed ingredients have a look here:
http://uknhcp.myfastforum.org/Feed_ingredients_list_feel_free_to_add_yours__about1218.html

 

[TwoStroke]

I only use chaff to bulk out the feed of one of mine which likes to inhale his food, otherwise I don't bother with it.

 

[I_A_P]

d-morrow - thank you for all of that info. Will look at that website in the morning.

TwoStroke- im wondering if I just start without the chaff at all, then if he seems to be inhaling it add a little in to slow him down. I think this time of year especially he could do without it.

Im quite excited to make the changes and see what happens!

 

[windand rain]

I base all my feeds from youngsters to oldies on grass chaff, unmolassed beet and an oil based feed micronised linseed or copra meal with a vitamin supplement usually equibites in summer as the feeds are very small about now
Mine are all native ponies from foals to veterans and I have never had a problem with growth plates or laminits from feeding in over thirty years of breeding and raising youngster.

I did use top spec balancer for a while but recently have found it expensive and not as good as the linseed
My regime at the minute is probably a bit complicated as I also use very sloppy grassnuts soaked to keep reluctant drinkers hydrated

 

[squidsin]

Fast Fibre is really for laminitics and old horses with bad teeth, and works out quite expensive as you need about a bag a week. I swapped mine to speedibeet (as the basis of her hard feed is fibre) and that's much cheaper for the same effect. (Although I have a skinny mare so I'm not bothered about the higher sugar content in speedibeet compared to FF.)

Thank you.
I will look at the meadow chaff. I can keep feeding current linseed/brewers yeast supplement probably then.

What balancer do you recommend?

Have been looking at Allen and page fast fibre too. What do you think of that? It seems to have unmollased sugar beet in it