Horse needs more energy !!

[Tishiemumble]

Horse needs a touch more energy and I don't want to feed a mix to be mindful of her weight . I've done a bit of research and have found the following to have been recomened;
Propell plus (or any other iron based supplement )
Tiger oats
grass nuts
Energy supplement (ten energy boost or horse first back to form etc )
also contacted simple systems who suggested that Lucie pellets would add extra energy ???

But........Which would you consider the best ?

 

[Firefly9410]

It is not as simple as that. There is nothing you can feed and no supplements you can give that will give more energy without knowing the cause of the lack of energy. If your horse is over weight that can make them sluggish so a diet would help. If under weight high fibre food such as more hay, or if already on ad lib hay a small feed of grass nuts or alfalfa or similar will help increase weight and make extra energy available for work. If your horse is unfit a fitness programme will help but food will not. A horse who gets hot easily may benefit from being partially clipped even if doing minimal work. If you suspect your horse is anaemic and in need of an iron supplement your vet can blood test for it. If your horse is a healthy weight but the work load has increased then the horse may need more food.

A general vitamin and mineral supplement can help a horse who does not get much hard feed but it might not make any difference to energy. Other things causing lack of energy are lameness, pain somewhere or from the tack, boredom with the work, a horse having a naturally laid back temperament, a horse moving slowly or not responding to leg aids properly due to not enough schooling and the horse not understanding what the rider wants, the horse not responding to the rider due to ineffective riding. There are probably some things I have not thought of. You really need to find the cause of the lack of energy before you can think about changing it. Start with good basic horse care, ask the opinion of a decent riding instructor and consult a vet if necessary.