How long do you wait after feeding to ride?

I think the traditional rule of one hour after feeding is based on fit hard-working horses who have large grain-based feeds and then are expected to do strenous work. It would be a bit like going for a long run immediately after having an enormous roast dinner.

However, I can't see that going for a gentle hack after a small fibre-based feed is going to do much harm - just like us going for walk after having a sandwich!
 
Carrying on from this...
Do you feed at the same time everyday? I was always taught to feed at same time everyday (although mine are a bit flexible either way) but since moving from home to a livery yard hardly anyone seems to follow this.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Do you feed at the same time everyday?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, apart from the weekend - when they get fed half an hour later in the morning.
 
you should wait at least one hour, but i usually feed when we get back
smile.gif
<font color="pink"> </font>
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hmm, that's an interesting lion theory. I would not be so eager to apply the wild/ferral horses lifestyle's characteristics to the one the domestic one have. I would think there is a big difference in between an animal that permanently lives out and has to adapt to those quick flees and constant vigilation and our pet horse that grazes about half asleep and is then taken into work. I don't know about happy hacker sort of horse but as been mostly around sports horses I seem to always been told that the work we are asking those horses to do is rather unnatural and at times more demanding than a gallop in the wild (since canter and gallop are the most energy efficient gaits in horses).


[/ QUOTE ] So I take a horse from the wild to domestic and the way his body works and digests changes over night? Interesting.

My opinion...Like said it would be worse for them to stave for block periods then nibble of hay. After all the hour your leaving them first, then say 1 1/2 your riding for and then atleast another 1/2 hour...It just not natural. In the winter I like mine to be constancly eating hay because its there core central heating too.
 
I dont ride straight after a hard feed. I always leave them a good hour before considering it just because that's what Ive always been told too! That, and the fact I like to let them mooch about a bit and have a chilled out morning, as I dont really ride til the afternoon anyway.

I do take mine in from their grass and hay to ride straight away though.
 
I'm with Tia - mostly my mare gets about 45 mins after breakfast before I ride before work, sometimes more, sometimes less - I don't clock watch it, just ride when I have finished other jobs or its light enough.

I do however feed a virtually grain free diet and for breakfast she just has a bit of balancer, beet and hi fi, so I don't particularly stress about it either way.

Never had a single problem with this routine.

Oh as for feeding the same time every day - no way! Horse gets fed when I am ready to feed her - whether that is 7pm or 5pm or even 9-10pm in the summer. Breakfast they all get fed when the first person arrives, sometimes that is 5am, sometimes 9am.

Personally I don't like routines, I think it creates horses with far more hang ups than those with less strict routines.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top