Is fast fiber a weight gainer? dealing with a fatty !

[texansunrise]

Hi , i would be greatful if some one can pls advise me if fast fiber can help with weight gain?
I am trying to put my fatty on a diet but would like to still give him something ..he currently has winergy 1/2 scoop and fast fiber to bulk it out ..i was thinking off cutting back to just FF so he is still having little something but i am unsure if this is a good idea and weather just to cut out alltogether..Any advice/tips most appreciated as need to shift his tum x

 

[Ali2]

FF is relatively low in energy at 8 MJ/kg. Winergy ranges from 8.3 - 13 Mj/kg depending on which one you're feeding. If you are feeding their low energy then weight for weight there' snot much in it. If he's fat and you're trying to get weight off him then I'd be tempted to give him just soaked hay and then balance mineral intake. Hay will provide more bulk for the equivalent energy and will therefore last longer.

 

[texansunrise]

thanks for that Ali,, really appreciate your reply...that was what i had been thinking along the lines of doing until his work load increases.. Thank you x x

 

[L&M]

FF is advertised as low calorie - I feed it to my 2 cobs who are good doers and they love it. Also as it is fully balanced there is no need for vit/mins type supplements. As the above post would also suggest soaking hay and as and when you can increase excercise.
Good luck!

 

[Ali2]

Gaaaaah I wish they wouldn't tell you its 'fully balanced', how can it be? It may provide the full recommended levels of vits/mins but this does not take account of ratios and never can. They don't know what's in your forage/other feeds. (I'm a mineral balancing convert!)

Good luck with getting the weight off him - do let us know how you get on

My share horse is a fatty and a rehab (long term bad back, now fixed but needs to be worked properly to maintain) he's on soaked hay, token feed (100 g hifi lite, livery yard - life is easier if he gets a breakfast at the same time as everyone else), is muzzled (Greenguard) when at grass from March to November and works to a strict programme of hacking, schooling, lunging and pole work 6 day sout of 7.

This regime started last year - he's doing pretty well on it and has lost a lot of weight. He's got a little way to go still but he looks a different horse to the pics I have of him last spring when I started sharing him

 

[TGM]

Also as it is fully balanced there is no need for vit/mins type supplements.

That is only the case if you are feeding it at the recommended rate though - if you are just feeding a handful (which is often the case with a fatty) then a vit/min supplement may be appropriate.