lazy pony especially in the ring - should i change his feed?

[scoobydoo]

We are very lucky to have found the most super safe childs Section A show pony. He is ridden off lead at home by my 5 year old novice boy at a walk & trot and by my mildy disabled daughter as her first ridden pony.

He is odd as goes faster at home than in the show ring ( confirmed by old owners)

Some days he is lovely but other days he takes the mickey and is a horror in the ring going so slow and my poor daughter who probably doesnt kick very hard at all due to weak muscles struggles to get him moving and he ignores all her aides on purpose!

He is only 6 years old, no health problems & looks well.

Used to Devon grass but is in laminitic paddock at our YO so very little grass & no option of changing field, fed haylage but not greedy so leaves some and on top spec feed balancer, & top spec cubes & northern foods chop to keep in shape for showing but not overweight - could i change feeds to give him slight more energy and still keep him safe?

He is also quite fit and has good muscle tone so not just dragged out of field to show?

Thanks

 

[Tia]

He sounds like a regular pony to me - they have their good days and their "pony" days. Sounds like a genuine little star to be honest and I certainly wouldn't be tampering with his feed.

 

[Skhosu]

I wouldn't add more energy..it's a toughie as obviously little kids who aren't strong ride little ponies.
The problem is as you say, you want to keep him safe...
Very hard to say!

 

[scoobydoo]

ok thanks Tia

 

[scoobydoo]

Ok - will stick with diet and curse him outside the ring when on a slow day!

 

[emmajanerushton]

wouldnt add anything for fizz, i had this with my youngster being lazy in the ring in hand and he had oats the lot but doesnt work, Sparkles is a star and very safe, and you cannot risk comprimising that, all i would say was a vitamin b drench ( syringe) a week before a show or a equimins energy booster syringe, which is based on vitamin b may help, and are avaliable from spondon about 4.50, i use these in summer, other thing will he fizz up a little on lunge, i know some ponies come off and need working in and others that need a little winding up, maybe a little mollases a few days before but try it very slowly as you dont want an accident

 

[scoobydoo]

Thanks Emma - will think about what you said - Sparkle doesnt fizz up for anything except girls in the field!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MillionDollar]

Feed does not create fizz, its a myth started by the feed companies, here are my lecture notes to explain-

 

[pixiebee]

what i dont get is that you say feed doesnt fizz ponies up but i have first hand experience that it does, my newfie fizzes up on sugar beet/oats or any type of competition mix!!!

 

[MillionDollar]

Well this is what i have been taught in my Degree. You should have heard us all when we were taught this we were like- what??? lol. So our lecturer got a top feed expert in, who told us this and told us how it has been completely created by feed companies e.g. Aleen and Page Ride and Relax- no high ernegy= no fizz which in reality is a load of rubbish!

TBH i believe the expert and the hundreds of papers written on the subject 1. coz all feed companies want to do is make more money and 2. i've fed my WB, 2 NFs and my cob comp mix, oats, barly, molasses, etc with NO effect.

You also have to consider other factors such as the weather, timing (if a mare), new sound, etc, etc thats causing the fizziness.

The expert made a great statement-

If you ate a mars bar do you suddenly go completely mad! No.
And if you did thats all that athletes would eat, but it doesn't give you lots and lots of energy the more you eat! It makes you gain weight!

 

[MillionDollar]

Oh forgot to say it doesn't mean fizziness does not exist it just means it is NOT feed, it could be created by other factors (see last slide).

 

[pixiebee]

but if you were to drink say 5 cans of redbull-you would feel awake and full of energy, some feeds/supplements have the same effects on horses by the way of quick releasing sugar(glucose) into the bloodstream.

 

[MillionDollar]

well im not getting into this i cant be bothered, lol, but im just saying what i've been taught in my Degree and what the expert told us. I believe the research and the expert, as im not, plus all the horses i've ever own have never been fizzy due to food.

 

[filly190]

I would put a lightweight small good rider on him for a few schooling sessions, that will sharpen him up. Ponies know the riders limits and will slow do and do less work is able.

I think its always a good idea to get another, stronger rider on board ponies from time to time, keeps them in good order. I'm not saying he is being naughty but would perhaps benefit from this

 

[scoobydoo]

yes - you are probably right - when our instructor got on him the once ( she is only tiny) he looked absolutely stunning.