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Roxylola

Roxylola

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Bon could do with a bit more zing. He's on releve, and alfa pellets (soaked), linseed and progressive earth balancer.
I've looked at other feeds and they mostly seem a big jump in sugar with little digestible energy/protein etc pay off.
So contacted Baileys who suggested keep calm mash, but looking at the ingredients and spec I can't see how that's going to do more than the releve
Contacted saracens who suggested adding their balancer instead of pro earth - which I'm not keen to do.
Im currently considering doing a pellet mix of sugar beet, grass nuts and alfa to see if that does it. I can't find anything better than the releve on paper but willing to try an alternative, or a small addition if anyone has any suggestions
 
Oats here too although remember to balance out the calcium ratio.

I have a big young TB. He gets 2 Stubbs scoops pure grass and 1 scoop oats split between two feeds (plus salt, Science Supp + ad lib hay).

A lot of the time with the mixes such as Releve it's just tiny bits of everything which don't really amount to anything unless you feed in massive quantities. I found it's much better value longterm to feed straights.
 
IrishMilo said:
Oats here too although remember to balance out the calcium ratio.

A lot of the time with the mixes such as Releve it's just tiny bits of everything which don't really amount to anything unless you feed in massive quantities. I found it's much better value longterm to feed straights.
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I tend to stick to mixes because I've limited storage, and I wouldnt use a bag of oats/barley etc quick enough really. I mind less with oats as I can just get porridge oats until I decide how big a quantity he needs - if he's getting through them he can have a big bag then
 
lizziebell said:
Best thing for energy is increasing fitness.
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I really hate this piece of 'advice' that's said quite a lot. It's not true at all. You wouldn't tell a person who is constantly tired that they just need to work out more, would you? The first thing you'd check is that the diet was providing the right amount of energy and nutrients. THEN you can up the work.
 
I’ve used rolled oats for this in the past too, or flaked peas, but they were like rocket fuel and I’m not sure really an appropriate feed these days!
 
Oats are a big help for mine (MIM/PSSM suspect - handbrake goes on when things aren't right). I've also added copra which has really helped her regain muscle after a nasty virus. I *think* they help balance each other out in terms of calcium as well although I don't feed massive amounts.

I'd start simple with oats then if that doesn't work add more protein (e.g. copra). Then you could try vitamin E, and then tri aminos.
 
Mine was on ReLeve, EquiJewel and Oats last year - ( and some UMSB and grass nuts, PE minerals and linseed) He looked well on it, but flaming expensive.

This year I'm increasing the linseed, adding some rapesed oil, and omiting the Equijewel. Swapped the ReLeve for Soothe and Gain at the moment. Oats are fab, because I can increase/reduce according to work levels.
 
IrishMilo said:
I really hate this piece of 'advice' that's said quite a lot. It's not true at all. You wouldn't tell a person who is constantly tired that they just need to work out more, would you? The first thing you'd check is that the diet was providing the right amount of energy and nutrients. THEN you can up the work.
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Op asked for more “zing”, not more stamina. You can feed for stamina, but if a horse is naturally a laid back/ lazy character, then feed is rarely the solution. Apologies op if I got the wrong end of the stick. If you need to feed for more stamina then your best to speak to a food nutritionist as all horses are different and process feeds differently (this will save spending time/ money trying every feed under the sun)
 
Thanks @lizziebell
He's pretty fit, he just needs a bit more in the tank. He's such a sweet willing boy he'll just keep trying but he feels a bit flat. It is a tricky one though as he also needs to stay level headed enough to hack up and down a busy main road!
 
Roxylola said:
Bon could do with a bit more zing. He's on releve, and alfa pellets (soaked), linseed and progressive earth balancer.
I've looked at other feeds and they mostly seem a big jump in sugar with little digestible energy/protein etc pay off.
So contacted Baileys who suggested keep calm mash, but looking at the ingredients and spec I can't see how that's going to do more than the releve
Contacted saracens who suggested adding their balancer instead of pro earth - which I'm not keen to do.
Im currently considering doing a pellet mix of sugar beet, grass nuts and alfa to see if that does it. I can't find anything better than the releve on paper but willing to try an alternative, or a small addition if anyone has any suggestions
Click to expand...
Spillers Instant Response for laid back horses gives stamina without fizz
 
CanteringCarrot said:
Historically I've just added some oats.

As long as it's not an underlying physical, training, or other issue. I just start simple with oats.
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A couple of years ago YO suggested adding oats to my cob's feed (he was also feeling very flat on his restricted diet) and I was very leery of the idea! Unsurprisingly, given that she's the one with a lifetime of experience, she was right. We also feed linseed oil - so now he gets a big bucket of chaff with salt, a scoop of oats and a cup of linseed oil, and that seems to do a very good job. Plus it's cheap! Always a bonus.
 
Simple systems red bag grass pellets are the higher sugar ones and are useful for a bit more oomph if you haven't got room to store oats - you could possibly swap them out with the alfalfa??

Oil definitely works but add slowly.

ETA - I have a fit little cob who was also feeling a bit flat and I put it down to coat growing season. I needed to move the fence for one of my fields that has very lush grass in it so she got a strip of that. We had a lot more energy riding out yesterday than I've had for a while so she will be getting treated to the higher oomph grass pellets with my next order!
 
By way of an update, I have added oats when he works which has helped a bit but I've also noticed he's actually dropped a bit of weight and I've generally increased his feed so poor dude was literally lacking energy 🤦‍♀️
 
Idiot question - how do you balance (rolled) oats? I know with calcium, but literally how? What's the calculation and what do you use as the calcium.

Idiot question 2- do people still soak rolled oats before feeding?
 
Well, personally I'm not hugely overthinking it - he's actually getting porridge oats (saves me buying a big bag to try) he's on speedibeet which is a good calcium source and his balancer so I can't see a handful of oats making too much difference
 
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TPO said:
Idiot question - how do you balance (rolled) oats? I know with calcium, but literally how? What's the calculation and what do you use as the calcium.

Idiot question 2- do people still soak rolled oats before feeding?
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Alfalfa/legume hay, pellets, or cubes would have calcium.


We also had a specific oat mineral in Germany. It would generally balance a grass and oat fed horse.

I've not soaked oats for a healthy horse with good teeth. I've fed rolled and freshly cracked oats.
 
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TPO said:
Idiot question - how do you balance (rolled) oats? I know with calcium, but literally how? What's the calculation and what do you use as the calcium.

Idiot question 2- do people still soak rolled oats before feeding?
Click to expand...
I asked the same question a few months ago because I was really struggling to find an answer that gave me a ratio I could work with.
I’ll see if I can find my post.

Feeding straights, where to start?

Sorry, I’m sure this has been discussed 100 times already, but I couldn’t find anything on quantities / ratios. I’m thinking of switching to feeding straights. The pony is simple, she’ll just get a blob of sugar beet or grass nuts to put a vit & min supplement in. Other horse will need a bit...
forums.horseandhound.co.uk forums.horseandhound.co.uk
 
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little_critter said:
I asked the same question a few months ago because I was really struggling to find an answer that gave me a ratio I could work with.
I’ll see if I can find my post.

Feeding straights, where to start?

Sorry, I’m sure this has been discussed 100 times already, but I couldn’t find anything on quantities / ratios. I’m thinking of switching to feeding straights. The pony is simple, she’ll just get a blob of sugar beet or grass nuts to put a vit & min supplement in. Other horse will need a bit...
forums.horseandhound.co.uk forums.horseandhound.co.uk
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Thank you

I'm still confused! Have do you know the calcium of, say alfa chaff, v P of oats?

I fed oats donkey's years ago and used to soak them overnight and feed. Only 1/2 stubbs scoop. I can remember looking at Ca:P at the time but I don't remember what else I was feeding. Possibly grass nut or speedibeet with equimins advance balancer
 
Although I admit it’s still not clear. I know that a nutritionist told me that if I was feeding the recommended amount of a complete feed, I could add up to 1kg per day of oats without un balancing the ratio (and 1kg was way more than I wanted to feed)
 
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