New 4yo, feeding advice please.

[Dusty85]

Hi all,

So all being well I should have my new horse arriving over from Ireland in the next couple of weeks. He is a 4yo 16.3hh ISH. He's a bit gangly currently and isn't 'poor' but does need muscle and condition.

Im just after a bit of advice about what would be best to have him on so he arrives. I don't want anything that will send him loopy, but something that will help him gain condition and muscle. He will be in fairly light work- hacking and short schooling sessions/lunging. He will be doing something (even if its short) for 6 days per week.

He will be turned out in the day, and have ad lib hay.

I prefer feeding the fibre and oil type diets, and Ive always fed some form of chaff as a base. I have most of a bag of dengie healthy hooves so would quite like to use that as a base, plus I like that it has Biotin etc in it. I also have a multi bit/min supplement to add in, so don't see the point of using a balancer on top.

Now the trouble comes when thinking about what to add in. Ive used A&P calm and condition before with my last horse, and like the fact that its not got much sugar/starch, but Im aware that it doesn't suit all horses.
Other options include adding in sugar beet to the chaff, or topping up with some linseed as needed depending on his condition.
Or, I could just use the chaff plus a vit/min and see how he gets on. Im open to suggestions!

I prefer using a chaff of some sort, I don't like mixes, prefer 'nut/pellet' and I like soaking as I hate feeding dry.

Thanks in advance.

 

[be positive]

I would start on the healthy hooves with the vit supplement plus some micronised linseed or oil while he settles in, if he needs more then either speedibeet or fast fibre, plenty of good hay and grass should be all he requires to improve at the early stages while he is in light work, he should build up slowly without the need for much more but be prepared to add if and when you think he requires more. I think it is better to keep them a bit under, as long as they are not really weak, while you go through the getting to know you time, feeding too much at this point is probably why so many people have issues with new horses as they are already unsettled then get too much grub and go pop.
Getting him wormed may make a huge difference and at this time of year the grass should be coming through well so he may require very little in the way of feed.

 

[Dusty85]

Thank you be positive.

What do you think about equi jewel as opposed to linseed? I only ask as I seem to be struggling to find it local to me (south Glos)

When he arrives he will go onto quarantine livery for a couple of weeks until he's had his second flu/tet jab before I can have him on livery, so I'm planning on using this time to get him wormed, teeth and feet sorted.

 

[Kat]

Cheapest option for linseed is to get it delivered from Charnwood Milling.

I wouldn't feed more that the healthy hoof plus the vit supp and dome linseed but if you want a soakable feed to mix in I love coolstance copra and it has really put weight on my poor doer.

 

[Dusty85]

To be honest I don't think he will be a poor doer, he just needs muscle/condition, which will come with time and work.

He's currently out 24/7 and on grass, with a general horse/pony mix although I don't think he gets that everyday.

Think I will use healthy hooves, vit/min supp and linseed (if i can can get it- I will look on charnwood thanks) If I need anything extra ill probably use soaked beet.