no hard feed yet?

frb

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I have a 15.2 hanovarian who is 20yo. I have not fed any hard feed since april as he has not needed it as grass good, and he has been porky! he just has carrots with his garlic on. He is still a good weight, but grass going now, so he is having a haynet a day (he is still living out until november ish), and is still a good weight, but has lost a little bit.
My YO thinks i am evil i think for not feeding him hard feed yet, and comments. Everyone else feeds theirs all summer, even in light work! Unneccesary i think.
Does anyone else not feed in summer, and if so, has not started feeding hard feed yet? He had not needed it, and can be fizzy, so would rather feed more hay until more cold weather comes. This ok still? I worry due to people's comments.
 
I feed year round, every day and a start to build it up about now.. but then i have got a tb who doesnt do weight.

If i had a horse who was well on grass he would nto be being fed through the winter.

If i were you i would probably start to introduce hard feed in a couple of weeks as the gras is still growing.

Personally.. id ignore the comments, its you horse!

Lou x
 
my yearling was last fed a hard feed in may (apart from needing anti b's a few months ago) and isn't on any hard feed yet. she's podgy and is in a field with plentiful grass. she'll be onto hay soon and i'll be giving her a hard feed once she looses a bit of weight.
 
Mine has a small breakfast of alfa a all year to put vitamins in etc. About now she will start getting her alfa a with probably hi fibre cubes or something similar added, twice a day, and also hay overnight in the field. Our grass isnt the best, if it was better she would just keep to her small breakfast and hay. But do whatever you think, it is horrible when people comment on what you do, but you know your horse better than them
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If the grass is ok and the horse is maintaining weight then they dont need hard feed. I have a porky one who gets a handful of food just so I can get one out of the field to feed separately. I also have two that have been fed through the summer. it is horses for courses. Some need it, some dont.

The ponies have a bit of hay as required and a mineral lick.

PS the porky one is 30!
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Merlin has a sprinkle of Dengi Hi-Fi to put his joint supps in.... thats it...

Mind you even in winter this is all he gets plus a bit of sugar beet...... he mostly leaves the hay and luckily he lives out and there is enough grass to keep him ticking over
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I do rug well though, so he doesnt use any to keep warm
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Thanks all. This re-assures me! Meant to be away for two weeks at the end of the month, so want to make sure i have got it right before i go, as he will be left to YO! Will tell her to feed 2 haynets a day, plenty i think. As eveyone has said, i know my boy best!
Thanks again.
 
i feed mine all year round as i have poor grass. they also get 2 haynets a day,
as the colder evenings are drawing in ive started with the sugar beet...!!!(cant believe it already)
around about now i will start to feed twice a day now as i have a poor doer and dont want her loosing weight as it is such hard work getting it on to cover her for the winter.

as for rugs i dont usually try to put them on until at least end of october but like the sugar beet i think they may come early.

end of the day every one is different and knows their horse of what and when to feed etc.. good luck
 
H lives out and does not get any feed in the summer - just Farriers Formula - we start feeding once they have eaten down the winter field when they move in about 1 month. H could always do with loosing weight !!!! I have recently half clipped so hopefully yard is putting his light weight on at night - he was getting soooo sweaty after 20 min lunge.

ignore them - you know the horse
 
I feed mine all year round but that is because they hunt all season (from beg. Sept - beg. Apr), have a month off and then do stuff all summer. My new TB has been fed quite a lot as well as being out 24 7 on good grass because he was so poor when I got him. Picture of health now!!
 
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