oats? pony lacking in energy

[NooNoo59]

Hi just after some advice please, got a blagdon cob 12 years old never been fit ever, have had him for about 8 month and am gradually increasing his work level and fitness. The problem is he seems to be quite lethargic still, today on a hack i was constantly kicking him along, now i dont want to fry his brain but he should not be that tired at this stage of his fittening programme, he is on fast fibre and chaff 365 and linseed oil. someone has suggested oats, has anyone fed the above and how did they work, dont want to fry his brain!!

 

[xgemmax]

I tried oats with my boy and they didn't make a difference. Could it be that his lack of fitness is making him lethargic? What's his weight like?

 

[QuantockHills]

I've tried oats, competition mix, various oils and supplements...... mine is a 14 year old cob x ID, ridden 5-6 days a week for between 1 and 3 hours, including lots of hill work and jump lessons.....He is fit and not carrying any extra weight.... I've had him 11 years and have tried everything! The only time he has any energy is when he hears hounds and then he turns into a loony! He was extra lethargic last year and was diagnosed with cushings but even on 2 Prascend a day, he's still very laid back. Sometimes i think it's just in their nature....?

 

[nikkimariet]

I use oats, but only for condition!

 

[ester]

If fit and not overweight then I am all for oats.
I have found that he seems to burn off the extra energy by putting more effort into life rather than gain weight.
It is however worth ensuring there are no physical or medical reasons for the lethargy.

 

[tristar]

i use oats all the time, i don`t see fast fibre giving much energy, try adding some oats with it and see, my theory is that if you create enough energy, you get more work, more work equals more fitness and then up the food yet more energy and work you have your fit horse who becomes even more lively then you advance.

some people think you are mad if you feed oats, but that is just ignorance and lack of knowledge.

 

[Shay]

Not all horses respond to oats - in fact for the vast majority they make no more difference than feeding any other higher calorie feed. But they do send those with a cereal intolerance loopy. Fast fiber is cereal free - so adding oats might have an unexpected result. (Although it probably won't)

In your place OP I'd be looking to fitness more than feed at this point. Unless he is loosing condition you are not working him more than the calories he is taking in. But if he is dropping condition a bit then look to raising your feed solutions - be that adding oats or just moving up a feed or two in the A&P range. I've got a cob who is very fit and in medium work. Oats make no difference to him (we tried) but he does need a competition level feed to keep his energy up.

 

[Morag4]

I found feeding oats made a great difference to my lad for energy and in turn fittness and interest in work, however the cheaper rolled oats i first started to use didn't give me the same result as the Dodson and Horrell English Rolled Oats (these seem a lot more like the rolled oats we used to use way back when nelson still had twenty twenty.).
I like to feed straights and keep it basic and adjust as needed.

 

[NooNoo59]

Interesting thoughts! Rode him in the school tonight and he wad forward but I had to work hard to get it! Trouble is he is 12 and has never been fit so now we are asking a bit more canter work and working through into a contact think poss a bit more feed is needed. Lots to think about

 

[alibali]

If its a hot day and he is a chunky lad then it may be that the heat is making him lethargic. If this is a new problem I'd be waiting until this warm spell breaks before deciding he needs go-faster juice....

 

[acorn92x]

I would second that this could be the heat making him lethargic - my very fit, usually quite forward cob has been quite sluggish this past week; she absolutely hates the heat and does not cope well with it when being worked. She's full clipped, fed Alfa-A Oil, a Bailey's endurance balancer along with micronized linseed and oats (Enough of a feed to send some horses absolutely loopy!) but doesn't like the heat and despite being quite forward normally, is actually very laid back and not willing to expend additional energy when she's hot!

I would also ensure that whilst trying to get him fit, you are giving him enough variety in his workload - he may be a bit bored! Vary the pace when you are out hacking constantly. When I was getting my girl fit, I did loads of hill work but (Once she was fit enough) varied the pace whilst going up and eventually down them - I tried never to be in the same pace for more than 4-5 strides and it got her thinking loads and really improved her canter transitions. Long reining on hills and on uneven ground is also fabulous for fitness. Best of luck, speaking from experience, having a laid back horse isn't always easy when you need them to have energy but it is do-able (Speaking from experience here )

 

[NooNoo59]

Thanks his work is varied hacking schooling lunging. We don't have many hills but as you know it's very hard to keep trotting when they are dying underneath you!! Don't think the weather has helped as he is a chunky lad. Think I am going to tweak the feed just give him a bit extra in line with doing more work and work on the fitness

 

[applecart14]

My horse went through a phase of being like this but as I suspected since he's been out at grass, has lost weight (on suggestion of vet) and is fitter due to an increased workload he has much more energy and I have taken him up to the local riding club twice recently as part of his rehab programme and in order to pick up the pace a little introducing small cross pole and pole work and he has done some lovely work for me. He feels much more energetic and forwards going although he is on minimum 'hard feed', just chaff for his supplements, the nutrionist came out the other day and weighed him and said he was an excellent weight. Hopefully they will be going out at night soon but I will try and keep his weight down best I can.

Maybe if your horse is a little overweight this might be a contributing factor? As others have suggested his lack of fitness will make him tired too.

 

[acorn92x]

Thanks his work is varied hacking schooling lunging. We don't have many hills but as you know it's very hard to keep trotting when they are dying underneath you!! Don't think the weather has helped as he is a chunky lad. Think I am going to tweak the feed just give him a bit extra in line with doing more work and work on the fitness

I think that sounds very sensible Propell is also a useful supplement that I've used on my girl for a pick me up. Go for something oil based (I highly recommend Linseed) to ensure that it is slow release energy. Gives them a lovely shiny coat too.

 

[ThrillsandSpills]

I fed my boy oats and it didnt make a diffrence! the only thing that gets him fired up is hunting, also i dont think warm weather helps as i think my boy would just prefer to have a nap in the sun, good luck finding your solution!

I would try oats, i have been told they have to be fed in a high quantity to make a difference so if you slowly bring them in you can always withdraw them if it makes him too fizzy

 

[KautoStar1]

My guess is he’s not actually doing enough work to burn off the calories he is taking in and is much more overweight than you think.

With good doers more food generally means more fat until they are at a level where they are burning calories rather than storing.
Tempting as it is, I would avoid increasing food now. You need to feed for the work you are doing now not the work you would like to be doing.
Its all about building up slowly – fitness, especially in draught types, can take ages. Doing something every day is more productive than a few days on and then a few days off. Make it interesting – lots of hacking, pole work, hill climbing, short sharp schooling sessions and if you have some safe streams walk up and down these – water resistance is really good for building up strength. And ensure his diet is balanced but low sugar and low starch if he needs to shift some weight. Soak hay etc etc. Clip him too. If you want him to work harder you need to make it as comfortable as possible for him. If he gets hot and sweaty add some electrolytes (or plain table salt) to his feed so he drinks and rehydrates. Even being marginally dehydrated can have a huge effect on performance.
If he is happy in all other ways – in other words there is not underlying metabolic issue or lameness then you just need to chip away at him. If he is naturally laid back very little you pour into him is going to help in the short term but the fitter he gets over a sustained period the more energy he will have.


And stop kicking him along. He could well be switching off. Sharp pony club kick and leave alone until he drops off, then a swift kick, backing up with your stick if needed making sure you don’t ask with your legs and stop with your hands. If he shoots forwards, go with him being careful you don’t jab him in the mouth. Praise and repeat. He could well be shutting off a bit, but also remember lazy types are just that and they do as much as they need to, often a lot less than their rider. They need to be told rather than asked, so when you get on start as you mean to, don’t let him slop along, get after him immediately. If you get 10-20 mins of good positive reactions, stop and put him away. There’s the old saying that sharp horses need to learn to work with the leg on and lazy ones need to work with the leg off.

The other option is to take him hunting when the season starts again. Many a stuffy horse has been revitalised with a seasons hunting.

 

[KautoStar1]

Just reading another thread on the same subject of a lazy cob and I just wondered if there is also an issue with straightness. Forward thinking horses can be crooked and get away with it to a certain point but with backward thinking lazy types it's like riding with the handbrake on and they will struggle to go forward if they are banana shaped. And bearing in mind virtually nothing is perfectly straight this could be something you need to address.