Reducing feed

[Cor]

Hi guys - my senior mare is exercised four times a week for about an hour (light flatwork), is hacked for about a hour every sunday and rests for two days . I am thinking of reducing her hard feed because she seems to be growing a belly and would prefer to keep her on the lighter side because of her age. She currently gets three times a day hay and twice a day hard feed. The hard feed consists of a standard feed scoop of chaff, nuts and sugar beat each along with her supplements in her pm feed (Salt, vitamins, garlic, oil and glucosamine).
Which of the three (if not all three) should be reduced so that she still gets the essential nutrients given the work she does which will allow me to maintain her weight? Also note that we live in a hot climate we are currently at the peak of the summer (she sweats a lot during the exercise sessions) and good quality grass is nowhere to be seen (or good quality hay for that matter). Help please?? How gradual should the switch be?

 

[Cor]

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[twiggy2]

i would start by soaking her hay to reduce the calories without reducing the fibre going through her gut.

then if more reduction was needed then i would reduce the nuts, being in a hot climate without access to grass i would probably not reduce the sugar beet as it will be helping to keep her gut working well by providing her system with fluid

 

[Cor]

Thank you!