Retired horse feed help

[Ninarodders]

I'm looking for some advice please. He's recently retired and when he was in work he was on dengie hifi, Pegasus cubes and maize. I dropped the maize when he was lame and then cut down the rest of feed when told to retire. My vet suggested a feed as then I won't need to feed the cubes and he'll still get all the vits and mins. He's a good doer, on restricted turnout for the next couple of months during treatment and has no grass left in his v small paddock. I think she said happy hooves. Would this be right? Or do any of you have any suggestions?

 

[be positive]

You would have to feed a huge quantity of a chaff based feed such as happy hoof to give the recommended daily requirements of vits and mins which would be more expensive than either a powdered supplement in a small feed or a balancer, I would prefer to give the smaller feed with soaked hay to make up for the lack of grass which will take longer to eat, be better for him and be easier on the finances.

 

[Tnavas]

Retired or working he'll still need proteins to rebuild body tissue, carbs for energy and fibre for digestive health.

Plenty of good hay, 2nd cut is best for the tubby ones, and a good balancer to top up the vitamins and minerals.

 

[Ninarodders]

Thanks, does anyone know of a good (preferably cheap) supplement or balancer that I can feed with his chaff? He gets quite a lot of soaked hay throughout the day and at night. With small feed for dinner (to keep up with vit and mins but also on and off bute).

 

[Auslander]

You get what you pay for, balancer wise, I'm afraid! They do appear expensive, but you only feed a small amount, so last a lot longer than standard bagged feed. My resident tubby is on D&H Ultimate Balancer, and 12h soaked old meadow hay mixed with barley straw - and she is losing weight steadily and safely.

 

[TGM]

Spellers Lite Balancer is what I use for my good doer and works out cheaper than most other pelleted balancers. Or you could look at the powder supplements which are generally cheaper, but you do have to check they are well mixed into the feed so they don't get wasted.