Rocket Fuel Recommendations Please!

[Celtic Fringe]

My little cob has a BD Regional final in a couple of months. Any recommendations for some 'rocket fuel' that will get him through an Advanced Medium test with some pizzazz ?
Someone recommended racehorse cubes (racehorse he ain't!!) but I think that oats might be a better bet as they are easily digestible? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
He is currently on around three-quarters of a scoop of competition mix and haylage. We have some weeks to further improve his fitness which will help too. He is great at the individual movements but putting them together all at once is hard work for a stocky, short-legged beast so ideas for an energy boost would be great. Do I just give him and his rider a large extra sweet granola bar each an hour before the test ?? (I know horses don't carb. load).

 

[Snow Falcon]

Spillers Instant energy mix and Red Cell got my NF well stoked for colt hunting!

 

[millikins]

I'd try oats. Our Eriskay pony had a 1/4 scoop of oats during the Winter, just made her pleasantly buzzy. Tried them with the Connie who's a rather poor doer and he went rather bonkers so they vary

 

[Louby]

A couple of friends swear by Tiger oats for a bit of oooomf at competitions. Im the opposite and wanted calming cookies lol

 

[LegOn]

I know a few people who have used Topspec Turbo Flakes and found they do exactly what they say on the tin!!! Proceed with caution- start with small feeds!!!

 

[Celtic Fringe]

I know a few people who have used Topspec Turbo Flakes and found they do exactly what they say on the tin!!! Proceed with caution- start with small feeds!!!

Thank-you I did think of these. They didn't seem to make a huge difference to my son's horse when he was eventing but little cob is quite different beast. As you say a cautious approach needed!

 

[PurBee]

Magnesium is needed to produce ATP primary biological energy molecules - also niacin helps. Hence why some folks looking for a calmer use magnesium only to find it’s made their horse rockets!

https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshe...Important_High_Energy_Molecules_in_Metabolism



The above gif shows the importance of magnesium for energy release and storage. Also shows why the method of oats/grains for horses work as they are high phosphate. So if you couple some oats with magnesium - you’d better have a neck strap on that beast! ?

 

[milliepops]

Topspec turbo does the job for my shortarse sec D who is likewise v capable but needs extra sparkle to maintain the oomph throughout a test.

 

[milliepops]

I have fed straight oats to her but unless naked they don't get digested properly and just make the birds v interested in her poo. the porridge oat type in TT seem to deliver the goodness to her instead of the local wildlife ?

 

[AdorableAlice]

Turbo flakes and oats. Lots of cantering up hill and as light as possible in weight.

I also used turbo flakes and spiller instant energy but got the ratio wrong and the required ground covering electric burst of energy into gallop up the long side of a very large show ring turned into a circus of bucks.

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Friend has always fed TS Turbo on Marathon day at driving trials. She swears by it!

 

[daffy44]

Top Spec Turbo and/or oats.

 

[rabatsa]

I had a laid back home bred beastie that needed more oomph for an event. I fed him racehorse cubes and there was no extra oomph but he did become stupid shying at flowers and unsafe in traffic.

 

[cauda equina]

I had a little cob who never whizzed up on oats, no matter how much I stuffed into him (or he stuffed into himself)
Keeping him stabled more than usual did help though

 

[Ossy2]

I feed a racing mix to my dressage chunk. Spillers racing mix with naked oats. Does what’s needed without making her fizzy.

 

[Celtic Fringe]

Magnesium is needed to produce ATP primary biological energy molecules - also niacin helps. Hence why some folks looking for a calmer use magnesium only to find it’s made their horse rockets!

https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshe...Important_High_Energy_Molecules_in_Metabolism

View attachment 67775

The above gif shows the importance of magnesium for energy release and storage. Also shows why the method of oats/grains for horses work as they are high phosphate. So if you couple some oats with magnesium - you’d better have a neck strap on that beast! ?

Thank-you That does make sense. Fortunately his proper professional rider will be on board and they would like him to have the extra oomph! Hopefully he won't go totally mad horse but just be more zippy. His rider is used to some very scatty warmbloods!

 

[Celtic Fringe]

I had a little cob who never whizzed up on oats, no matter how much I stuffed into him (or he stuffed into himself)
Keeping him stabled more than usual did help though

Thank-you He does normally live out so I think the plan is to keep him in for at least the night before, if not for two nights. He normally has the day off before a competition too.

 

[emilylou]

Weekly trips to the gallops or interval training

 

[Ali27]

I feed my very whizzy Irish cob on No 19 performance balancer from Baileys and also aqua aid in a sloppy chaff before and after any competitions/ clinics/ x country etc and she is never lacking in energy!

 

[Spotherisk]

I fed my cob Spillers Racehorse Cubes ( I owned a feed merchants and they had gone out of date!) and he was great fun with a lot more wellie!

 

[Frumpoon]

Anything by Allen and page

 

[Celtic Fringe]

Turbo flakes and oats. Lots of cantering up hill and as light as possible in weight.

I also used turbo flakes and spiller instant energy but got the ratio wrong and the required ground covering electric burst of energy into gallop up the long side of a very large show ring turned into a circus of bucks.

Yikes We definitely need forwards - he does have a good wide *rse end which is capable of some good bucks. Getting the front end to lift is trickier! Will bear in mind the feed ratios. Fortunately we have a few weeks to try and get it right. He lives at the bottom of steep hills so most hacking involves hillwork. His weight is ok but he will lose some as his work increases. We might also try him out on a local water treadmill.

 

[Celtic Fringe]

Weekly trips to the gallops or interval training

He is fairly fit but his work rate will increase over the next few weeks. I'll definitely think about interval training - I did this with my old horse several years ago but had forgotten all about it! We might also try out the local water treadmill.