Should I supplement feed?

[Liesep]

I have a 3 yr old and a 17 year old. They live out and have a haylage only diet which is good quality. They are both good doers. My youngster has cracked hooves though and with him still growing too I wondered if I should supplement the feed with something extra apart from a mineral lick. My older horse is a bit stiff on his legs now too. Thanks

 

[Miss L Toe]

Micronised linseed meal from Charnwood Milling, say 100 gms [up to 200gms per day for a 500kg horse in work].
You need to find a carrier feed, possibly sugar beet pulp, if barefoot and in work, more emphasis on diet will be required and use non molassed sbp.
Try pro hoof for the one with problems, ask farrier to attend every five weeks and also regular road work, 20 mins per day.

 

[Shay]

It sounds like you have 2 feild kept neds so too detailed a programme might not suit. You could try asking your farrier about the young one's hooves. We've had a spate of lost shoes and I asked my farrier about any supplements etc and he said it was just this extraordinary weather and not to waste my money. Yours might say the same.

You could try an oil based supplement to try to ease the older one's stiffness - but it is cold and wet. I think most of us feel stiff at the moment!

Linseed is really used primarily for quick weight gain which I'm not sure you need.

 

[Liesep]

Thanks. I've been doing more reading and it does sound like I'm prob worrying too much.