TB's first winter out - feeding advice.....

[cheekers]

I've had my 16.2hh TB gelding on loan since April and would like to keep him out as much as possible this winter, although I do have a stable for really awful weather. He's been out 24hrs since April and is so much more chilled and happier for it.

I'm a bit confused as to what non heating feeds are about that I can feed him just to help him maintain some weight this winter. He's only in light work and is currently fed ad lib hay and a large scoop of Happy Hoof along with his supplements each day and I'm happy with his condition at the moment. He will be properly rugged, is out with three others and has two shelters and lots of trees and hedges in his field but he is very sensitive to anything even slightly heating and turns into a hooligan just on haylage!

I'm thinking about adding some Speedibeat or conditioning mix but not sure how heating this will be. Any ideas or recommendations would be gratefully received.

 

[Frazer]

Hello! Although my tb mare will not be living out, we have to change her food just to make it trough winter! She still has all her usual supplements, but spilt into 2 feeds! The more feeds the better in the winter. Loads of hay, and try Baileys number 17 conditioning mix, or blue chip, also dodsen and horrell do conditoning mixs that are non heating- and didnt heat up mine! But I recently put mine onto baileys no.1 a type of mix for older horses for condition etc.. its a ceral and made mine go hyper! Speedibeat is good, but this can make some horses hype out!

 

[MagicMelon]

Id put him on a conditioning feed, like Top Spec Conditioning Flakes, D&H Build Up, Spillers Top Line etc. etc. And also change the chaff to something conditioning like Alfa A Oil and his beet to something like Alfa Beet. The Alfa A and Alfa Beet is just alfalfa which is useful to condition them and the oil part is slow release energy. Ive used Build Up in the past with great success and its never heated up my horses.

All mine live out (including a TB, clipped natives etc.). As long as they're very well rugged, have access to proper shelters, ab lib hay and a good feed they are very happy!

Well done on deciding to keep him out, wish more people were like you! To many people are woosy with their horses!!

 

[Tia]

If you want to go down the natural feed route - then consider feeding soaked oats. We use them over here during the winter as at least 60% is used to keep the horse warm, main reason is because we have -25C temperature averages. It is slow-release and helps maintains their body heat throughout the day.

Ad-lib hay, as already suggested.

 

[JaneSteventon]

Hello Mine lived out last year for the first year, two TB x. I fed them ad lib haylage and the recommended amounts of 1.5 kg sugarbeet and 2 kg of alfa nuts soaked daily and cooked linseed and seaweed. They looked fantastic and a lot of people commented on how well they looked. One of the reasons they lived out was because my mare hates being stabled and used to be very hyper in winter and my gelding used to get very stressed and rear. They both very calm and happy now. You might find that what used to heat him up when stabled won't effect him when he is out.

 

[cheekers]

Thank you everyone!! I'll have a look at some of those feeds and get organised. I'll start to split his feeds too.

After returning to riding after a bit of a break it's a very confusing world of feedstuffs out there, so thanks again.

And yes, defo want him out this winter. Although I worry about him when the weather is horrid at night he does use his shelter and always seems warm when I check him. He came from a yard where he was stabled 20 hours a day and just the difference in his personality now makes all the mud worthwhile!

 

[rcm_73]

My TB has been out since May and will come in towards the end of this month (she gets mud fever) but gets day-time turnout. I would say that good rugging works wonders for condition especially on a TB as hotbloods don't grow a coat the same as other breeds. So along with your feeding programme it may be just as well to consider having a few good rugs to use and your horse will burn less calories keeping warm. In really cold weather I layer a heavyweight combo with a mediumweight combo, having said this, she is clipped in the winter. Also remember, most heat is lost through the neck so having a 'combo' rug has the similar effect as a hat on a human!

 

[jarzabem]

My TB will also spend his first winter out this year been living out since April. Last year he came in at night but much, much better for his state of mind to be out with his friends rather than stabled. I too have the anxiety of weight loss. He will come in daily for several hours and will get ad-lib hay plus hard feeds. Re low heat feeds, Last year I successfully used Allen & Page Fibre pencils and also Speedi Beet which is unmolassed and he will have pony nuts and chaff too. He's not clipped, and he has some nice thick rugs with neck covers to keep him cosy. Horseware Rambo range are pricy but seem to fit my TB well and also seem to rip less than others (my boy does like to play!).

 

[Saber]

My Tb mare didn't get any extra food, not even hay until late december/january, she just didn't need it. She's out 24/7 and has been since last summer. This was a horse that couldn't keep weight on and would look like a coat rack two years ago just at the sight of cold weather. But thats when she was stabled at night, she's so much happier out, I just rug her up to the nines to ensure she loses as little energy through keeping warm.
But every horse is different and I would see how it goes with yours, I wouldn't change his feed yet, it'll probably just send him into hyper fits, if he's like tb's I know. Weight tape and record every few days and if you see a definate loss, increase the amount of hay, and concentrates, if he continiues to lose, then consider a conditioning mix, Baileys NO7 is good. If he's really not coping then he may have to come in at nights or for part of the day. It's down to the individual horse, what works for one won't work for another.
It's great having a horse that lives out, no mucking out and they're usually much happier too. win win situation...

Hope it all goes well.
Rain