the right feed!!!

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Libbyduck

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I am after some advice please. I own a 16.1 thoroughbred x Irish sports horse. I am currently feeding her on conditioning mollichaff and conditioning course mix. She has lost a bit of weight through winter. She is quite a highly strung horse and can be very fizzy at times. I am starting to think this isn't the best feed for her. As I don't want a feed that can add to the fizziness! She is only doing light work just now.
Does anyone have any recommendations?
Many thanks in advance.
 
First of all, are you feeding her ad lib forage, which means as much hay/haylage as she will eat? If she is stabled overnight is there enough that there is a little left in the morning? The more forage you feed, the better she will keep weight on and require less hard feed. When choosing bucket feed stay away from mixes, cereal feeds and highly molassed feeds that will fizz her up and look for feeds high in fibre and oil.
 
I would say that is the wrong feed for her, all the sugar and starch will be making her fizzy, do little good to keeping weight on as she will burn it off stressing and if you are giving her a decent amount will be costing a fortune.

If you are not already doing so give her as much hay as she can eat so there is always some left, then get her onto a low sugar/ starch diet based on fibre and oil which will be better for her mind as well as her body, everyone has different favourite feeds, mine are all on grass nuts, micronised linseed to add condition if required, along with adlib hay/ haylage, they have not dropped any weight, are not silly and it does not cost too much to feed.
 
Many thanks for your replies they are very helpful. Yes she is stabled overnight with 2 big hay nets, but I could probably get more in. I shall source some new feed this weekend and get her changed asap.
 
I would change to a fibre and oil based diet - as much hay/haylage as she will eat is a good starting point, add to that speedibeet, micronised linseed meal and some chaff (low sugar such as hi fi light is ideal, moving up to alfa light if she's working harder or needs more condition).

I hunt two older horses on this diet, and they both look and feel fab!

they only get about a large cupful of linseed each day each, along with a scoop of chaff, and a scoop (before soaking) of speedibeet. But we get through a round bale of haylage every 2 weeks (between 2 horses!).
 
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