Too much feed?!

N

NellRosk

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 May 2013
Messages
2,726
Location
West Yorks
Visit site
I'm used to feeding a good doer so this is alien to me. My big 5yo mare is currently on 1 stubbs scoop alfa A molasses free, just under 1 stubbs scoop of speedi beet and just under under 1 stubbs scoop of soaked grass nuts. And a mug of linseed. She has this twice a day for breakfast and tea, alongside ad lib hay but she looks like an ISH not a full ID. I know it's the time of year and also she's still young and filling out but I would like her to put a bit more weight on. I was thinking of asking YO to put in a lunch of the same feed and also a large trug of readi grass? How does this sound? Don't really want to add loads of new feeds and complicate things. Oh and she can't have haylage, upsets her tummy! She also eats a lot of the straw she's bedded on so has a lot of fibre!
 
I always feed by look and feel. Does she look too fat or thin, does she feel like she has the right amount of energy when ridden. If she isn't quite where you want her just be wary of trying to get there too fast. Weight loss or gain should be steady. Also I would always want a horse a little bit on the thinner side at this time of year as it is warming up and spring grass is on its way. I've made the mistake in the past of feeding up in Feb then ending up with a fatty come April.
 
That is quite a lot in each feed, although the fact it is basically fibre means it should be fine, I would think feeding a third feed will help but be inclined to divide it so she gets 3 feeds but less in each one, if that makes sense, so the total is maybe 7 scoops rather than the 9 you are planning on, I would give some extra linseed as that is high in calories but not so bulky.
Is she eating enough hay? if she is eating a significant amount of straw it will be filling her up but doing little to maintain her weight.
 
I think the diet is low in minerals, important to feed the full whack to youngsters even if not in work, does she not get out? Is she broken, in work, you don't want a fat horse as she will be going on to spring grass soon, presumably.
Use a weigh tape to monitor weekly weight gain/loss.
I would make sure she has something to chew on all day.
You may need to check teeth every six months until they stabilise.
You might be better off buying hay, or even soaking the haylage if it is too rich fed normally, I don't like straw as only the best is good enough, it can be full of sprays, and be dusty, we also had a horse with impaction colic which the vet blamed on bedding [a racehorse so limited hay intake], though I was not convinced.
The breeding suggests a slow maturing type.
 
Last edited:
kobi said:
I always feed by look and feel. Does she look too fat or thin, does she feel like she has the right amount of energy when ridden. If she isn't quite where you want her just be wary of trying to get there too fast. Weight loss or gain should be steady. Also I would always want a horse a little bit on the thinner side at this time of year as it is warming up and spring grass is on its way. I've made the mistake in the past of feeding up in Feb then ending up with a fatty come April.
Click to expand...

She has a good top line but is slightly ribby and her bum is not looking as round as it should be for an ID, but I am aware they're slow developers and she won't finish filling out for a few years! Oh tell me about it, I gave my fat horse ad lib last winter and I'm still dealing with the consequences now!!

be positive said:
That is quite a lot in each feed, although the fact it is basically fibre means it should be fine, I would think feeding a third feed will help but be inclined to divide it so she gets 3 feeds but less in each one, if that makes sense, so the total is maybe 7 scoops rather than the 9 you are planning on, I would give some extra linseed as that is high in calories but not so bulky.
Is she eating enough hay? if she is eating a significant amount of straw it will be filling her up but doing little to maintain her weight.
Click to expand...

Thanks bepositive, that was exactly my thoughts too. I was wondering if maybe she's not utlising her feed as well as she could be because they're such big portions? She has ad lib loose hay but is a bit of a picky eater, I think she goes and eats straw because she get's bored of her hay. She's the sort of horse that ignores hay after a few hours but will ravenously eat new if it's put in, even though it's off exactly the same bale! Luckily my other horse is a dustbin so gets her leftovers :)
 
Bonkers2 said:
I think the diet is low in minerals, important to feed the full whack to youngsters even if not in work, does she not get out? Is she broken, in work, you don't want a fat horse as she will be going on to spring grass soon, presumably.
Use a weigh tape to monitor weekly weight gain/loss.
I would make sure she has something to chew on all day.
You may need to check teeth every six months until they stabilise.
Click to expand...

Sorry, didn't mention it as didn't think was relevent to weight gain but she gets pro balance, brewers yeast and salt too. She's broken, in very light work. Schooled/ lunged or hacked about 3 times a week. And won't be going on Spring grass til about May I think so we've got a good few months yet! We have no problem with her getting fat on lush grazing, last summer she was out 24/7 on very good grass and came out of summer looking good but not fat. She's a big horse with a big frame to fill bless her!

Also just seen your does she not get out comment, nope not mon -fri but is out at the weekend with hay in the field!
 
Last edited:
The main thing is to decide if she looks healthy, a nice "loose" skin that moves over the ribs, not tight as a drum anywhere. No hunger lines running down the hind quarters, maybe you can post a picture. I would want to give her a bit more light hacking, or long reining, really she should be out her stable every day, I am not a fan of lunging a horse before they are mature and strong, but sometimes you are allowed to loose school, so you can introduce to cross poles which helps them to balance and learn to bascule. There is a lot of groundwork you can do at this stage which will help her to learn a little bit every day.
I know it seems obvious but make sure water is clean 24/7 , I used to put two buckets in if they were prone to pooping in bucket.
I also used to take my unbroken youngsters out for a walk and let them graze clean countryside verges in winter as part of their routine, they met some traffic and they got some herbs. Obviously people thought I was eccentric :)
 
Last edited:
Bonkers2 said:
The main thing is to decide if she looks healthy, a nice "loose" skin that moves over the ribs, not tight as a drum anywhere. No hunger lines running down the hind quarters, maybe you can post a picture. I would want to give her a bit more light hacking, or long reining, really she should be out her stable every day, I am not a fan of lunging a horse before they are mature and strong, but sometimes you are allowed to loose school, so you can introduce to cross poles which helps them to balance and learn to bascule. There is a lot of groundwork you can do at this stage which will help her to learn a little bit every day.
I know it seems obvious but make sure water is clean 24/7 , I used to put two buckets in if they were prone to pooping in bucket.
I also used to take my unbroken youngsters out to graze clean countryside verges in winter as part of their routine.
Click to expand...

Yes she's a very healthy happy girl, just looking a bit lean for her breed. I'll see if I've got a recent one on my phone! There is a trash paddock that she goes in the nights I don't do anything with her, I would never leave a horse stabled for 24 hours and not get her out for a leg stretch. And she's nearly 6 so I don't think lunging her once a week will impact greatly on her joints. I'm happy with how her education is progressing, we went to a local showjumping comp on Sunday and came fourth which I was thrilled about!! I was just wondering about whether the increased feed I am suggesting sounds sensible. :)
 
Take a weigh tape or measure the girth and the length from hip to shoulder, you want to make sure she is not losing any weight as this would indicate not enough food.
I used to measure every week when I was putting weight on mine, it was very accurate for weight gain, though probably not for actual weight.
I fed mine ad lib good hay, and a two good feeds of non molassed s/beet with non molassed chafff, linseed and a few oats.
I would not worry, sounds as though she is just growing and looking a bit lean is not really a problem.
 
Bonkers2 said:
Take a weigh tape or measure the girth and the length from hip to shoulder, you want to make sure she is not losing any weight as this would indicate not enough food.
I used to measure every week when I was putting weight on mine, it was very accurate for weight gain, though probably not for actual weight.
I fed mine ad lib good hay, and a two good feeds of non molassed s/beet with non molassed chafff, linseed and a few oats.
I would not worry, sounds as though she is just growing and looking a bit lean is not really a problem.
Click to expand...

Good plan I'll dig my weigh tape out! Sounds like a similar diet to Nell though, she was on oats but I dropped them when she came on to restricted TO, I do value my life :D
 
My irish horse looked pretty scrawny until he reached about 7. It takes a long time and a lot of work to build up the right muscles.
 
Bonkers2 said:
I think the diet is low in minerals, important to feed the full whack to youngsters even if not in work, does she not get out? Is she broken, in work, you don't want a fat horse as she will be going on to spring grass soon, presumably.
Use a weigh tape to monitor weekly weight gain/loss.
I would make sure she has something to chew on all day.
You may need to check teeth every six months until they stabilise.
You might be better off buying hay, or even soaking the haylage if it is too rich fed normally, I don't like straw as only the best is good enough, it can be full of sprays, and be dusty, we also had a horse with impaction colic which the vet blamed on bedding [a racehorse so limited hay intake], though I was not convinced.
The breeding suggests a slow maturing type.
Click to expand...

once a horse hits the age of two, its nutritional requirements are the same as an adult horse, so if feeding a supplement feed the RDA for a horse that size :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top