Underweight Pony

[Cop-Pop]

Now all the hair is starting to come off ponio it's becoming apparant she's a little underweight. Nothing major but she's a little light - you can feel her hip bones etc. She has ad lib haylage and half a scoop of maintenence nuts and one scoop of hifi original split into two feeds with benevit.

The problem is she hasn't ever had hard feed in her whole 10 years so it makes her hyper but now she's in work (light) she needs a little something. She has a little grass but not much - I can't catch her if she has grass

Can anyone recommend a feed that won't heat her up too much? I'm meant to be breaking her as a kids pony but she won't be much good if she's a nut case

 

[Louby]

Alfa A worked wonders with my horse, I swapped his Hi Fi for this and feed Top Spec feed balancer too although feeding benefit will make sure your pony gets what he needs. My horse is normally a good doer but this year despite loads of Haylage has come through winter looking a bit poor so swapped feeds. I have to be carefull with mixes and also sugar beet even Speedibeet but hes fine with Alfa A. Some people may disagree but then every horse is different.

 

[LCobby]

Last dentist check?
Last worm count?
Small grass paddock, using electric fence, moved as required?
Won't be popular as a kid's pony if she can't be caught.

 

[DuckToller]

I'd second that about won't be popular as a kid's pony if can't be caught as I have one like that and every time we want to ride him, we have to catch everyone in the field! He's a skinny one too (New Forest, worries alot) and I have a six acre field so sometimes if kids are coming up to ride, I put him in the back garden - much easier to catch then!

Can you work on turning her out and catching her? Fence off a small area, turn her out, catch her to bring her in for a feed, then put back out again so she associates being caught with something nice. (Sorry if you've tried this, just a thought!). Plus grass will put on weight easily and she might not be such a handful if out all the time. Makes her more sellable if she is ok to catch.

 

[Cop-Pop]

[ QUOTE ]
Alfa A worked wonders with my horse, I swapped his Hi Fi for this and feed Top Spec feed balancer too although feeding benefit will make sure your pony gets what he needs. My horse is normally a good doer but this year despite loads of Haylage has come through winter looking a bit poor so swapped feeds. I have to be carefull with mixes and also sugar beet even Speedibeet but hes fine with Alfa A. Some people may disagree but then every horse is different.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks - I was looking at AlfaA last night so will try and get a bag tonight. Sugar beat will be a bit much atm - she has never had hard feed before and it sends her a bit loopy tho not as much as it did at first!

 

[Cop-Pop]

[ QUOTE ]
Last dentist check?
Last worm count?
Small grass paddock, using electric fence, moved as required?
Won't be popular as a kid's pony if she can't be caught.

[/ QUOTE ]

Teeth and worm count done in March (it was negative)

I'm working on her catching issue. Since October she's gone from being a head shy, nervous, untouched 10 year old to one that is in light work, handled regularly and she does not come in as long as there isn't much grass. TBH there isn't any grass anyway - the padocks are waterlogged (clay soil) and we are still having problems from them being underwater for a month last summer.