What do you feed your older horse who is in work?

welshiewhiskers

welshiewhiskers

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What do you feed your older horse who is in work? Im thinking about feeding a balancer to my 18 year old cob who is a good doer and who works on average 5-6 days a week.
Would love to hear what you feed your older horses who are in work :)
Do you have any recommendations for feed?

thanks
 
Mine is 21 although she is often mistaken for a youngster!
She gets simple systems Lucie nuts and Blue bag grass pellets. She also has their balancer Total Eclipse. She is ridden approx 4x weekly with one of those being a lesson. I am really pleased with how she looks and love the fact it is completely forage based - no cereals.
 
Really interested to see these replies.

I have on full loan an 18yr old ISH mare, who works 6 days a week and is fit and healthy.

Her owner fed her Mollichaff, crushed oats and baileys top line so I have carried this on (wouldnt change without checking with owner). I was told this was a strange mix but as far as I know she has been on it most of her life and has never had any supplements either.
 
My 25 yr old TB mare gets a senior mix and ration balancer once a day, made up into a mash with hot water, canola oil and some carrots. She is out on pasture 24/7 and in the winter she gets ad lib hay from a round bale as well as her hard feed. I added the balancer only recently but I think it makes a real difference, there is certainly more shine to her coat and she is putting on weight nicely in prep for the winter. I did have her on a devils claw based joint sup for a while, but I don't think it made that much difference. I am considering giving turmeric a go, though.
She is currently injured (two separate leg wounds from unknown source :() but is usually schooled for 30 / 40 minutes 3 times a week and lunged once a week.
 
Hi, I'm going to go off track slightly. My 20yr old tb just finished her eventing season. The time has come round again and she is dropping weight. All through summer she lives out at night and in few hrs during the day. She has been carrying plenty of weight. Every winter she drops weight. It's getting frustrated I have tried all sorts of fattening feeds. I've tried blue chip, equilibrium, Veteren supplements. Extra oil. Nothing has really worked. She had been having Allen/Page calm condition for last 5 yrs, but she is finicky and has stopped eating it. She now has livery nuts 2lb scoop large heap 2lb Alfa a sugar beet. Litovet joint supplement and garlic. I have read soya bean meal is good for poor doers. Anyone have any suggestions.
She has regular dental and physio. She is a fussy eater and takes her time eating
 
My 22 yr old Arab mare is fed on Baileys Lo-Cal Balancer, Top line Cubes and Alfa Oil and Carrots. Through out the winter I will add Speedi Beet.

She is very fit and healthy,still competing at a high level in Endurance. At the moment she is in training for the Arab marathon so I am adding Endurance Mix to her feeds.

All my horses get a good double handful of Baileys Fiber nuts after their feeds as a treat.
 
My almost 22 year old who is hacked out 4 times a week and does pleasure rides gets a handful of Fast Fibre with magnesium/linseed and pro balance + for his barefeet :) thats all, in during the day with ad lib hay and out on restricted grazing at night, unclipped and unrugged.

He looks and feels very well ( he dislikes summer as he gets too hot ) keeps his weight just right.
 
annaverrall said:
Hi, I'm going to go off track slightly. My 20yr old tb just finished her eventing season. The time has come round again and she is dropping weight. All through summer she lives out at night and in few hrs during the day. She has been carrying plenty of weight. Every winter she drops weight. It's getting frustrated I have tried all sorts of fattening feeds. I've tried blue chip, equilibrium, Veteren supplements. Extra oil. Nothing has really worked. She had been having Allen/Page calm condition for last 5 yrs, but she is finicky and has stopped eating it. She now has livery nuts 2lb scoop large heap 2lb Alfa a sugar beet. Litovet joint supplement and garlic. I have read soya bean meal is good for poor doers. Anyone have any suggestions.
She has regular dental and physio. She is a fussy eater and takes her time eating
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Have you tried equi-jewel? It's fantastic for getting weight and condition on a horse, I had a rescue pony once who looked like a toast rack and had outstanding result feeding this. Equi-jewel is rice bran and made by Saracens :) I just have the opposite problem so struck for things to feed my good doer :)
 
We've been through a few different feeds this year. Tried Baileys lo-cal balancer which she looked amazing on. Also Equimins Advance complete and Speedibeet, again looked great. Now trying Speedibeet, Pro-Balance and Linseed, though not for long so can't report. She's unshod on the hinds and we're working on stopping her getting footy on gravelly tarmac hence the changes :)
 
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