What does everyone feed and why?

The one in work- Performance Balancer and an MSM supplement.
The one out of work- a lite balancer and an MSM supplement.

Both are actually also finishing off a bag of L Mix I had that was Diva’s, so I add a mug full of that to their feeds, which seems to provide them with a bit of variety and they enjoy it.

Winter will see micronised linseed added and if Millie needs a bit extra she will get oats.
 
Linseed, Speedibeet, Equilibra balancer and a few High Fibre cubes. Amounts vary depending on the horse size/work/breed. Various supplements according to ailments also!
 
Minor are out, so grass/thistles/nettles and probably a few mouthfuls of hedgerow.

Hay when needed, just started on a bit of hay as not much grass due to hot summer/sandy soil.

Hard feed - mollichaff and grass nuts at present. But have bought some baileys stay calm to add to feed instead of sugar beet this winter as it was on offer and seems to do everything I'm looking for in a supplement regarding pre and pro biotics.

Supplements - try to stay as natural as possible. Now I have settled my daughter's cobs ulcery symptoms they are on limestone flower (natural anti acid) and brewers yeast (natural calmer). Seems to work for one welshy, we will have to see what happens with the new boy. ☺️
 
I have 3 that are ulcer-prone and one that likes to tie-up so have had to change what I feed. The other two have changed over to make things a bit easier. We use:

Haylage/grass
Alfa A oil
Alfa beet
Baileys no4 topline conditioning cubes (changed from no17 mix)
Rolled oats
Topspec comprehensive balancer
NAF Superflex
NAF Magic calmer/ instant calmer
NAF ProHoof
Protexin acid ease
NAF EnerG/ enerG shots
D&H electrolytes ( they smell amazing compared to other brands)

I have 3 big horses that eat a lot (a full scoop of Alfa A, half baileys and a full scoop of beet three times a day) and 2 that don’t get much in comparison (half scoop chaff, dollop of beet twice). The old boy gets a full scoop of chaff and the same of oats split over three feeds as he doesn’t finish it otherwise.

And that’s cut down from what I used to feed when I was on livery 😳
 
My 4 year old Welsh part bred, currently has grass, hay and a salt lick. In very light work, currently doing groundwork a few times a week. Planning to winter him out unrugged with ad-lib hay. If he drops off too much he will have soaked grass nuts, micronised linseed with a bit of chaff to slow him down.

Currently looking like this, happy with how he is going into the winter.

n1NYu5s.jpg
 
ImmyS said:
My 4 year old Welsh part bred, currently has grass, hay and a salt lick. In very light work, currently doing groundwork a few times a week. Planning to winter him out unrugged with ad-lib hay. If he drops off too much he will have soaked grass nuts, micronised linseed with a bit of chaff to slow him down.

Currently looking like this, happy with how he is going into the winter.

n1NYu5s.jpg
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Oh my word, he is beautiful!
 
Countrywide Natural Fibre chaff- about half a scoop twice a day with natural rock salt and equimins advance complete. Low sugar and starch just to carry the supplements. She is only a heavily restricted feed regime so like her to have the vits and mins for this reason. The chaff is no longer produced though so I will move her to speedibeet as a carrier when the bag runs out.
In Spring/Summer/Autumn she is out in the day with a muzzle on and comes into a coral (very grazed down bare patch) at night to some Timothy haylage. Instead of the haylage she had soaked hay last year but it was hard work lugging it up to the field so I tried to make life a bit easier for myself this year. She's actually done ok on it and with the hot weather we had I'm glad I wasn't soaking hay!
I give her a small tub trig of top chop zero overnight too but tbh the majority of the time she leaves it so that can stop.
 
Appreciate this is an older thread but I’ve been reading with interest what people feed to get some inspiration and was wondering if 5 years on it could be resurrected as newer feeds have come out? Also looking for ideas for my lightweight 14.1 cob, aged 14 newly acquired in the summer and now only needing supplemental feed for the first time as he’s losing a little condition. Currently stabled overnights with approx 6kg hay small netted so it generally does last until morning when he has another 1 kg before turn out on his winter grazing for 6-7 hours. He’s in light work just hacked/gentle schooled 4x week but he’s losing a bit of condition over his withers and chest. He arrived poor, looked great July-October but it’s becoming clear despite being a cob x he’s not quite such a good doer. His teeth have been done recently and he’s up to date with worming. Just he’s looking like he needs some extra feeding on top of his hay and grass. He’s a bit fizzy so I’m guessing needs low sugar and starch?
 
Kirstd33 said:
Appreciate this is an older thread but I’ve been reading with interest what people feed to get some inspiration and was wondering if 5 years on it could be resurrected as newer feeds have come out? Also looking for ideas for my lightweight 14.1 cob, aged 14 newly acquired in the summer and now only needing supplemental feed for the first time as he’s losing a little condition. Currently stabled overnights with approx 6kg hay small netted so it generally does last until morning when he has another 1 kg before turn out on his winter grazing for 6-7 hours. He’s in light work just hacked/gentle schooled 4x week but he’s losing a bit of condition over his withers and chest. He arrived poor, looked great July-October but it’s becoming clear despite being a cob x he’s not quite such a good doer. His teeth have been done recently and he’s up to date with worming. Just he’s looking like he needs some extra feeding on top of his hay and grass. He’s a bit fizzy so I’m guessing needs low sugar and starch?
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Any reason you can’t just up the hay and see if that improves his weight? The grazing will be more or less gone now, nutrition wise.
 
Kirstd33 said:
Appreciate this is an older thread but I’ve been reading with interest what people feed to get some inspiration and was wondering if 5 years on it could be resurrected as newer feeds have come out? Also looking for ideas for my lightweight 14.1 cob, aged 14 newly acquired in the summer and now only needing supplemental feed for the first time as he’s losing a little condition. Currently stabled overnights with approx 6kg hay small netted so it generally does last until morning when he has another 1 kg before turn out on his winter grazing for 6-7 hours. He’s in light work just hacked/gentle schooled 4x week but he’s losing a bit of condition over his withers and chest. He arrived poor, looked great July-October but it’s becoming clear despite being a cob x he’s not quite such a good doer. His teeth have been done recently and he’s up to date with worming. Just he’s looking like he needs some extra feeding on top of his hay and grass. He’s a bit fizzy so I’m guessing needs low sugar and starch?
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I'd up the hay first, especially if he tends to be a bit fizzy. If you feed from a normal net (or from the floor or haybar or similar) then he should be able to eat more hay than he can from a small holed net. Feeding as much hay as they can eat is usually the most cost effective way to get them to maintain condition. It is usually recommended to feed about 2% of bodyweight in hay to maintain condition if there is little or no grazing, so the 6kg he is getting sounds a little too low, working on the basis he is probably about 400kg. If he needs more than that then I'd add some sort of fibre feed (soaked grass nuts or unmollassed beet for example) plus a balancer or a powdered vit/min balancer to start. You can add micronised linseed if he needs more.
 
Kirstd33 said:
Appreciate this is an older thread but I’ve been reading with interest what people feed to get some inspiration and was wondering if 5 years on it could be resurrected as newer feeds have come out? Also looking for ideas for my lightweight 14.1 cob, aged 14 newly acquired in the summer and now only needing supplemental feed for the first time as he’s losing a little condition. Currently stabled overnights with approx 6kg hay small netted so it generally does last until morning when he has another 1 kg before turn out on his winter grazing for 6-7 hours. He’s in light work just hacked/gentle schooled 4x week but he’s losing a bit of condition over his withers and chest. He arrived poor, looked great July-October but it’s becoming clear despite being a cob x he’s not quite such a good doer. His teeth have been done recently and he’s up to date with worming. Just he’s looking like he needs some extra feeding on top of his hay and grass. He’s a bit fizzy so I’m guessing needs low sugar and starch?
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I'd agree with Cortez that more forage would be the first port of call- if he's not putting on condition on ad lib forage, feeds with high protein/fat are a good way of getting calories in without fizz. I feed veteran vitality now (diastemas mean the old boy's not allowed chaff), but used to feed micronised linseed and sugar beet with a little chaff. Vegetable oil is also an easy way of getting non-starchy calories into them.
The youngster is getting a handful of chaff and ad lib forage, as she's not working at the moment.
 
Thanks all so far, I’m more than happy to up his hay as he does weigh about 390-400kg as per the tape. I was more worried with the nutrients rather than the rough weight of forage tbh if he was lacking in any particular vitamins or minerals? I’ve looked at speedibeet or fibrebeet would one by recommended over the other?
 
Kirstd33 said:
Thanks all so far, I’m more than happy to up his hay as he does weigh about 390-400kg as per the tape. I was more worried with the nutrients rather than the rough weight of forage tbh if he was lacking in any particular vitamins or minerals? I’ve looked at speedibeet or fibrebeet would one by recommended over the other?
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What leads you to believe that your pony is lacking in vitamins or minerals? Is he showing any signs of this?
 
We have a 15.3h cob, light-medium work.
I've done lots of reading/researching over these past few months. He can be a bit fizzy and was on top spec lite balancer but our instructor advised us to stop this to try and overcome his fizziness.

Currently feeding the following:

Speedi-beet
Equine answers 365 complete vits & mins
Tsp salt
Honeychop lite & healthy

He has this twice a day, loves it and looks good with a lovely shiny coat
 
Cortez said:
What leads you to believe that your pony is lacking in vitamins or minerals? Is he showing any signs of this?
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Nothing really just hearing that the nutrients in the grass is now neglible and other liveries at the yard have fairly elaborate feeding regimes and wondering if merlin needs more. I’m a returning adult owner and when we had and fed ponies decades ago it was just hay and the odd handful of pony nuts and now the choices are endless!
 
You could have the forage tested for nutrient levels if you were really worried, but a salt lick and a basic broad spec vit and mineral supplement will probably be cheaper if you feel he needs something.
I have no freedom of speech, as someone who's supplement regime is frankly out of control, but honestly a lot of it is just making expensive wee unless you have a specific deficiency to correct.
I've never fed fibre beet, but it looks like it has alfalfa in as well as the sugar beet- some horses get on really well with alfalfa and it seems to send others loopy.
 
Kirstd33 said:
Nothing really just hearing that the nutrients in the grass is now neglible and other liveries at the yard have fairly elaborate feeding regimes and wondering if merlin needs more. I’m a returning adult owner and when we had and fed ponies decades ago it was just hay and the odd handful of pony nuts and now the choices are endless!
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The marketing of feed companies has certainly advanced, that’s for sure :cool: .
 
Kirstd33 said:
Nothing really just hearing that the nutrients in the grass is now neglible and other liveries at the yard have fairly elaborate feeding regimes and wondering if merlin needs more. I’m a returning adult owner and when we had and fed ponies decades ago it was just hay and the odd handful of pony nuts and now the choices are endless!
Click to expand...

If you look at nutritionist studies, UK grass does lack but you can’t be sure what without testing. Saying this, years ago there was no such thing as ‘balancers’ and horses did just fine.

I’d add a pellet or powder balancer, like Forage plus, Equimins, progressive earth with a handful of chaff. I agree with upping the hay, 6kg over night isn’t a lot.

I fall into the ‘I buy a balancer (Equimins) because it makes me feel better that she isn’t lacking anything’ 🙈
 
Ellestan said:
We have a 15.3h cob, light-medium work.
I've done lots of reading/researching over these past few months. He can be a bit fizzy and was on top spec lite balancer but our instructor advised us to stop this to try and overcome his fizziness.

Currently feeding the following:

Speedi-beet
Equine answers 365 complete vits & mins
Tsp salt
Honeychop lite & healthy

He has this twice a day, loves it and looks good with a lovely shiny coat
Click to expand...
I should have said- I try and avoid alfalfa and molasses (because he is a cob), hence this selection.

Certainly no expert though, just an avid reader 😀
 
Hormonal Filly said:
, years ago there was no such thing as ‘balancers’ and horses did just fine
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They did better than fine; they were generally far less obese, ulcer-prone and reactive.
Hormonal Filly said:
I fall into the ‘I buy a balancer (Equimins) because it makes me feel better that she isn’t lacking anything’ 🙈
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I have several friends who are vets, they tell me they have NEVER come across a horse suffering from vitamin deficiencies, but they have treated several that have been severely affected by over-supplementation by owners who fell for the marketing

P.S. I have in the past fed targeted supplements, because I had young stock on pastures with high molybdenum (sp?) which interferes with uptake.
 
Kirstd33 said:
Nothing really just hearing that the nutrients in the grass is now neglible and other liveries at the yard have fairly elaborate feeding regimes and wondering if merlin needs more. I’m a returning adult owner and when we had and fed ponies decades ago it was just hay and the odd handful of pony nuts and now the choices are endless!
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It can be confusing - some of the horses I look after for friends have multiple supplements and feeds and I need a cheat sheet to keep on top of it all.

I am echoing others, but I would also up the hay. 6kg isn't much when he's only out for 6-7 hours a day.

I have a 15.3hh cob in light work, turned out 11-12 hours in a small herd. I feed about 9kg haylage and soaked hay. Hard feed is a minimal amount of Allan & Page Veteran Lite (200ml plus water to soak) and a handful of chopped oat straw, with a tablespoon of salt and a 3/4 scoop of forageplus balancer.

eta: I'm about to start him back on an oily herb mix through winter, and I forage rosehips, cleavers & nettles which he loves.
 
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Retired horse. Late 20's. Welsh D.

Currently.

Grass.

Scoop of chaff when I can be bothered to walk across the field to the barn. The chaff I use will vary. Sometimes I let him have cheap molichaff with all the sugar. Other times he will get something like Happy Hoof.

When grass is less plentiful and the cold really sets in.

Hay.

Chaff as above with a bit of sugar beet if I'm feeling charitable.

That's it. This horse has lived happily on a basic diet his whole life and is approximately 27 now and still full of beans, moving lovely and holds his condition well.
 
Kirstd33 said:
I’m a returning adult owner and when we had and fed ponies decades ago it was just hay and the odd handful of pony nuts and now the choices are endless!
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That's still an option! And one which I would choose along with sugar beet and some micronised linseed and ad lib hay
 
Chaff and a balancer. Old pony gets chaff and Dodson and Horrell Pasture mix, simply because he loves it and doesn't love anything else so its a sure fire way of getting his cushing's pill down without a fuss!
It smells and looks so nice. I loved the olden days when my horse got tons of molassy mix and sugar beet. I'd rather be a horse back then than now ;)
 
Big pony gets chaff with added oil, Baileys lo-cal balancer and ad-lib hay.
Small pony gets the same but no chaff due to gaps in his teeth. Long fibre only for him on dentist's orders.
Big pony is older and I think a bit of oil added helps to keep their gut moving along nicely. He has Bute in his chaff or I might not bother to buy it at all.
Both are retired, so it's maintenance food only.
 
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