What feed/supplement - on poor grazing!

[Crazydancer]

My horse (14.2 ArabxWelsh 18 years, semi-retired so just infrequent hacks) is on very poor grazing at the mo, along with his four Welsh mates, they live out 24/7, all year. We lost half our grazing, so have been feeding hay for the last month, as the field is looking very threadbare. The Welshies seem fine, but I’m a bit worried about my boy - he’s not underweight, and seems well enough, but lacks that certain something, glow, inner vitality, and I’m concerned he’s missing out on something, minerals and vitamins etc.

I can give him a feed, but can’t get down every day and would have to ask the Welshie’s owner to feed sometimes, and she is very busy, so I don’t want her to have to wait around while he chops through half a bucket of feed – so something easy to mix, and quick to eat – maybe a pasture mix with a supplement added??

What supplements do you use?? Or can you buy a pasture mix with everything in, so a small scoop would do the trick? Or would you add your own bits n bobs (I did used to feed linseed oil in the winter when he was stabled at night, many moons ago....) I do have to be careful with feeds, as have had some heating problems even with some brands of pony nuts before!!!

Thanks for any advice.....

 

[Clarence09]

What about feeding a balancer. A balancer will provide a full range of vitamins and minerals but they are concentrated so you only feed small quantities (by the mug full depending on the size of your horse) so shouldnt take long for your horse to eat.

There are loads of differrent balancers on the market have a look in your local feed shop what they have. I have heard good comments about Baileys Lo-cal and I think the Dengie balancer contains linseed which might help with coat condition.

 

[hannah28]

hey

my horse is sort of in the same situation although he is only 8, for vits and minerals i feed bailys lo-cal balancer, and for condition and weight i feed hi-fi orgional, keeps him looking well

 

[Boysy]

Baileys Lo-Cal fed at the recommended rate will supply all the vitamins/minerals needed, i add raw Linseed oil for coat condition.

 

[Adina]

I feed Suregrow to everything. I checked with D&H and they said its basically the same as their Ultimate Balancer without the joint supplements. Its the cheapest balancer on the market. They only get half a mug per day each mixed with half a scoop of AlfaAOil so it takes little time to eat. Someone stopped me on the road yesterday and said how fantastic my horse looked. He's 17 and semi-retired. The grazing is now threadbare so also feed a couple of slices of hay each.