What Should I feed him?

Sukistokes2

Sukistokes2

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My horse Ffin is a welsh/shire, a heavy cob. Usually a good doer, he can at times loose weight and sometimes he can lack energy. He is complicated!
I have been feeding him Alfra A original, a food I have used for years with no issues, with fast fibre and a good quanity of hay. When the vet visited in December, she commented on how perfect his weight was. Over the last couple of weeks he seems to have lost a bit of weight, not a great deal but he is just showing a little rib. His coat is glossy and his eye is bright.
That is not the main issue, he is becoming stressed , grumpy and jumpy. He has also developed some hives on his neck. This makes me think that maybe he is reacting to the Alfa A. I am aware that this can happen. It is not spring grass as his field, as of yet, lacks any of that.
I like the fast fibre, as he can have quite a lot of that and he is a bit of a pig! I was thinking of cutting out the Alfa A and trying something like mollichaff.
I am looking to cut out the stress and the spooking, which, is just not his style. He even reacted to my yappy dog tonight........ an animal he has refused to admit exists up to now!
Is it the Food?
Is it the winter blues.....lack of work.........?

What do you think?
 
I can't say I am a feed expert.. wish my boy would drop weight! :P
But honestly the very basics I feel are brilliant I think a lot of *feeds* are over rated!
My little guy gets bran, suregrow and garlic. Keep his gut going beautifully, the garlic is fabulous for him and the suregrow has all his vit's etc in it. He barely get anything, no scoops etc.
Apple chaff and cherry chaff is fabulous- I have seen it put weight on a couple of horses. Have also heard fabulous things about calm and condition, even though it's not condition your looking for this could put his weight up and keep his head level.

Sounds like a food allergy a bit- maybe he has munched on something undesirable in the field, not completely impossible :P
Then again the winter blues get us all down!

Just trial a couple of things, the only way you know is if you find out first ;)

All the best!
 
It could be the alpha a causing a problem, take him off it and see if that helps, possibly try some oil or linseed to help with his condition and coat. I would not use mollichop as you would be best to avoid molasses, maybe some unmolassed chop instead. Brewers yeast would be good for his digestion.

A detox may help if he is getting a bit spotty, I use NAF detox or Global herbs Restore.
 
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