What should I feed my 4 year old?

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Flick240

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Hi everyone!

I have had my 4 year old about a month now. She turned 4 in May. The home I bought her from just had her on grass and hay and she is on the more rounded side (but I wouldn't call her fat) she clearly doesn’t have an issue keeping weight on.
I’ve noticed that she has very low stamina. I ride her on a 30min walk hack or walk and trot her in the school for 15mins and she is exhausted. I know a lot of this is down to her age and building up muscle and fitness but I’m wondering if I can help her in any way.
Currently she gets an x large haynet at night. There is normally some left in the morning and she grazes in the field 8am-6pm everyday. I also give her 2 parsnips a day.
I’d ideally like to keep her feed as natural as possible but it would be great to hear everyone’s thoughts! I just want to make sure I am doing right by her. I am in no rush to do anything apart from lots of walking hacks to build up her muscles and some light work in the school combined with ground work so the short stamina is fine by me but I just wanted to check if there was anything I am obviously missing to make her life easier as she is my first youngster :)

she is a 15.1/2 4 year old Connie x ISH

thanks advance!
 
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Flick240

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twiggy2 said:
She is a baby her stamina won't be great, it's what I would expect and I certainly would not feed her hard feed to try and sort the problem.
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No I don’t intend to give her hard feed. I was more looking for advice on if I can give her anything to help her. I’m very keen on keeping everything as natural as possible so I agree with you. I was just wondering if anyone recommended something I’m not doing like supplements etc as I want to make sure I’m doing right by her.

just asking for advice to do right by her :)
 
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Flick240

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Cortez said:
If she's fat, I would feed her less. If she was thin, I would feed her more. She is getting tired because she is very young and not at all fit.
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Thanks :)

it’s good to hear I am doing the right thing for her currently then :) I just wanted to check I wasn’t letting her down. She is the first youngster I’ve owned so I just want to keep checking I am doing everything right for her :)
 
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Flick240

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AdorableAlice said:
Weight off her will give her more stamina and protect those immature joints.
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Thank you :) our grass is not the best so I am sure that a few more months on that combined with lots of ground work and hacking will help her start loosing some of her belly but she isn’t fat, just a bit well rounded haha! Thanks for the advice. Good to know everyone seems to agree to just keep her on hay and grass. Always nice to hear you are doing the right thing :)
 
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Pearlsasinger

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Get her out hacking as often as you can to build up her stamina gradually. Hacking will also help her to develop her balance over varied terrain, which will develop her fitness.
 
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