What supplements do you feed your youngsters in work?

goneshowjumping

goneshowjumping

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im interested to see what supplements if any you feed to your youngsters in work?
i have a 4 yr old TB gelding, and he is really just starting to work quite hard and just wondered what others feed in relation to supplements to keep him healthy and hopefully sound!!
 
Nothing!!

I have a just turned 5, TB Gelding, Ex-racer. He's worked 5/6 days per week for between 20 mins and 1 hour and competed lightly twice a month (2 dressages classes max or 1 small jumping class)

My last mare could be a bit flighty and grumpy and I got into the habit of feeding her lots of supplements. She had magnesium, oestruss, vits and mins with biotin, probiotic, equijewel and it was costing me a fortune! Once I started though I thought I must carry on because I attributed any good behaviour to her supplements. If her feet was good it was because of the supplements ect

Current horse I thought NO supplements. Just simple feed. He's fed Alfa A oil, Kwiki Beet and Fibre nuts in varying quantities depending on workload, condition ect. and thats it! apart from Hay and Haylage obviously although he's not even having that now he's at grass.

This is him last week on No supplements :-

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His coat is amazing, his feet are strong, he's calm and level headed but has energy. He feels absolutly spot on so I'm really pleased :D

Now the only time I would put him on a supplement is if something happened and the vet actually reccommends it otherwise i'm not going to bother, he doesnt need it. I wonder how many of the supplements are just a placebo anyway.
 
what sort of hard work is your 4yro doing?

my horses are all on Topspec and have been since they were foals- that is the only supplement they get.
 
thank you firewell, i was hoping someone was going to say nothing!
ive been feeling real guilty as so many other liveries have said he needs to be on something to support his muscle, and growth! ive been worry like mad!
my last mare was a TB and i never gave her anything neither and she was just fine!
i think your right as a lot of supplements we feed out of habit, and yes if the vet did say he needed something of course he would get it.
thank you so much for posting, its so refreshing to hear i dont have to put him on anything just for the sake of it! that means more money to spend on goodies for him! :-)
 
Coco gets no hard feed, just grass & occasional hay. He has access to a salt lick, and gets some NAF hoof supplement in some chaff a few times a week.
 
Glad to be of help! :D

Trust your instincts, if you really think he doesn't need it, he probably doesn't. I know when I take cod liver oil or vit and min tablets it doesn't make me feel or look any different lol.
 
Our 3yo has just started work- lunging a few times a week for max. 20mins of so. Atm he's not getting a supplement, just a few alfalfa pellets. He was on an all round vit/min supplement in late winter/early spring as he was looking quite poor and ribby, however now the grass is growing (and has been fertilised) he's looking a lot better and we don't feel that he needs anything else- he's certainly got plenty of energy!
 
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thanks all, i think my main concern was muscle, and general wear and tear on him really. just suppose i was thinking he may need something to ensure i can keep everything ticking over and try to prevent injuries, which i know a supplement will never prevent injuries but was just trying to figure out if it would help!
i think ill leave him be for the time being and like firewall suggests only use if needed, thanks all for sharing with me.
 
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