What to add to "pep him up"

[grandmaweloveyou]

for a sponsored ride, someone's started feeding hers racehorse mix, huge difference already, i dont need it to be mad difference (i suspect the other 300 horses there might be some kind of spur for him!!) but enough. any ideas please? thanks.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

I don't give my cob anything, she completes 10 to 12 mile sponsored rides on chaff and a multi vit supplement. Gosh that makes me sound so mean, but she just doesn't need it, has plenty of energy to complete the ride and do most of the jumps (she would do them all, but I chicken out of some

).

 

[meandmyself]

How about adding some oil to his feed? Give him a little bit more energy and is fairly cheap too!

 

[flyingfeet]

Tesco 80p soya oil is very good

Or if you horse is half dead my current mix of top spec turbo and red cell appears to be working (except yesterday, when he was full of grass too). However I want mine to jump 1.20m so need excessive pep.

 

[kerilli]

it depends what he's like normally. if you just want more stamina, so he won't get tired, then Alfa A is a good idea. ditto adding oil to the feed.
if you want him fizzier, then a higher energy mix, or soaked whole oats if you don't want to go the McDonaldsforhorses route!

 

[grandmaweloveyou]

thank you all very interesting, now one other thing (related promise). im about to put vegetable oil in his feed for his hooves (see other posts. falling apart) is soya oil similar or do i need to just concentrate on putting one oil in ie for hooves or one for "pepping him up" or both....??? make sense? he doesnt need it for stamina, he does 4 hour hacks most weekends, poor s*d, but just for a bit more oomph. mcdonaldsforhorses? interesting! oh and you dont sound mean piebaldsparkle, mine just gets a bog standard mix and carrots for treats - isnt that part of the attraction / ease of owning a cob?

 

[dieseldog]

I wouldn't feed him anything special. Personally I would ride my nice sensible horse and have a lovely time whilst laughing at my friend as she gets carted off by her gee'd up horse and then laugh even louder when she can't walk for a week as she has had her arms pulled out of their sockets for the 3 hours that the ride took. You'll have far more fun riding a horse you can just sit back on and enjoy.

 

[Bex7]

Have you ever done a fun/sponsored ride with him?

If not then I would add absolutely nothing to his feed as the saintliest of horses can get a bit hot under the collar at these things.

 

[grandmaweloveyou]

first time doing this thank you for the advice, i think you are probably right!!!!

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

I too have a cob, and stponsored rides are deeply exciting for him! If in doubt, remember the feeding rule, feed for what your horse has already done, not what you're going to be doing tomorrow! And have a great time!