What to feed a 5 year old Welsh d

[Myloubylou]

I have a 5 year old who is 14.1, maybe a bit bum high. I give her a token feed of chaff to give her hoof supplement and agnus castus but should I be giving her something more to help her grow muscle. She’s ridden or lunged 5 days a week with a variety of activity. She is out at night and in with hay during day. Currently unrugged & unclipped. She needs to build topline I think and we are working on balance. She is tall enough but hoping she’ll fill out and be a bit chunkier. This is her about 6 weeks after I got her

 

[ester]

smart mare I do think giving a bit of linseed is always a good idea, I've always been able to feed mine up to a mug a day with no weight difference and have increased it when work increases (hunting usually).

 

[Myloubylou]

Thanks Ester! Linseed is a good shout, I feed my other D it over the winter so will give her some too. She’s definitely far from skinny, it’ll be interesting to see how she changes shape with time & work. She was broken last autumn but probably only had 6 months proper work due to having last winter off.

 

[Shay]

Feed can't build muscle or topline - only work does that. I'm a fan of linseed too - but it won't develop muscle. As she works more she'll need more of course and if the winter is harsh you might need a small hard feed if she strats dropping condition. But right now it sounds like you are doing everything you should.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

The only advice I can offer is not to overfeed; these are sturdy little cobs and if you overfeed them or bung too much concentrates into them they'll just get mega-evil on you.

They're the sort that basically thrive on being kept on a patch of earth, fed on air and worked hard!! And unrugged........

I swear by Benevit supplements for my lot; my Welsh D is an old girl now - but in her heyday she did a lot of endurance and her then-owner recommended Benevit.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Shes a lovely type! I have a 6yr old D I've had from a baby. The advice i'd give for you to change, is to make sure shes on a balancer so she gets the correct vitamins and minerals.. maybe top spec or I use Equlibria which is great (and my favourite IMO) and give the recommended amount. I'd then put her on a handful of chaff and probably add micronised linseed powder as a fan of that but don't give her tons.

My gelding is now 6 and been on the above for years, always get told how good he looks and he isn't fat. Mind he does get calm and condition too in winter if he drops weight at all. I always recommend a balancer though as lots of horses don't get the right vits and minerals to build good muscle (I know feed won't gain the muscle only correct work does but it definitely will help) if shes ridden 5 days a week a balancer will help no end. My old YO won HOYS previously and swar by Equlibria, even her youngsters to 30yr olds get that and a token of chaff and look brilliant.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I would just carry on with what your doing and add a bit of linseed to some chaff, my Arabs just get grass chaff and linseed all year round and I just increase over the winter months.