What to feed a cob?

[druid]

Not feeding isn't an option as he throws a tantrum when the others gets fed..

He's a 13.2hh blob. He's NF x Welsh and built like a tank. I haven't weigh taped him but would guess he's easily 400-450kg (i.e. FAT).

I'd like to give him a token feed but supply all his vit/min requirements at the same time. He has ad-lib hay, is currently unclipped and unfit but will be doing 30mins-1 hour of work a day either schooling or hacking to get fit (uphill...hehehe). He lives out 24/7 in a a mud lot field.


I have a couple of options..

Chaff such as hi-fi (or even hi-fi lite) with a vit/min supplement (which one?)
or
Fibre pencils/cubes with a vit/min supplement
or
Bailey's Lo cal....
or
Any other suggestions??

What would you do?

 

[lillie]

my welsh cob is only fed to provide him with mins & vits here is an example of what he has:

1/2 scoop Dengie HI-FI Lite
1/4 scoop bran
25ml scoop garlic granules
50ml scoop NAF general purpose supplement (vit/min supplement)
1/2 teaspoon salt
25ml scoop limestone flour (to counter balance bran)

my horse lives out by day in by night & usually has a hunter clip and has 2 haynets at night & 1small net during the day if he's in

 

[Frazer]

I would feed the same as above, but without the bran! As your horse gets fitter you can add bran, and maybe a mix to hes feed over time.

 

[KatB]

My cob used to do fine on Hifi, Clop vit+min supplement (gives them a great shine) and garlic. He wasnt a typical fat cob, but did fine, added oil when upped his work load!

 

[TGM]

If you are only feeding him to keep him quiet whilst the others are fed then I would opt for the HiFi/Chaff option with vit/min supplement - that would probably be lowest in calories if you are worried about him being fat. Don't know what is easily available over there in terms of supplements - but something like Spillers Equivite.

 

[druid]

Supplements are pretty much what you get...they ship easier than feeds!!

It is pretty much to keep him quiet and give him a base to get his vit/min supplement and 'lytes should he need them!

 

[amzy]

I would feed Hi-fi lite and add the supplements. My friend has a heavy cob who has to stay reasonably slim due to health issues and she just gives her this.

She also gets a haynet at night in winter when stabled. Also lives in a field without much grass.

 

[lennysmith]

Josie is a fatty and just gets hi fi lite with Benevit, she looks great on it, and has loads of energy. I dont have to worry about her pilling on the pounds as hi fi lite is actually lower in sugar than hay. I'd always feed like this if I could xx

 

[Happytohack]

Welcome to the world of cob-ownership (thought the piccies were great of your new boy - he looks a great character)!

Ditto what the others have suggested. Hi-Fi lite (or similar) plus a vit & min supplement. Feedmark's Benevit is great for my lot and I think they would send to Ireland.

 

[chestnut cob]

Give him a bit of Dengie Good Doer or Allen & Page "Slim n Healthy".

Both designed for fatties

I think the Allen & Page one (it's a mix) has elavated levels of vits & mins as it's designed to be fed in small quantities.

 

[sojeph]

I'd stick to Hi Fi or similar unless he's sluggish to ride in which case he may need a mix such as the one above.

 

[hairycob]

Olivers pony has a handful of chaff to put his vits & cortaflex in. Trouble is he turns his nose up at chaff on it's own, but a teaspoon of cubes/mix is enough to make it tasty.

 

[Ashf]

ATM, Jessie gets a slice of hay in the morning, 3 hours of grass turnout in the evening and comes in for a scoop of Happy Hoof and another slice of hay.

It is a 'no pies' diet because she needed desperatly to lose the weight after gaining loads as we went into winter last year.

 

[Annie&Amy]

I feed my 15.2hh cob at this time of year -: 1 scoop apple chaff, 1/4 scoop allen and page Slim + healthy mix with equivite vit + min. She's in at night with 2 big wedges of meadow hay and as it gets colder she'll prob stay on this but with extra chaff just in a bucket (good doer from Dengie). She's out during day for 6-7hours whatever the weather with rugs on. She is 22yrs old

 

[CastleMouse]

Red Mills Cool & Cooked? I feed that to Cass all year round

 

[Prudence]

Have to say that I'd be inclined to stick with Hi-Fi Lite & vit/min supplement - most likely Clop - it contains a pro-biotic and is oil based.

In the winter when he's working more, then he may need something more, like speedibeet & oil.

 

[tiggie]

Mine have dengie good do-er,which has vitamins added and less calories than hi-fi lite.
The people at Dengie told me that it has less calories than hay so can be used as a hay replacer to help weight loss.

 

[lilym]

hi fi lite and bailey's lo-cal go well together in my experience!! the hi-fi can make up part of his forage ration and the lo-cal pellets make the fatties believe they've had a "meal"!!
the other options are the fortified chaff based feeds like happy hoof, happy dieter, and good doer, but you have to feed quite alot to get the full quota of vits/mins and this can work out expensive, compared with a kilo of hi-fi lite and the lo-cal .

 

[Foxyfilly]

Dodson and horrell's safe and sound
is lo-cal, highly palatable and has
everything in it.

 

[riotgirl]

I have just switched my cob to Spillers 'Happy Dieter'. It is chaff based, loads of fibre and has all vitimins and supplements in it.

 

[Farm Kat]

Mine are on Happy hoof at the moment as they got a bit fed up of having hi-fi/hi/fi lite, They actually would rather not come for their feed and kick everyone else, so I changed to this. Copper in all honesty is only fed to keep him from throwing a tantrum, he's a 13.2 tank like newfie, who does anything for food! He has under the recomended amount, and is on clop when the grazing is poor, when he is fed, currently he is on fresh air. He also has a large brick put in when I cut the rations and he is scoffing, just to make him take longer to negotiate roung the bucket and he thinks he is having as much as the others.

 

[xoxalicexox]

my cob is prone to gaining weight, i feed him a handful ( litrerly) of hi-fi good doer and a cup of balencer, scoop of garlic and a few carrots. x

 

[Lucy_Ally]

Happy hoof with a vit/min supplement. That is what Spring gets as she too is a blob!

 

[MagicMelon]

I would feed Hi-Fi Lite with any all round vit & min supplement (loads of companies do one like Dengie, NAF etc.). You could feed him a little handful of high fibre cubes as well if you felt it was boring for him, but I wouldnt feed many at all just because there's not much need. He'll be getting loads of fibre from the hay. You haven't said what living arrangements he has - is he out 24/7 etc.? If so, the main thing Id do is decrease his grazing pronto! If he's brought in at night, maybe give him lower quality hay.

 

[druid]

He's out 24/7 - there is no stabling. He will stay out 24/7!! That said, the "grazing" is infact just a mudlot and all thier forage comes from hay

 

[PoppyPony]

my 15hh cob (very recently in work) did great on hi-fi lite, still does now hes not in work due to lack of saddle, when I get the saddle will feed more hi-fi lite.