What to feed a just-started 4yo dales

L&B

L&B

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I have a just started 4yo dales pony.
We're doing a little bit of lunging at this stage and I would like to give her a little bit of something feed wise as she's burning a lot more energy.

She has had D&H Suregrow with a handful of Graze-On up til now and is a slow-grower. She still looks a lot like a gangly baby. I'd like a little bit of condition on her but not for her to lose her mind; any suggestions?
 
I have our dales youngsters on speedibeet, soaked grass nuts, and balancer at half measures.
She won't need much, and don't forget the grass will be growing soon!
 
L&B said:
I have a just started 4yo dales pony.
We're doing a little bit of lunging at this stage and I would like to give her a little bit of something feed wise as she's burning a lot more energy.

She has had D&H Suregrow with a handful of Graze-On up til now and is a slow-grower. She still looks a lot like a gangly baby. I'd like a little bit of condition on her but not for her to lose her mind; any suggestions?
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I think that what you're feeding her is perfectly adequate for her needs. She's a native, designed to live on fresh air, and spring is just around the corner.
 
Nothing. Nada. Zilch. I only start to up feed when the horses lose weight. You certainly won't want to be dealing with over-fresh hijinks when starting youngsters, now do you?
 
She probably isn't burning a lot more energy. Up to now, she's been putting huge amounts of energy into growing. Her energy needs are probably reducing right now because her growth is slowing down. On top of that, the spring grass is about to come through.

Forage only, for me, and not huge amounts of that if she's out on grass.
 
I have natives and they spend a long time looking like they are made up from the left overs of other ponies. They get just hay and lots of it and a token feed if they need to come in. Come four they usually start to bloom, but are still very babyish and get tried easily, I never lunge after they have learned what the basic voice commands, I am very keen on stand. Then they get hacked in company in basically straight lines until they get some balance.
Come eight they need to be on a diet. They are a long term project.
 
Agree with everyone else - don't feed any more than you are now. Honestly they can do a lot of work on grass and hay
and you don't want excess energy. Save your pennies.
 
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