What to feed my new horse?

C123

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Hi guys,

My new horse is arriving next weekend and am wondering what feed I should buy for him?

He is currently being fed 3 shovels of nuts, 2 of Speedie beet and hay!! The yard owner buys this in bulk and therefore no manufacture name!! :(

Any advice or similar products you guys could suggest would be appreciated :)

Thanks
 

Theocat

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What's his condition like? Does he need feed?

I'd ask the owner what kind of nut they're feeding; if you really can't find out then you're going to introduce something new gradually in any case so it doesn't much matter what you go for. However, assuming he's in good condition, you might want to avoid feed altogether at first while the grass is coming through and he settles in. If you must feed something, a forage nut would be my choice until I could work out what he really needs.
 

Red-1

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Is the horse in an awful lot of work? If not, then I would be checking teeth, worm counting and keeping off the field until the results come back.

If he is used to a feed and others on the yard are having food at the same time, if he is not skinny I would give a quality chop such as Agrobs museli. You can buy it by post if no one stocks it near you. I don't know the size of your shovels, but I would just give a pint. It is mainly chop but with added seeds and flowers, grated carrot and beet for interest. No added sugars, no grains.

I would also feed ad lib hay when in, unless fat.
 

C123

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What's his condition like? Does he need feed?

I'd ask the owner what kind of nut they're feeding; if you really can't find out then you're going to introduce something new gradually in any case so it doesn't much matter what you go for. However, assuming he's in good condition, you might want to avoid feed altogether at first while the grass is coming through and he settles in. If you must feed something, a forage nut would be my choice until I could work out what he really needs.

His condition is just right!
I’ve asked the yard owner what nuts it is that he feeds him but he doesn’t know!

I just don’t want to change his feed all of a sudden!
 

be positive

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His condition is just right!
I’ve asked the yard owner what nuts it is that he feeds him but he doesn’t know!

I just don’t want to change his feed all of a sudden!

I cannot believe that a YO is buying and feeding something and they don't have any idea what it is, bonkers to my mind but I guess it is a lazy and cheap way to feed a yard full.

If he looks well just give him hay, turnout and a token feed of high fibre nuts or simply chaff while he settles in, the main part of his diet is the hay so it will be a major change whatever you do, every time a horse moves to a new home it has a diet change so don't be too concerned as long as he eats plenty of hay he should be fine.
 

HeyMich

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Speedibeet is easy to find, so if this is what he is used to, keep with this (soak it well), just add a tiny amount of basic fibre nuts or low sugar chaff and build the quantities up slowly. As others have said though, if he is in good condition and getting plenty of forage then a token feed (literally a handful only) is plenty.

Alternatively, ask where the YO buys his feed and go directly to the feed merchant and ask them.
 

ihatework

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I’d ask the yard if you can have a sack of their nuts to take away with you. If he is looking and behaving well on a presumably cheap generic brand then he can’t be too difficult to feed.

I’d transition him over onto a basic branded fibre cube over a period of 2-3 weeks and then see what happens!
 

Leo Walker

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Is the horse in an awful lot of work? If not, then I would be checking teeth, worm counting and keeping off the field until the results come back.

If he is used to a feed and others on the yard are having food at the same time, if he is not skinny I would give a quality chop such as Agrobs museli. You can buy it by post if no one stocks it near you. I don't know the size of your shovels, but I would just give a pint. It is mainly chop but with added seeds and flowers, grated carrot and beet for interest. No added sugars, no grains.

I would also feed ad lib hay when in, unless fat.

This, but I'd use Kramers version. It works out cheaper and they deliver for free. Its pretty much identical from what I can see. Quality is great as well.

I also add an equimins balancer and pink mash for mine and she looks and feels really good on it.
 
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