What to feed my pony?

[Crazycobrider]

Hi all,
I have recently been given the suggestion that my horse should go on feed and I was just wondering if anyone could help me out on what to give him!
I have a 14.1hh cob x with a suspected welshie. Age unknown but vet has estimated 9/10ish. He's a happy healthy boy that lives out 24/7 in summer. He's very forward and hot headed so not wanting something that will make him 10 times hotter, if you know what I mean!
Would anyone be able to suggest what I could give him?
I'm definitely no expert with feeds, so would love some help off everyone who is more experienced with feed!

Thankyou!!

 

[meesha]

Unless he is underweight he won't need feed, if underweight I would start with good quality haylage or hay.

For vitamins and minerals either a mineral block which u can put in field or a balancer topspec lite works for mine, no need to add any other feed or water to it. You can ring feed support lines for advice.

 

[TGM]

Agree with the above, I wouldn't worry about giving bucket feed unless your horse needs to gain some weight. If you are worried whether he is getting all his vit/mins then you could always feed a supplement in a handful of chaff.

 

[Crazycobrider]

Agree with the above, I wouldn't worry about giving bucket feed unless your horse needs to gain some weight. If you are worried whether he is getting all his vit/mins then you could always feed a supplement in a handful of chaff.

Thankyou!! It's so confusing with all the different feeds! I've never had to use any on him or my previous horse, but it's always good to have the knowledge just in case

 

[Crazycobrider]

Unless he is underweight he won't need feed, if underweight I would start with good quality haylage or hay.

For vitamins and minerals either a mineral block which u can put in field or a balancer topspec lite works for mine, no need to add any other feed or water to it. You can ring feed support lines for advice.

Thankyou for the advice

 

[Crazycobrider]

Just to add, he could maybe do with something for his feet, I thought spillers happy hoof, with chaff, garlic for the flies, and some pony nuts?
Please let me know if that's suitable would hate to give him incorrect feed!

 

[Darkwater]

Don't bother with the pony nuts, they tend to be full of sugar and not a lot of anything useful. I would follow the advice above and go with a low calorie balancer, topspec lite contains a really good hoof supplement as well as being fully balanced with vit + mins. The next best alternative would be a supplement in a handful of unmollassed chaff. Either a hoof supplement or a vit + min supplement which contains biotion is likely to help his feet. I personally don't like happy hoof, it has a lot of sugar in it and the amount you have to feed it at to get the levels of the supplements it contains are huge so it is not cost effective. From memory it is something like 2-3 kg they suggest you feed per day, as a hay/forage replacer for laminitic ponies, it isn't really designed to be fed in small amounts.

 

[Mike007]

Good hay and possibly a balancer for vits and mins , No need for hard feed and good hay is always cheaper than hard feed.Edited to add that your concern for your pony does you creditand dont get sucked into the old "your a bad mum if your pony isnt getting x,y andz,suplements.