What to feed rescue ponies

L

Lancealot36

New User
Joined
7 January 2015
Messages
3
Visit site
Hi Folks, im new to this site after not having been around horses much for the last 20 years. I Have decided to take on 2 abandoned ponies which have basically been fending for themselves on the side of a mountain since feb of 2014 apart from an odd armfull of hay. One mare and One gelding unsure of age but approx 13 and 11 hands respectively. Apart from the obvious worming, vet and farrier visits over the next few weeks im wondering what the best feed/ feeding routine would be. They both need to put on a bit of condition but I dont want them getting too frisky. They will have an acre of reasonable grass and free access to their barn with 2 stables once I get them settled down for a day or two.

All suggestions will be gratefully appreciated!
 
I wouldn't feed them anything, if they have access to reasonable grass and a shed in the field then just supply ad lib hay and they will be fine. It's only a few weeks now till spring and if you feed too much now you will soon be posting asking how to get them to lose weight !
 
Thanks Bonny, was thinking i woud maybe need to give them some sort of feed to bring them on a bit and make friends as much as anything? maybe just stick to some nice treats everytime i go out to them?
 
I got one a couple of years ago, rounded up by the police in Wales. I just fed him unlimited hay and a feed balancer and a bit of chaff and a carrot to make friends twice a day. He is now far too fat. Genetics made him survive where others would have died so he will be in the diet paddock this year.
 
If you just want something as a treat and/or carrier for supplements, unmollassed beet pulp would do that job, but I agree, native ponies have evolved to live on not very much. Just make sure they have some hay to keep fibre in the gut to keep them warm.
 
Nice hay will tempt them in and the knowledge that you won't be hurting them. There is nothing more forgiving or trusting than a horse and when you have established a routine they will soon be waiting for you.

A worm count would be first on the list. They won't cope well on hard feed if they are full of worm and unused to digesting corn. Hay needs to be the start to get their gut working well on fibre. Lucky ponies and good luck to you all.
 
Worm count has already been booked! We hope to do our best for them and give them all that has been missing from thir lives so far. the feet are in dire need of attention too as they very long. going to give them a few days to settle in before i bring the vet out to check them over vaccinate and see if they need teeth etc done. Fingers crossed the mare isnt in foal!

Many Thanks for all the advice, think we will stick to ad lib hay and some slices of carrot etc as treats. Last thing I want to do is overload them and end up making them ill!
 
bonny said:
I wouldn't feed them anything, if they have access to reasonable grass and a shed in the field then just supply ad lib hay and they will be fine. It's only a few weeks now till spring and if you feed too much now you will soon be posting asking how to get them to lose weight !
Click to expand...


Few weeks until spring?! Its 7th January, we haven't had winter yet lol. My three natives have 5 acres of long grass to eat and they have all lost weight ( they move around a lot ) Nothing wrong with giving them plenty of hay and a bit of unmolassed beet. Exactly as I do, gets them used to coming down onto the yard to be checked over daily
 
I second the others in that I don't think they really need much hard feed, let adlib hay and the grass work their magic. If you are going to feed anything to get them to be "friends" with you I would be using a small bucket of fast fibre.
 
I agree with what the others have suggested, ad-lib good quality hay. If you need a "bribe" treat to persuade them, then a handful of Spillers Hi Fibre Cubes should work nicely :wink3:
 
I have no experience of this myself but have read plenty of these threads and the consensus seems to be keep it simple so you don't shock their system. Lots of fibre, so ad lib hay. If you need to get vitamins into them then try a balancer or a vitamin supplement mixed into plain chaff.
If you have a vet visit booked in anyway then why not discuss feed with the vet too, they have the benefit of having the ponies in front of them to assess their needs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top