What would you feed a 5yr that’s going to be turned away for winter?

[HackWithMe]

Hi all, so as the tile really. I’m turning away my 15.2hh 5yr old lightweight ISH type gelding for the majority of winter - November to February. So he can mature. As a break because he had a slow couple years of ridden work. He is currently fed dengie Alfa a oil and baileys top line mix no17. He gets 2 stub scoop of chaff a day and 1stubb scoop of baileys, this is usually split between two feeds morning and evening. He will be in overnight from 6pm to 7am with ad lib hay. I was thinking would the dengie Alfa a oil just be ok for his break? What would anyone else recommend? he’s on the fence of being a poor doer so would ideally need something that has condition in mind. Not got any allergies etc. Don’t mind anything with soya, alfalfa etc etc. Can be quite fussy but nothing extreme. Hope someone can help! Thank you.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I would possibly add in some suregrow ?

 

[visa_bot]

I would say keep the Alfa oil, but maybe add some unmolassed sugar beet. Alfa A oil is good for condition and that combination was recommended to me by an equine nutritionist.

 

[stangs]

Given that he’ll be getting ad lib hay, I’d be tempted not to add anything alongside the oil, and see how it goes.

 

[webble]

A good all round powder balancer and some speedibeet

 

[Lotsoflemons]

would defintely reccomend spillers Speedy mash its really good to help keep weight in winter and has some good fibres in it we use it in the winter for all our horses. even if you still feed your chaff adding a bit of mash in as extra will really help!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Decent balancer and the alfalfa should do it. Adequately rugged and with forage should do fine.

My boy has been roughed off now and he’s getting baileys lo cal balancer a handful of readigrass and a small measure of linsee, magOx and a scoop of water once a day. He has adequate grass but if he was roughed off in winter it would be the same probably rugged when needed with plenty of hay.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

If his getting plenty of hay I would just keep the feeds how they are and see how he goes, if he drops off add some micronised linseed to his feed.

 

[Jellymoon]

I’d be inclined to keep the same feed, maybe just not being worked will be enough to keep the condition on. And then you can up it if he drops weight.

 

[HackWithMe]

Thank you. Really good suggestions!

 

[ihatework]

Genuinely turned away means out in a decent field 24/7 to me. They get grass supplemented with haylage and vit/mins as required.

Being part stabled isn’t turned away.

The type and amount of bucket feed would depend on their weight and behaviour.

I’d start by cutting the mix and replacing with a balancer and see how you go.