What would you feed this horse?

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royal

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As title, what would your feeding programme for this horse be:

15hh mare - 480Kg but can put weight on easily esp in summer - has suffered from azortoria so need low starch/sugar feed, no oats etc - current workload is weekends only due to no lights in school, 1-2 hours hacking each day. When nights are lighter this will increase (gradually) to 1/2 to 1 hour hacking/schooling/jumping each day during the week (jumping only once a week ish) and 1 day at weekend up to 2-3 hour hacking. 1 day off at weekend, sometimes 2 if its felt she needs it.
She's a show horse and will be competing approx once a month.
Now the tricky bit - she needs energy feeds as she is naturally very very laid back (but can be spooky!).

Currently in at night and out during the day - this swaps over in summer to out at night, in during the day. Fed adlib hay at present, but in summer will have 1 haynet during the day.
This is for hard feed only - supplements to help manage her azortoria are sorted and working well (including oil).
She's currently on Winergy Medium Energy which really suits her and her temperament, but costs an absolute fortune to feed at recommended levels (ie: 6 bags a month at £12 each).
What would you feed if this was your horse??
 
Thanks guys - just looked at the alpha a oil and it recommends about 2kg a day for her so about 4 large scoops - but would that not put weight on her as it seems quite 'conditioning'?

Forgot to add, she has QuickBeet at the mo (unmollased sugar beet) and really gets on with it, so will stick with that...
 
Fast fibre by allen and page and some alfa a lite. When work increases look at using a small amount of A&P power and performance cubes, this will give you a high fibre low startch diet suited to those that tie up.
 
I would recommend speaking to a feed company for advice. Dodson & Horrell are my favourite - give extremely good specific advice. If you tell them everything you've put in your post they'll be very helpful and specific about what to feed. They're experts afterall.......
 
I wouldn't give anything but fibre feeds;
SS Lucie Stalks, plus the unmollassed sugar beet, plus her supplements; you could always add a bit of oil yourself.
If she's laid back now she should perk up a bit as she gets fitter
smile.gif
 
Ok, I have a 15hh 460kg 19yo welsh D who suffers from azoturia. He hasnt had an attack in 8years and I feed him:

Alpha A
Dodson and Horrell ERS pellets
Fibre beet

He competes dressage, SJ, XC, MandM opens and veteran classes and looks fantastic on this combination of feeds.
 
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I wouldn't give anything but fibre feeds;
SS Lucie Stalks, plus the unmollassed sugar beet, plus her supplements; you could always add a bit of oil yourself.
If she's laid back now she should perk up a bit as she gets fitter
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]
lol...I've had her over 5 years and even at the peak of fitness, she's pretty much the same!!!! Naturally very laid back (lazy!)..

Thanks everyone.
I've been looking at the ERS pellets and wondering abut them, nice to hear that your horse hasn't tied up for such a long time.
 
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Thanks guys - just looked at the alpha a oil and it recommends about 2kg a day for her so about 4 large scoops - but would that not put weight on her as it seems quite 'conditioning'?



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Could be... it might be worth cutting down her haylage to allow for this... just the minimum of 1.5 - 2% of her bodyweight if necessary...
 
I would go for a nut/cube as they are generally lower in starch and more economical! Perhaps something that gives slow release energy and has elevated vits and mins so you don't have to feed masses to get the right level of nutrients. D&H Hi Fi nuts are good, although may not give her enough energy, or Stawpower Cubes are a more high-powered option. I'm not so familiar with other brands as I use D&H myself.

I'm also a fan of Speedibeet, but it may put too much condition on for you, likewise Alpha Oil.

I'm not sure there's much you can do to change her personality though!
 
When I did the winergy feed trial I had to half my horses recommended level as they were getting too porky on it and the nutritionist in charge of the trial sid as long as I kept his normal haynet intake going and added a vit and mineral supplement it would be fine. If she is happy and well on this diet then could it just be the quantity that needs changing not the actual feed
 
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When I did the winergy feed trial I had to half my horses recommended level as they were getting too porky on it and the nutritionist in charge of the trial sid as long as I kept his normal haynet intake going and added a vit and mineral supplement it would be fine. If she is happy and well on this diet then could it just be the quantity that needs changing not the actual feed

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Yep, see what your saying. But what I neglected to say was I wasn't feeding her on recommended levels, and as a result, there was no difference in her energy levels at all
frown.gif

So basically I could have just been feeding her on a cheaper, more readily available pony nut
 
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