What would you feed??

Bettyboo1976

Bettyboo1976

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A 15'1 TBX who lives out 24/7 woks for 1hr (sometimes more) 5 days a week schooling, hacking or jumping. Sometimes drops weight in winter this year he didn't though. He is 15yrs old, gets adlib hay as grazing is poor, has wedges on his shoes as feet not great. He's not typical TB not fizzy etc very chilled.

I know what I feed is wrong, it's what old owners gave him, I've tried calling feed companies but its all so confusing... Help please :)
 
If his feet aren't great then you need a fibre based feed, something like Fast Fibre or an unmolassed beet, linssed is good for coat and hooves as is magnesium.

Why is he in wedges, you say his hooves aren't good, pictures might help those with a more knowledge than me re feet
 
He has very low heels long toes, farrier is working to correct this, the wedges are an interim measure. Sorry not got pictures What quantities would you feed?
 
Leaving aside the grass, hay and hoof factor, a good quality mineral balancer is important for all horses. If more energy is needed for weight maintanance I would feed something like un molassed beet small feeds (increasing and decreasing as required) and add in the usual micronised linseed and yea sac. Add extra salt and probably magnesium oxide but the mag depends on how high spec the balancer is.
Minerals and lysine (a protein)are the two things most often deficient, a good balancer will contain lysine and if extra is needed it can be added as a single supplement or I believe micronised soya meal has good levels.

Low sugar fibre energy source= beet/fast fibre and linseed. Minerals =balancer and salt plus possibly extra mag ox. Protein especially lysine= balancer and soya for eg if required and methionine (another important protein) in balancer and linseed. Gut support = yea sacc.

My tb is on a very low sugar high fibre diet (soaked hay very restricted grass) beet, Forage Plus hoof health balancer, extra salt and m. linseed. She holds her weight very well these days. Excess sugars and starches upset the hind gut and reduce absorption of nutrients. Sadly grass and hay can have high sugar levels but sometimes out 24/7 is the only option. I'm so glad I have a big yard so don't have to stable.

That's my thinking but I am not a nutritionist or very knowledgeable in depth.
 
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