Which feed would you choose?

[J_sarahd]

Now that I'm moving off full livery where basic feed was included and on to assisted DIY, I've decided to look into switching up my pony's feed.

He's currently on 1 cup Baileys lo cal balancer and handful of chaff twice a day. It's fine, it works. But I've recently read a few things saying that Baileys isn't great. Plus, I'd like him to have a touch more energy.

However, he's a pretty good doer. His body condition score was 6 last time it was done, so whilst not bad, he couldn't really afford to put on more weight. And obviously energy often equals condition. He's in work 4 times a week at the moment, but that may change when I switch yards.

I've spoken to Pure Feeds and they've recommended their Fibre Balance. Has anyone used this? They're sending me out a sample - but pony is a greedy guts so will probably eat it anyway.

I ideally want something as simple as possible and don't want about 3 or 4 different feeds to add in. Two is fine. Also I would like it to be as cost effective as possible.

Or do I just stick to the Baileys balancer and chaff as it's proven to be okay?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

The old adage is: If it ain't broke don't fix it.
As you are moving, there is even more reason to not change his feed, at least till he is properly settled.

 

[Roxylola]

I use baileys, we've been on lo cal and having had a chat with their rep recently as supercob was lacking a bit of zing i upped from 1 mug to 2 with a possibility of even 3 if needed. However she also said to get the regular balancer next time which we've just done. He was on topspec alfa as well but we've swapped to alfa oil (Dengie i think) on the same basis. Hes super sensitive and when we added sugar beet his mallanders flared up hugely.
Increasing the balancer worked well for us

 

[PapaverFollis]

I agree with TFF. Stick with what he's on through the yard change and for a good while after. He might do better or worse on the different grass and hay at the new yard so not changing anything else let's you observe that as well as reducing the changes his gut has to adapt to. If he's still not quite where you want him 6 months down the line then review.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I like to feed straight feeds rather than a mix and Pure Feeds stuff has waaaaaay too many ingredients for me, but they do seem to be good and some friends feed it without issue.

If I were you I would put him on half a scoop of alfalfa pellets which turn into a kind of mash when you add water and then you can add whatever supplements take your fancy, this also negates the need for an additional chaff. High in protein, moderate in digestible energy and low in sugar and starch - it's also just one ingredient so you can easily increase and decrease it based on his needs. I get the Dengie ones at £11 a bag.

 

[J_sarahd]

Just a side note: I wasn't going to just feed him the lo cal for his breakfast on the day of the move and then swap to whatever feed in the evening. If I am to change, I'll do it slowly. I just like to be prepared! I think because I've been feeling that lack of spark and I didn't notice much of a change in him from going to pony nuts to the balancer, I wondered if there was something potentially better for further down the line.

 

[HeyMich]

I've spoken to Pure Feeds and they've recommended their Fibre Balance. Has anyone used this? They're sending me out a sample - but pony is a greedy guts so will probably eat it anyway.

Yes, I feed Fibre Balance to all 4 of mine, which include an ulcer-prone mare, a high-energy jumping pony, a wee fatty welshy, and a cushings veteran mare. They get a cup of fast fibre mixed in during winter months too. They all lick their bowls clean every day and are all thriving on it! It's low cal, no alfa (mare is reactive to alfa), no molasses, laminitic and ulcer friendly, added pre/pro biotic, added well balanced mins/vits etc. It's a great feed for us, and I would highly recommend it.

ETA - I do agree with the others above though, leave him on what he's used to through the change in yards, and then gradually change feeds over once he's settled, if that's what you decide to do.

 

[TPO]

"Spark"/energy comes from fitness not feed. On this post you have said his body condition score is 6. Therefore he is getting sufficient calories from feed/forage that aren't being used and are converting to fat.

I'd work on fitness rather than changing feed at this stage.

In your other post you say that he has lost weight and muscle condition (& fitness?). Has he lost weight and is now a 6? If he was previously a higher body score than 6 then I'd start on a fitness plan to slowly condition his muscle. Being fitter will mean that he will have more energy.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

The old adage is: If it ain't broke don't fix it.
As you are moving, there is even more reason to not change his feed, at least till he is properly settled.

Agree with this, I did the same when moving from full to DIY although I did immediately begin the process of cutting the amounts down as it was just ridiculous the amount she was being fed and she now had more grass. Once she was settled and i was nearing the end of feed bags I started to swap things around.

Not sure what kind of pony you have (i.e. native vs a poor doer) but I really don't like trying to get more energy by feeding more/feeding higher energy feeds. Mine (when I'm not pregnant) has what I'd probs call a light workload, she's turned out 10 hours a day (16 in summer) in a big field so lots of running around, she is jumped once a week, hacks probably 3-4 and schools once or twice. She's never felt sluggish and she is on the horse equivalent of cardboard - a handful of honeychop lite and healthy and a handful of pony nuts and only gets this once a day. She's the slimmest native on the yard (also unrugged). But as I say she's a native, appreciate this doesn't work for those of a fairer disposition!

Instead I'd really assess how fit pony is, are they fit enough for the work you're asking of them? Mine is really forward in warm up when I'm not asking much of her in terms of stepping through from behind and over her back etc or out on a hack. But the minute I start asking more of her she really gets behind the leg because it's so new to her and is considerably more effort. She's the same jumping. She'll launch herself at a small course not asking much of her technically but the minute I set up some difficult lines or a really gymnastic grid she backs off. She doesn't need more spark from feed she needs me to slowly ask for this kind of work for longer so she can build the correct muscle for it.