Winter feeding regime

[J_sarahd]

Pony is currently on one stubbs scoop of fibre balance and half a mug of pink mash twice a day and is looking great on it. He’s always been slightly overweight but the last time he was weighed, the woman said he was looking great and in great condition.

That’s all well and good for now, but as we are approaching winter, I don’t want him to drop anymore. Obviously, this is something I’ve never had to worry about before and used winter as a good way to get some weight off him without starving him so this is probably a really, really novice-y question!

He will get ad-lib hay while he’s in (currently getting a few slices in his field at night while he’s still out 24/7) but shall I add more feed? Add something extra to his feed?

What are people’s thoughts/ideas? And please don’t judge my lack of knowledge!!

 

[Peglo]

I would likely wait and see IF he drops weight. If he does, then you could either up his current feed or add something extra but if it was me I wouldn’t change anything until I thought he needed it.

 

[meleeka]

Weigh tape weekly and you might not need to change anything.

 

[Annagain]

Deal with the horse you have in front of you, not one you might have in a few months' time. Keep him on current rations and re-examine IF he loses weight. My old man never changed. He never lost weight in winter or put it on in summer and Charlie has been similar this year, although he's put his energy into growing over this last year so might be more prone to putting on weight once he's stopped growing.

 

[Goldenstar]

You just have to look at the horses .
Mine are living out , spend a few hours in during the day get worked, hunt and do dressage and jump training .They get a token snack for coming in .
They ( 4 ) are six acres of very good but long grazing .
they won’t be getting anything much extra until I see ribs ( they are clipped ) .
Last year we did not start giving forage until mid December and that was only when they where in non in the field .
If I fed how we where taught to these horse would finish hunting fat , last year was a bit of a disaster because of Covid there was no hunting and they finished the season to big I like them to come into spring really lean .
I had to keep them up all summer .

 

[eggs]

I agree with everyone else - I would not be in any rush to change anything unless the vet says that he is underweight at any point. In general I would always look to up the forage before hard feed to keep weight on.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

Unless he’s particularly old or a poor doer then I wouldn’t worry. I’m very careful not to let my oldie of 26yrs drop as it’s much harder to get it back on an old horse. Last year with the very dry summer he did begin to drop but additional micronised linseed and Equijewel on top of his normal feed brought him back. This year the grass is really good and still growing so I don’t need to add anything extra yet but I’m keeping a close eye.