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xxxkristinaxxx
xxxkristinaxxx
Feeding advice please
Nov 25 2007, 3:00 PM EST | Post edited: Nov 25 2007, 3:00 PM EST
Hi, Samson is turned out 24/7. Our fields are sparse in winter and they don't have a lot of grass to eat between three of them.
Sam gets a big hay net in the morning and a big hay net at night. I am not sure if he gets one midday I doubt it.
In the morning he gets half a scoop of leisure mix which isn't much really, and then half a scoop of garlic honeychop, and selenivite which is a good all round vitamin and mineral supplement and especially for selenium deficiencies. He did have a whole scoop of honeychop but he has too much energy at the moment.
He is a good weight, he has a bit of a belly, but I can feel his ribs easily so I suppose hes a good weight!
He is only fizzy when I haven't ridden over 3 or more days. I know that honeychop is quite high in sugar and I am going to change it to a lower sugar and higher fibre chaff when he finishes this bag.

What do you recommend, I was thinking about giving him a bit less leisure mix because I only ride three times a week.

I haven't weighed him with a weight tape yet, but I think it would be a good idea.
He is regularly wormed so his pot belly must be a grass belly
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SLW84
SLW84
1. RE: Feeding advice please
Nov 25 2007, 4:56 PM EST | Post edited: Nov 25 2007, 4:56 PM EST
Personally I am a big fan of pure high fibre diets. The horse can get all they need from fibre which at the end of the day is what their digestive systems are designed for.
My horses live out 24/7 (best way) and I feed alfa oil, alfabeet, hi fi lite (for my good doer) and NAF general vits and mins with adlib hay. The main thing with feeding is to feed for what the horse has done, not what they are about to do. I highly recommend Dengie and their site is well worth a look (see my links page). I think if he is a good doer and isn't in much work, a fibre diet would be fine for him even through winter providing he has good access to hay when grass is limited. There is no reason why you couldn't cut out the cereals altogether. My SJ is doing well on his fibre diet even though he is a poor doer. I have seen pics of Samson and he looks really well so what you have been doing is obviously working. The only thing I would say is to look at if you really need the leisure mix. Fibre feeds provide a great source of slow release energy which I would say is much better for any horse but definately youngsters. Have a look at the Dengie site and you can even email them for more direct advice.
He does look well though so a pat on the back for you.
Hope this helps. If you need anymore advice, you know where I am.
ttfn
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xxxkristinaxxx
xxxkristinaxxx
2. RE: Feeding advice please
Nov 27 2007, 1:40 PM EST | Post edited: Nov 27 2007, 1:40 PM EST
Thanks again for the reply! I am going to have a look at the Dengie website now. I didn't really know much about fibre diets before but it is certainly an option.

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