Developing a feeding plan for a green horse?

Question

Need help developing a simple feeding plan for my Hanovarian gelding. He's 17.2, definately at least 80 pounds overweight right now (which will be off soon he just began working again and getting in shape).

He is 24/7 turn out unfortunately right now, but that is how he likes it. He is a fairly low energy horse, sometimes a little too low energy. Not a picky eater, not allergic to anything i'm aware of. This is just a plan I want for about 4 days a week, once a day, simple, low fat, yummy diet that he would like that will provide him with some energy, some low fats, and something that he can look forward to when the day comes. I know it isn't neccessarily a "schedule" feeding, but I basically just need help on the feed to choose, your suggestion, and the amount appropriate.

Experienced horse people only please.

Answer 1

well at the moment im feeding my green horse hay but in generous amounts, but since ur horse is massively huge i would say 3 biscuits or if he is a bit chubby maybe 2. once in work again to start getting his muscles developped for further training i suggest grain, maybe oat in small amounts, corn is ok but is explosive energy because it only get digested in the small intestine, u can get like cheap 48cent mixtures but that is also weight gaining feed u could also give ur horse canola oil for an extra shiny coat, mare and foal mixture is very nutritious as well, and maybe copra but im not expert so maybe stick with hay in good generous amounts with canola oil drizzled on it, i like there coats shiny, it doesnt hurt them to look fancy.

hope it helps cya xXxrokchikxXx i am an experienced rider though only about 9 years u know not long

Answer 2

If he is too fat I would not feed him anything extra until he loses the weight he needs.  Riding will do wonders for that for two reasons.  One it is exercise and two it is time he spends not actually eating.

No your plan should be to ride him and not feed him extra (exept a treat or two to get him looking forward to seeing you), and ride him to build muscle and energy.  Feeding him grain will increase his energy level in the wrong way, it may make him fidgety or high strung. and like a kid on a sugar rush, unable to pay attention to his training.  Since he is green you do not want that.

I prefer not to give my green horses much grain until they are well enough broke that it is just a question of miles being put on.  I do not consider them fully broke until ridden a hundred miles.

Answer 3

For the moment I would only give him chalf with maybe a little cool mix of some sort for flavour and vits etc. You say he's just beggining to come back into work so you could go talk to your local feed merchant about what is available where you live and what would be suitable. Once you have chosen a suitable feed for him to be on once fully back in work then you just start giving small amounts and increase the amounts as the work increases. For the amount appropriate, we feed our cob a half scoop of slow release energy cubes, and a quater scoop of meadow herb mix (both by spillers (UK)), and spoonful of sugarbeet to mix his suppliments in, and some chaff wet down. He is worked about 4-5 times a week for up to an hour of medium work. He is also quite low energy and this just gives him enough oomph without making him daft. He gets more in the winter and less in the summer as he gets more from the grass then.

You could also consider something with a higher protein level if he needs to put a lot of muscle on as this helps to put muscle on but often these feeds are also high calorie so might cause a problem with his weight. It kinda depends on where you are as to whats available.

It's also important that you either feed him every day or not at all because horses are creatures of routine and he won't understand that it's xday so he has a feed but tomorrow it's yday so he doesn't. It is also important from a colic point og view as irregualr feeding could possible trigger a colic.

Hope this has helped a little.