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Post by rosiemay9 on Sept 15, 2014 14:11:45 GMT
Hi little bit of help please as I am stuck. I have a welsh cob who is a very good doer lives of hay and grass. As winter is coming and soon we are only allowed very limited turnout in winter what does everyone else feed there good doers? I have only ever fed Topspec but to me this seems like a waste of money for her as she looks so well on nothing she just doesn't need that. just want something to give her everything she needs over winter to keep her condition. Any of your advice would be appreciated. Thank you
Also whilst I am asking -- storage boxes at farms can anyone recommend one I purchased a keter one from argos for £40 and it broke as I was assembling piece of rubbush! on search for new one but don't want to buy another dud one x
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Post by rosiemay9 on Sept 19, 2014 10:03:40 GMT
Still looking x
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Post by WKponies on Sept 19, 2014 10:25:53 GMT
I use Topspec light balancer and spillers happy hoof to both of my welshie good doers and the one in more work gets either cool mix or competition mix depending on the ooomph he needs for the work he's doing
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Post by rosiemay9 on Sept 19, 2014 10:42:39 GMT
I will read into the light balancer, I used to use comphrensive and the cool nuts and they all ended up looking how she does now without feed so just didn't want to waste all that money when they could be something cheap and simple that could keep her the same as she is now. Defiantly going to look at a mix for her think we will go for non heated as she doesn't need any more energy. Thank you
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Post by nici on Sept 19, 2014 13:00:29 GMT
Please avoid mixes as they generally contain high sugar/starch levels as they are cereal based and usually coated in molasses. If you're concerned about feeding the right level of vits & mins, a light balancer can be fed on its own, or a powder based vits&mins supplement can be fed with a lite unmolassed chaff.
My ponies get just grass/hay unless their workload demands more. My daughter is hunting her little Welsh C mare every week, so she is on Top Spec balancer and alfa oil at the moment, plus 24/7 turnout on a reasonable amount of unfertilised grass. If she needs more during winter we will can add more alfa oil, add micronised linseed or add Speedibeet as needed to keep condition on her. Our other C is a 4 yo, just being schooled at the moment. He's on the same Top Spec balancer and alfa oil, which will ensure he has adequate protein as well as vits & mins to help him develop the new muscles he needs as he starts his ridden career. He will be turned away for winter from around the end of October, so won't be fed up through winter - I prefer my ponies to come out of winter lean, so I don't need to worry too much about spring grass.
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Post by rosiemay9 on Sept 19, 2014 13:09:25 GMT
Would Alfa A and Fibrebeet & Micronsidsed Linseed be good? I know I have a bag of fibre beet that I haven't used yet but If that no good ill just throw it away and buy the speedibeet. Thank you for your advice Nici
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Post by nici on Sept 19, 2014 13:46:48 GMT
I've not used fibre beet but I believe it's similar to Speedibeet but has added alfalfa. If I remember correctly it has higher energy than Speedibeet and will have higher protein level from the alfalfa. Alfa A / Fibre-beet, speedibeet and micronised linseed are all complementary fibre/conditioning feeds and are not designed to provide the broad spectrum vits & mins that a balancer would do. If any of my ponies need more than they can get from grass/hay I always start with a lite balancer (Top Spec being my preferred option but there are others). This is designed to deliver the essential nutrients with minimum calories, so always feed the correct quantity for the weight of horse/pony. Only if the pony needs more calories, because it's losing too much condition or is doing a lot of hard work like my daughter's hunting pony, do I then add the calories for energy / condition via the complementary feeds. Splitting between balancer for essentials and other feeds for calories means I can add/reduce calories as appropriate for each horse/pony, while still feeding the essentials.
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Post by rosiemay9 on Sept 19, 2014 13:55:48 GMT
She is in light work and over winter will be in very light work as want to give her a break over winter do the usual hack weekend work that is all and wil come back in full work from January so just want something so she doesn't drop her condition over winter as they will be allowed out around 2-3 times in the week if that depending on weather so she will not be out eating everyday. I will stick to Speedibeet then as do not want extra energy. thank you
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Post by nici on Sept 19, 2014 14:05:18 GMT
Oh and for storage - what sort of storage do you need? For feeds etc I use plastic domestic dustbins. In theory these are not vermin proof, but I've had some of mine for 10 years or more and they've not been chewed. Also good for storage are metal office cabinets - filing cabinets are great for rugs and we also have cabinets with shelves for storing bits and pieces, and have removed shelves and replaced with saddle and bridle holders in another. We picked these up for about £20 each from our local scrap metal dealer. Vermin proof, strong and lockable. Perfect for a tack room.
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Post by rosiemay9 on Sept 19, 2014 14:07:32 GMT
I want the platic ones outside the stable to store my boots in coats, and some clean numnah rugs and other bits and bobs that I want near stable but the one I purchased from argos for £40 fell apart which I was not happy at all so need to buy a new one before mice move in there.
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Sept 19, 2014 15:09:05 GMT
Nici's said ti all, but I just wanted to add that calories are used both for energy for work and for putting on condition, just two uses for the same thing. Any surplus calories not used in work will be put on as fat, so you can't talk about the two things separately. I should use up the fibrebeet if you already have it!
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