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Post by comanchediva on May 22, 2015 22:24:19 GMT
I know there have been lots of threads re feeding advice but I'm looking for help specifically for this pony. So here goes-
We have a 5 year old Fell stallion who can be quite lazy.
He's a very good doer and can look fat off fresh air but we need to give him some hard feed as I don't believe in not feeding one when 5 others are having a bucket. At the moment he's on a handful of chop and a few conditioning cubes he looks really well but has little energy when ridden.
He gets silly in his flat classes so we've started to slowly take him down the workers route as he loves to jump and the plan is to have him ready for some autumn novice classes.
In the meantime he's doing some inhand shows and we want him looking fit not fat, he's being worked 3 or 4 times a week at home.
Last summer we gave him Baileys lo cal which gave him more oomph at first but then sent him loopy. So we're looking for a balancer, not a feed, which will give him the micro nutrients a young maturing pony needs whilst not sending him stupid but also helping to give him some oomph (which I know will get better as he gets fitter). Does anyone have any recommendations?
Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to explain the situation specifically for this pony. Many thanks in advance x
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Post by pinecreststud1 on May 23, 2015 10:17:30 GMT
If wanting a balancer to give all vits I use equi-mins advance concentrate complete powder it has a money back warranty if not happy/doesnt work, you just add forage great stuff. They also do a balancer on their site it also has a money back warranty, I have not used this but take a look at both of them on their site.
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on May 23, 2015 11:00:28 GMT
A balancer is normally rather different to this sort of powdered vit/min supplement as it should also contain essential amino acids. Young horses need protein to grow, and not all amino acids can be made in the body but some need supplying in the diet, particularly lysine.
I'd suggest you have a chat with some of the quality feed company's nutritionists for their input. I normally use Top Spec and know their's is good, but chatting with a few would give a broader perspective. I wonder what in the Baileys made him go loopy - it's normally starch from grain that does that but without checking, I wouldn't normally expect that in any quantity in a lo cal balancer.
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Post by lucynlizzysmum on May 23, 2015 15:12:57 GMT
I always used topspec but had a pony which it seemed to wind up, we put her onto the baileys and she did well on that. I think Sarah is right, phone round and speak to the different companies.
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Post by comanchediva on May 24, 2015 5:50:27 GMT
Thanks guys, that's pretty much what we were thinking but wanted to see if anyone had any particular recommendations.
Sarahp, we say it was the lo cal but it is possible that it was the time of year that tipped him over the edge and it was just coincidence that we'd started him on the lo cal at the same time.
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Post by victoria50 on May 24, 2015 6:53:16 GMT
there is a new one on the market called equidgel and lamigel which are reportedly very good, I am off to an information evening about them on Tuesday
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on May 24, 2015 8:44:21 GMT
Interesting concept, but as far as I can see not fulfilling the role of a balancer as most of us understand it.
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Post by comanchediva on May 24, 2015 10:10:54 GMT
It's a traditional balancer that we're looking for so he can have a small handful of chop with the balancer then he'll think he's been fed along with the others.
I think we might try the lo cal again. Last year we almost felt pressured into starting his ridden flat career and we probably went too soon with him but now we're taking out of that environment I think he'll behave differently.
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on May 24, 2015 10:24:37 GMT
It's always worth considering the whole picture both in diet and management terms when trying to sort out a problem.
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Post by jasperg1 on May 24, 2015 15:14:05 GMT
hi I have used lo cal with my fell.i am now using top spec lite,which is on offer on promo for 9.99 at the moment.i have stocked up.my fell has half mug and literally handful no sugar chop as hes a good doer.works a treat loads energy but all of the nutrients.i really struggle with his weight
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Post by Guestless on May 24, 2015 17:19:43 GMT
hi I have used lo cal with my fell.i am now using top spec lite,which is on offer on promo for 9.99 at the moment.i have stocked up.my fell has half mug and literally handful no sugar chop as hes a good doer.works a treat loads energy but all of the nutrients.i really struggle with his weight I was about to say the same thing - TopSpec lite is on special but just til the end of this month. Ideal time to try it. I use nearly all TopSpec products for my ponies.
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Post by jasperg1 on May 24, 2015 20:07:20 GMT
decathlon have it in.it all seems to dated end November this year.
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