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Cheap hard feed while on grass?

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  • 30-07-2010 12:57pm
    #1
    Smithym
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭


    New to the forum and second thread of the day!

    I'd love to hear what people feed their horses, particularly TBs, while they're on grass to keep a balanced diet. Also, what supplements do you recommend?

    As mentioned in my other thread, I have a 6-year-old tb who's extremely difficult to keep weight on, and can be quite a fussy eater too though we get around this by mixing feed with soaked beet pulp with molasses or adding a little sunflower oil. I've spent a lot of money over the past several months keeping him in good condition after a winter filled with setbacks and now I'm looking for cheaper options of hard feed to keep him in the best condition possible coming into this autumn. He'll be kept out on grass until the end of September, maybe later pending how the weather is, so he'll be grazing until then too but grass alone has never been enough to keep weight on him. Unlike a lot of horses who seem to eat all day, my boy seems very picky when it comes to grass so he'll eat a little then potter around the field. Once he's stabled again, he'll be getting hay, beet pulp/molasses and I'm looking for recommendations on a cheaper hard feed to get us through the winter.

    When it comes to horses, advice from fellow horse owners with years of experience has been invaluable to me over the years, especially when it comes to feeding. So would love to hear your feedback! Thanks. :)


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    #2
    shanagarry
    Registered Users Posts: 599 ✭✭✭shanagarry


    Flaked maize is great for keeping weight on, so I'd suggest getting a bag of that and mixing through his feed.


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    #3
    fizififi
    Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭fizififi


    Just a thought... are his teeth ok?


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    #4
    convert
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,338 Mod ✭✭✭✭convert


    My TB has been out in the field in the summer and he's really bloomed and put on a nice amount of condition without becoming too fat or heavy. To be honest, I haven't had to give him any hard feed, luckily, but I have left a bucket of mineral lick in the field for him.

    However, if I want to give him a bit more food I feed him 11% horse nuts which work really well. And what's great is that they seem really palatable, even to a fussy eater, and he loves them! :)


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