Horse feed question - endurance mix

[Maddison's girl]

I am looking to compete the moose this year. My daughter is working her every day to fitten her up while I am still unable to ride. She has the worlds slowest canter and can be a tad lazy, if she had her way she would mozy along at a slow walk. We do all we can to squeeze her on etc but was wonder if something like Baileys endurance mix (or similar) would give her a little sparkle in her step without turning her into a raving goon.

The only problem is she is a good doer, so I dont want her getting as fat as a barrel.

Any suggestions? :D

Thank you

Amanda

[Maddison's girl]

ooo just spotted baileys competition mix, it says "to provide energy and sparkle for the “laid back” good-doer". Does anyone feed their horse this?

[Maddison's girl]

anyone?

[CurlyWurlyRach]

what do you feed her normally?
i have a friend who uses baileys competition mix on her eventer with great sucess - not fizzy but always raring to go.

[Maddison's girl]

she is fed mollichaff and the feed merchants own brand mix

[No_Angel]

I used endurance mix for a while. its non heating but aloows extra energy. put lots of weight on my horse aswell as it has linseed and barley in it.

[Maddison's girl]

the feed merchant suggested Dodson and Horrell competition country mix said it should give her oompf without being a raving loon

[Jessey]

Its a difficult one, high energy mixes in true good doers often just get layed down as more fat :o as calories can either be used for weight gain or energy, however some feeds tend to be used for energy more than for weight gain, generalising here but oats and sugars are good energy and oils and fibres are good fat feeds.
Endurance horses tend to need lots of slow release energy (to last those very long distances) so feeding oils and fibres is important as it can be laid down in fat and then used when its really needed - like when they are racing.
I would be tempted to try more of a competition mix - I like the Spillers responce mixes - they have slower or faster release ones depending on your needs, if you find with something like that you are still getting weight gain and not enough spark then perhaps considering something like tiger oats (from equilibra) they are a mix of oats good for instant energy but also have the benifit of a small ammount of added balance to avoid the problems of feeding true straights.
But you may find that your horse is just not one to respond to feed with 'sparkle' the best thing for those types is to get them really fit, so everything they do is a bit easier for them, that way they are likely to be more keen/forward etc about doing it :D

[HorseManiac]

Try Spiller Instant Competition Mix/Cubes thing.. Its very good:)