Feeding a Shetland

[Miriam]

Due to the bad winter and very little grass even the shetlands have lost weight. We put them in the big field but they still dont seem to have managed to put much wieght on.

They are now on build up and sugar beet so hopefully that will get them in condition. Any other suggestions

[~Perdita.M~]

Don't know how big or how much grass your big field has, but remember it's only just april, I reckon they'll all pork out soon enough. Better to have them leaner going into spring and summer rather than their normal ball shape :D

[Esther.D]

ditto perdita and mine, no matter if they loose weight significantly (not that most of them do :rolleyes: ) never get anything other than hay or haylage or a handful of pony nuts. I generally do exactly as Perdita says and just wait for the grass to come through and supplement with hay if there isn't enough. I would prefer a slightly too slim shetland any day to a porky one ;)

[Miriam]

Thanks for that. Looks like we can stop worrying over them then. Just if they lost all their fur we are sure they would look like hat racks :eek:

[notpoodle]

i know the feeling!! angel lost weight over the winter (still looking trim!), i gave her a little sugarbeet and alfa-a, along with ad lib hay (sometimes haylage, depending on what i can get my hands on ...). she has put a little back on, but i stopped the sugarbeet now because theyll go out in the summer field soon.


julia
x

[parsharainbow]

mine has lost weight too - but I noticed yesterday that the grass has come through so he won't be getting any extra feed, well not that I will have given him anyway, although I'm sure he will do his usual and break out of the field and eat the rabbit food. :)

[artemis]

I absolutly agree, better a lean shetland than a fat one. I am two weeks behind you for growth (on a hill!) & am keeping a wary eye on the grass growth already.

I would stop the build-up immediatly @ only give sugar beet if it is unmollassed. If he needs more food give hay or haylage.

[Miriam]

Hay isnot an option as our YO wont put any in the paddock they are in as there are other horses in there too. Only way we can do it is to remove them round the corner and that is not practical for Gemma

[Esther.D]

The only way you will get weight on them safely is through forage, any quantity of hard feed without forage will just fizz them up and risk lamintis..I would just leave them and wait for the grass to kick in :)

[Miriam]

Ok thanks Esther

[artemis]

I agree with Esther, but if you feel you must give something choose a feed with a low sugar content, there are lots made now. I use speedi beet & happy hoof.