Not enough hard feed?

G

Gwenllian

Guest
Rosie is a 14.3hh heavyweight cob mare.She has just been brought back into work after weaning her foal and weighs approx 590kg.She looks about right. I'm hacking her out about 5 times a week and she's also having an hour's lesson.The hacking isn't long, as I can't tolerate long periods in the saddle,and it's not fast,but it's hard going.Lots of hills etc...steep ones too.But she's really sluggish.She's only had her foal weaned for three weeks, and was quite fat when the foal was taken off.She's now looking MUCH better,but she's still sluggish.She wasn't a plod when she was pregnant (otherwise, I might have noticed she was pregnant!!!!!) But she's really hard work now.
She's getting two large haynets of hay or haylage, twice daily.This is fertilised farm hay, not meadow hay.And about 1lb sugar beet and 1/2 lb Baileys Lo-cal daily in two feeds.She is an extremely good doer.Getting weight off her is like trying to get blood out of a stone, so I'm anxious that she doesn't get fat.However, I don't want to asktoo much of her if I'm not giving her enough energy.She currently gets about 3 hrs turn out daily on fertilised farm land, which is very lush at present, that's why she only gets three hours.
Anyone any suggestions?
 
The food sounds fine , have you thought about giving a broad band supplement?

I had to do that with Safi - all the youngstock feeds had her looking like a fat pony, so I fed phase 2 with blue chip.

Larri
 
Gwenllian, is this the same Rosie that was bothering you because she was so pushy and bargy:) :)? I think it's a mistake to feed these cob types too much; everyone always says the answer to sluggishness is exercise and schooling. It sounds as if she's getting plenty of exercise, but maybe you could get her to be a bit more responsive, and work a bit more enthusiastically? Perhaps ask her to trot up those hills instead of working? I'm sure you'd soon know if you were overworking or underfeeding her - not just because she says so (well, she would, wouldn't she!) but because she starts losing weight, or getting out of breath.
 
Rude Rosie!

Yep, the very same Rosie.Rude Rosie as my blacksmith calls her! Her manners in hand are slowly improving, but she is still awful to pick her feet up, and now as good as I need her to be at the block, but not terrible.It just means it dictates when I can ride, because I need my husband there to help me.She can be rude to tack up too.
However, as regards hacking out.I am trotting her up these hills.And she IS breathless.She has certainly lost weight, and needed too, and she looks absoloutely magnificent, not underweight at all. I bring her home in a lather! Have had to clip her last week.Just an apron for now...we'll review as we go along.I may take a little more off.She's not losing any MORE weight though, and I don't want her to.I'm trying to establish whether or not this is a schooling or a feeding problem.On the way outwards, unfortunately we have to take the same 1/2 mile stretch before we can go anywhere,and I think she thinks....Oh God no, not this again, because she then perks up a bit when she realises, that it isn't going to be all the same as last time.On the way home though, after what is usually a very gently 3-4 mile ride, she's huffing and puffing coming along the homewards stretch!
I'm a bit puzzled.Also should I be really pushing her in the first 1/2 mile? i.e not speed wise, but making her stride out, after all, it isn't my fault we have to start that way every time!!
Also I meant to say at the start that she's NOT standing at the block,but I didn't correct my typing error, because I'm finding for some reason that I'm losing my whole post if I go back to correct an error!
Perhaps I've clarified my original post now, so if you've any further comments, please feel free.Take a look at Rosie...taken one hour ago.
 
Rosie now.........

Here's the little horror!
 

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And here's the other side!

Not fat...but not thin?
Any suggestions?
 

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She looks smashing, Gwenllian, just about right as you say.

Just wondered whether part of Rosie's current problem might be the weather. Over here it has been exceptionally warm for October and my cob already has a very thick coat. I was finding he was coming back from a relatively steady hack dripping wet and was very sluggish. Had him fully clipped out yesterday (never had a full clip on him before) and he has a new lease of life! I certainly feel sluggish if I've got too many clothes on so I'm sure they feel the same.
 
Yes, I was about to say the same thing - the horses are getting hairy but the weather isn't really that cold yet, and we've had some quite sticky days here in Devon lately!

Also, although it's not easy to tell from the angle of the photos, Rosie isn't thin but does look to be in slightly slack condition, which is only what you'd expect after a lay-off. Three weeks isn't really that long for muscle to build up - some exercise programmes recommend six weeks' walking before you even think of starting trot work! (I'm afraid I don't have the patience for that!)

I shouldn't worry about trotting up the hills if it's making her puff like that - I should think you'll get just as much benefit at the moment from walking up them. Maybe a very low trace clip would be in order too, although I must say if I were you I'd be loathe to shear off any more of that lovely red coat than I had to!
 
Really??

Heck....six weeks walking?? Wow! Poor Rosie, and I've been trotting her like mad!!
Presumable then, that it's reasonable to ask for a pretty active walk up these hills? Perhaps I should try that, and keep the trotting for when she tries to mess with me.
Thanks all. I'm wondering about that trace clip too.Might go ahead and do it.She does sweat an awful lot.
 
Rosie really does have big feet!! i hope you wear a good hard pair of shoes when you are around her, especailly if she is not easy to pick up the feet !:)

the hroses here are all sweating alot because we have very hot days and cold nights and a few weeeks ago we thought it was time for snow, and now its time for sunbathing. All the horses have grown part of their winter coats and i came back after 1.5hrs ride on saturday and my haffie was a different colour and all sweaty. - that was mainly from walking energetcially because we out out with a firey horse so my horsey had to walk not plod :)

but anyway she too is a plod, the owner weres rubber spurs to get her moving quicker, I back my leg up with a crop.. we do a lot of hill work (not out of choice)- at first we used to just walk up the hills and that would tire her, after a hwile we tried trotting up and she was fine, and sometiems out of her own will she will canter u p the steep ones...although i prefer she doesnt because i dont ant a horn in my belly :D

and the fat horse never seems to loose weight, i think she gets hay 2x a day and hard feed in the evening (and a bunch of carrots if i am there :D) and if she is not being ridden she is turned out in a field with minimal grass. It is so hard to get her to loose weight, last decemeber she was extremely unfit, but now she has improved no end, still a plod, but at least we know she is a safe horse.
oops just realised this was a long reply...any news on william?
 
William

William is almost 14 hh.He is a gorgeous bright bay colour and has his mum's temperament.Did I not post a picture for you all, that I took when I went to get Rosie??
 
sorry gwenllian, don't know why my pm box was full because there were only 3 messgaes in there since the begining..but i empty it anyway.
spurs - in the magazine they are called plastic spurs but they are flexible and rubbery in real life...they only cost somewhere in between £3-£4 ...but i have only found them here in germany and they look like this (i hope the picture works...i have never put an attachment up before)
 

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Gwenllian, she's absolutely beautiful - a real, short-legged, deep-bodied genuine cob type like that is hard to find. And a good long neck and a pretty head too, by the look of her. I wish you lived a bit nearer, then we could ride out together!

It sounds as if you're doing it about right - maybe trot a bit less if she's getting puffed, and walk a bit more. Then in three weeks or so, when she's a bit fitter you can decide whether she needs more feed.
 
Hi Gwennillian
Just a tip I had passed on when I was trying to bring him into condition. I was told by a eventing trainer that it is more stressfull for horse to walk up hills than trot this is because when they are walking more weight is on the legs at any one time whereas when troting usually two legs are of the ground and so the weight is of those legs. When I walked him up hill he seemed to lose weight quicker than when I trird to trot him. He said after a mare has foaled this is the best way to rebuild the saggy muscles and retone them
Hope this is some help.

Regards Andy
 
Have to agree about trotting uphills. When I was bringing Bebe back into work we were supposed to be walking up hills but she would always try to trot (and still does) as it's easier going for them. Canter is supposed to be even easier than trot, greater thrust from the hind end I suppose. I had to be very firm with her to stay at a walk but it has paid off. As a treat I occasionally let her trot up the hill she dislikes the most (quite steep), depends how hard we've worked before we reach that point. I did do 8 weeks of walking though!

If you've been trotting her already I wouldn't panic too much about the walk work. I'd insist on her walking up some of the hills at least and reduce the trotting a little but there shouldn't be any need to cut it out completely.

And the walk has to be a brisk walk, doesn't have the same affect if they're dawdling along.

As for the feed, it sounds about right, my mare is a good doer and gets a similar amount (she's a 15.2hh QH x CB in light work) . You could consider giving a probiotic for a while to ensure that her gut is capable of digesting the food properly and a vitamin and mineral supplement wouldn't hurt. You might want to consider giving her some kind of feed with fast burning calories to help give her some extra spark under saddle, at the moment you're feeding mostly fibre which is wonderful but doesn't give any fast burning calories. My best advise would be for you to contact one of the bigger feed companies nutrition helplines. They will recommend their specific feeds but even if you don't use them the advice will be helpful and give you a good baseline to start from.

Amanda
 
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Thanks everybody!

I feel better now.The general opinion seems to be that I'm not doing anything terribly wrong.We'll keep it up a bit,and see how we go.She really is basically a very good baby...and she IS only a baby at five years old too.I was very stiff when we got back yesterday.She lowered her head ionstinctively for me to heave my leg over the front, and stood at my piece of reconstituted foam (landing pad,as the kids call it!!) whilst I wearily dismounted.Bless her.I really hope we can crack this.She's so bombproof.I'd love to keep her if I can.
 
Hi Gwennlian,

I just wondered what this piece of reconstituted foam you dismount onto is. I am having a mounting block built at home so I can 'step' off my cob but maybe this foam is also a good idea if it is moveable. Normal dismounting aggrevates my ankle so it is a problem when we are away from home. Have you got a photo?
 
You will have to start slowly and build up her muscles lots of walking like everyone says she looks in ok condition not too fat!she is a heavy weight type so will never be like a thoroughbred! Id rather have a cob anyday!If you want 2 perk her up try looking at the main ring feed and give her a handful main ring red is for working horses this should give her a little more zip.Try c if anyone else has some you can try as Id hate for you to buy a bag and it make her too zippy and youve wasted your£.
 
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