Tubby Pony!

[Deleted]

I am looking for advice on feeding our coloured cob pony this winter.
We bought him in February when he was quite under weight but now he is rather on the large side. He is in a paddock shared with 2 other tubbies, a fell and a fell x dales. I guess they have about 2 acres and there is still plenty of grass for them at the moment.
I've never had a good dooer before and I'm not sure of the best plan for winter.
He will be in during the night with the choice of hay or haylege (I'm guessing hay is better for him) and out during the day. I also have a WB x TB mare who had sugar beet, alfa- oil and top spec feed balancer plus baileys no. 4 if needed.. I don't want too many feed bins in my tack room if I can help it so what do you suggest I give him to keep his weight down but maintain his vit and minerals?

[zeldalithgow]

If he were mine I wouldn't give him anything other than hay, esp if he's not in hard work - possibly a vit min supplement but no hard feed I'd put the vit min supplement in a very small feed of Hi-Fi lite or similar, and see how he goes

[jacquidales]

Like Zelda I'd just give an all round vit supplement in a small handful of Hi Fi Lite or Dengi Good Doer. Once he gets to a normal weight you can always feed the Top Spec balancer for fatties (or to be PC- Good Doers!). I've always managed mine well on this kind of thing.

[JoM]

I too give Dancer next to nothing and an all round suppliment

He has been on this

www.feedmark.com/show_product.asp?productid=103

all summer as he is restricted grazed due to ever expanding belly. He is still in fantastic conditon, so it seems to be doing the trick. A blob of corn oil (Tesco's ) in with his tea also keeps his coat in tip top conditon, or you could feed seaweed which will do the same job.

He has a small handful of molichop (the cheapest I can find!) to mix the suppliment into (but you could use a blob of sugar beet for that purpose) and a small scoop of slow release energy mix to keep him a little more spritely. Aside from that - nothing.

In winter I feed a small amount of haylege (as it is his favourite) but top up with hay, as haylege makes him balloon out of control. But I cant deny him it as he drooles for it! LOL

The benevit advance I think is very reasonably priced, free delivery in the uk as well. And it lasts ages.

[NFK Dumpling]

Like those above I feed a forage balancer (unmolassed pencils) and rationed grass in the "growing" months with barley straw for bulk if needed.

Wintertime I feed the forage balancer with a ration of hay plus a scoop of Happy Hoof with a couple of chopped carrots or a crust of bread - or if he's lucky an apple or pear.

I tried ad lib hay but he came out of the winter at least as fat as he started it!

When I had James on established cattle meadow grass I rode him six days a week and still had to ration the grass - he only got fed hay in the middle of winter. Its very difficult not to feed them as they do love to eat.

[Deleted]

Thanks for your suggestions. Looks like I'm going to have to be tough this winter. I'm such a softie. I love to get them tucked up in a nice snuggly bed with a lovely feed when it's cold outside! I know what you mean NFK Dumpling. They look at you with those big sopppy eyes asking for another handful.
I hope he will emerge in spring sylph like and lovely!

More exercise would help I'm sure. He's currently only ridden at weekends by my daughter.
I wonder if there are any Dalesfans in or near Wakefield who would be interested in riding him during the week? He's 14.1hh coloured cob. 110% to hack out. A bit lazy to school but otherwise a little star.

[lieke]

I would defenitly try to find someone to ride him more often. My experience is that riding is the best solution.
I'm a softy like you, I love to give my pony a warm bed, lots of hay a lots of normal food (sorry, don't know the english word).
In autumn and winter he gets a handfull of normal food and enough hay. In spring and summer the grass is enough. I also give carrots, apples and oranges to keep him happy. Well in the winter he look like a nice sportpony and in summer he's a bit chubby, but not fat.

[harleydales]

Mine are out all winter and it gets bluddy cold, so they get pasture mix, safe and sound or fibergy chop, sugar beet if it's not frosty (it freezes in the shed, must be most unpleasant!) plus hay. We make good hay and they don't tend to bother with it, so they get 3 wedges between 2 horses, or if it's really cold and hard a wedge each twice a day. I am hard!! But then again, they have lots of good grazing and always come out of winter looking well so it must be working!!

[dalesponyrider]

D is a really good doer and only has to look at a blade of grass to put on weight! I have her in a restricted grazing area all year round, only give her hay and a little bit of dengie light just to mix her joint supplement into. I keep her out unrugged 24/7 and last winter rubbed my hands with glee when it was cold and wet as she lost a bit of weight keeping warm! Cruel aren't I? In my defense I will say that my physio told me it was imperative to get the weight off her.

The thing that has made a tremendous difference has been exercise though. As her health improved (she had quite a few problems) so has her workload increased. This is the thing that has had most influence on her weight. Interval training and plenty of canter work has worked a treat.

Don't know if any of this will help you but thought I'd post it anyway.

[penninelass]

I agree its hard to keep the weight off these good-doers. When the grass is growing (up to about July) I keep Willy in for part of the time, then when the growth has slowed down, he goes out 24/7 then until they have to come in about November time. Then the horses are in until the beginning of June as its very wet here in the hills. I make sure he then gets plenty of work.

He gets two days off per week when he is in and the other days he gets a mix of road hacking, off road hacking with lots of canters and schooling (which he hates!) with lungeing on bad, rainy days.

Willy gets haylage when he is in and I always make sure he has apples and carrots all year round. The only time I give him hard feed is when he is wormed.

He'll never be Slim Jim, but what the heck, the vet sez he's fine and my friend's riding instructors sez he's the most supple pony she's ever met!

[emmaloo]

Try bringing him off the grass for a couple of hours a day...Or mebbe cut down his feed? If your worried about his vitamins and stuff...Try a small amount of chaff,and coarse mix and his supplements. Or are you already doing that and ive typed aload of rubbish? Lol, Hope its sorted soon.