Feed for native ponies/cobs in hard work

[liveforsummer]

What do people feed their native/cob types when in harder work? Our pony is a Welsh cross trad cob and is doing plenty. My 2 dc share him so often he does 2 rallys in one day at pony club, he pony races, hunts fr
Time to time. Is ridden min 5 days a week with plenty hacking/fast work. He seems to just lack a bit of stamina and run out of puff easily despite clearly being pretty fit. Lots of people recommend top spec turbo but that goes against all I know for feeding these types (my experience most of my life has been thoroughbreds though which is obviously quite different). I know you can ask feed companies but I'm looking for personal experiences for me to weigh up

Sorry, should have said he's currently on blue chip native pony balancer, dengie healthy hoof and a good joint supplement. Have also just added a bit of speedi beet too

If he’s looking good body condition wise and not dropping weight with the hard work then I would probably add more fitness work rather than a different feed.

I am surprised you have been doing that level of work with just a balancer. There are so many horses on hard feed who do not require it but this is a clear case of need.
Call a feed helpline for advice but I would start with a simple pony nut and if this isn’t enough move onto to something higher energy. It does sound like a decent work load.

He's definitely dropped weight but only as you would expect as his fitness levels improve. We will keep up what we are doing which will hopefully continue to build strength but honestly couldn't improve on the fitness work he currently is doing. He's still young so also conscious of that. He should be incredibly fit but just seems to tire at times quicker than he should.

It's not just been a balancer. Also healthy hoof which is a complete feed in its self. He's young so this is the first time his work load has increased by this much and I am now looking to increase hard feed as a result. Looking for personal advice just now as opposed to feed companies which can obviously be biased.

I'd keep it as simple as possible, I've found speedibeet is good, but can equally make some blow their brains, so I'd see how that goes first. Our natives in hard work often did well on nuts, beet and bit of chaff with boiled barley added if condition is needed.

Yes I'll definitely see how he goes on the beer first. I changed his balancer a while back from a diet one to the one he's on now that has more protein and have been gradually upping the healthy hoof but at the point where I don't want to make feeds any bigger. Dd had a lesson with an event order on Sunday who had a sit on him and said to start feeding him oats/turbo but I'm too scared of laminitis

*Bert not beer 😆 although I did once work on a racing years ago had Guinness on tap in the feed room and horses got a pint on the day they had raced!

*BEET ffs!!!!

Second the advice to call a feed helpline and see what they suggest, I've found them very helpful. I'm not that surprised you've made it this far on just balancer, I've always found my natives do very well virtually on thin air even when in hard work, they are totally different in that respect to anything with blood, even crosses. Back in the day when supplements and balancers and the range of options you get today weren't really a thing I used to hunt a mad welshie who got nothing more than grass/hay and half a handful of plain chaff in his bucket (and only that to stop him kicking his door) when the 'proper' hunters were getting stuffed to the gunnells with oats and mashes and linseed oil three times a day and such. He used to go like the clappers and still be pulling at the end of the day, still looked as well as he started at the end of the season when everything else on the yard would be looking a bit dull and ribby and in need of a summer holiday .

And like others I'd be a bit careful how you go adding hard feed at this time of year, if his weight is already good you def don't want him adding condition without useable/containable energy, and certain feeds with too much sugar do turn them quite spicy particularly if they start having them at the same time as spring grass and spring winds start to come through, which is always a spook-and-spin-tacular time for my Connie boy anyway - he's in what I'd call medium work (ridden 6 days a week, long hacks and 1 hour plus group lessons or clinics at weekends, but probably more like a quick 30 mins to tick him over in the week) and he gets a fast fibre, balancer and supplements and half a speedibeet in the AM and then just fast fibre in the evenings and he does well on this. You could try your boy on a cool mix or nut but do just watch he doesn't get OTT and scare your kids, if what you want is oompf without madness!

If he’s slim and in work I wouldn’t worry about laminitis unless he has an history of this? Obviously you will check hooves for any warmth as part of your daily checks and condition score/weight tape regularly.
You can ring any of the feed lines to ask what type of feed they recommend and then use whatever brand suits you.
In your situation with a 13.2 Welsh I added soaked whole oats. The crushed ones fizzed him but the whole ones twice a day didn’t. On a different occasion I fed a small amount of racehorse mix to a very heavy weight cob on advice from the helpline. Worked a charm but he was hacking circa 15 hours a week including regular gallops.

i use Top Spec Turbo with great success in competition season! (Native ponies) it adds energy without fire. i used it alongside high fibre feeds

Thanks. I did actually end up ordering a bag although was still on the fence about using it. Will probably give it a go though in a couple of weeks as March and April are looking very busy with xc season starting and overlapping with pony racing

I have one who needs a bit of extra pizazz when in harder work and I use Naf Energy and I also give an energy shot when he has a competition

https://www.chelfordfarmsupplies.co.uk/naf-energ-5l?utm_source=google_shopping&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAC6C42py2JZWxsMVyGfE8mVjtjMmU&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2ZDZ_vPCiwMVxZVQBh0NXAD9EAQYASABEgLenvD_BwE

I'd looked at this and at propell but both have mixed reviews. Do you notice an obvious difference?

I have noticed a difference with him, I'm sure not everything may work for every pony but it definitely gives him a little extra energy.

Perform and restore mash worked wonders for us!