Feeding daughter's pony for condition

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I posted a few weeks ago about our new pony. We seem to have turned a bit of a corner and fingers crossed things are looking good.

He is turned out during the day and is in at night. There really isn't much grass in his field but he comes in and has ad lib hay. He's gets a lot!

I had hoped that he would start to look in better condition but he looks angular and definitely needs some more weight.

He currently had a 2 scoops of spillers happy hoof molasses free chaff split into 2 feeds and some linseed and balancer but he needs more.

Any recommendations for feed that has worked for you that has added condition but without fizz?

Thanks

It is healthy for them to come out if winter 'lean', that way they can cope better with spring grass when it comes through. This is even more important with native breeds/good doers in order to better avoid laminitis and obesity.
You need to feed for work being done. How much work does he get each week?

Does he get hay in the field? I'd start there if he isn't. Then, if that isn't enough add a small amount of speedibeet. But what the PP says is correct about them coming out of winter a bit lean. It's easy to overfeed and end up with a fat pony come May. You should be able to easily feel but not see his ribs, if they are just visible now it's probably not a problem, he'll fill out quick enough on spring grass. Some ponies are just a more angular shape.

He's probably only just settling in - moving homes and owners is quite stressful. If it were before winter it would be different, but just coming into spring grass he will put the weight on. I would maintain his feed at current levels and monitor over the next four weeks. Maybe do a worm count and worm as appropriate.

I'd also check he's not cold at night.

Yeah I should have said he was wormed with combined wormer paramox when he arrived and since been worm counted and all good.

His teeth have been done.

They don't have hay in the field and I'm not sure the other liveries would be happy to pay for that.

His ribs are visible from some angles.

He's currently worked 5 times a week and has 2 days off. It ranges from 1/2 in thr school to a steady hack for 45mins- 1hr.

Maybe I'll hold for for now and see what happens with the spring grass starting to arrive hopefully soon 🤞🏼

I manage a poor doer so due to years of trial and error have lots of suggestions but honestly it is March, it is a pony, you don't know why it is looking lean or how it will do over summer.

The grass is starting to come through.

Don't try to add weight now, you could well be worrying about laminitis in a month or so.

It is best for equines to come out of winter looking lean and gain over summer before losing again. This is good for their health.

See how you get on over summer, if the pony is still lean in September that's the time to think about conditioning feeds.

I feed happy hoof to my very good doer Welsh cross. It's really not a conditioning feed. In winter we feed fibre beet chaff and pony nuts with a balancer, swapping to happy hoof when the grass starts to grow. However, unless you are really worried I agree it's a bit late to feed for condition, so I would give it a month or two then reassess. Mine have just stopped finishing their hay, which is a sure sign the grass is growing.

You could try adding glug of oil to the chaff, safer than cereals and should improve condition, but as others have said, Spring has yet to work its magic.

Add a dash of linseed oil to every feed. We used speedibeet and a handful of pony nuts in winter.

Oiled chaff and/or some alfalfa? Just adding Alfa A was enough for when my old Welsh D lost a bit too much weight, though now I have a TB and keeping weight on him is a bloody nightmare. He is on Alfa A Oil, Fibrebeet and Ease & Excel cubes, plus a decent glug of linseed oil twice a day. My feed merchants have been great helping me transition from a good doer to a poor doer.

How new is he? Can you ask his previous owners what their feed regime was?

I would sort out the no hay in field barrier at your livery yard. Perhaps a net tied onto a sturdy fence? This will definitely help if he’s out all day & there’s little grass or is he in a mixed paddock?

That’s a decent amount of work for a pony - I would be worried if I could see my mare’s ribs & we compete so would add to the feed or possibly add a 3rd feed to the routine. Have you investigated speedibeet? Also check your balancer - is it focused on condition?

They’re such a worry!

We feed Calm and Condition to keep weight on them through the winter.