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Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

A thread for me to get lots of lovely advice about our new pony!

17 replies

seeker · 07/12/2009 06:13

Please can I have people's thoughts about our new pony's feed.

She is currently (at her old home) having 1 feed a day of 1 scoop of chaff and 1 of Baily's conditioning cubes.

However, in her new home the horses are fed twice a day, and have ordinary pony nuts, rather than conditioning cubes.

The lady who's looking after her has suggested that we gradually start getting her on to the same routine as the others. She is a very nosy, switched on pony and will soon realize that the others are getting fed when she isn't, so I think that's a good idea. She also suggests gradually weaning her off the conditioning cubes on to ordinary nuts - she says she doesn't really need the posh expensive ones. I'm not so sure about this - she seems to be doing well on them, and I'm not sure it's a good idea to change. What do you knowledgable people think?

OP posts:
MitchyInge · 07/12/2009 08:58

am not even slightly knowledgeable (am worse person to comment because am v fond of blue chip even though people heap scorn upon it) but think it is your choice whether you keep her on the Baileys or not - how does it work at your yard, do you buy all the feed separately or is it included in livery? How much of what sort of work will she be doing with you? obviously any changes you make have to be gradual

At first glance that doesn't seem like much feed in the winter. Is she going to live out did you say? Suppose it depends whether she keeps the weight on or not?

MitchyInge · 07/12/2009 09:04

PS mine have ordinary pony nuts AND the feed balancer, they are not fat - in fact they constantly complain of being half starved to death

MitchyInge · 07/12/2009 09:08

height x 2 - between 2 and 10lbs of feed isn't it?

skihorse · 07/12/2009 11:06

I'm sorry, I'm not au fait with what Bailey's conditioning cubes are... but, why can't she have pony nuts? Is she currently very underweight or suffering some disease or something? IME conditioning can often mean "heating"... wouldn't want to see you back in a month complaining that your pony is too hot for the kids...

Your YO's suggestion of a gradual change is a good one.

DressageNut · 07/12/2009 13:01

The conditioning cubes have got a high energy content and can be like rocket fuel for some horses. I used to feed them to my dressage horse when I wanted to build top line and give him a real "spark" (this was when he was aged 11/12 and very established, ie, not likely to explode or do anything unpredictable). Plus they were pricey!

I'd also prefer feeding twice a day rather than once anyway, so I'd check out the ordinary cubes as a first step, then maybe think about tinkering with them if the pony seemed to be in need of something a bit more?

Original poster
seeker · 07/12/2009 22:03

We only realized that was what she was eating when she arrived - complete with feed bins. I think I might email the previous owners and ask how long she's been on the conditioning cubes and what she was having before. She's an Arab and she lives out - could the conditioning cubes be to help her deal with the cold? She's 15 and, although she's alert and very interested in everything, she doesn't seem particularly hyper and full of 'rocket fuel"!

OP posts:
MrFibble · 08/12/2009 10:04

IME of Arabs they do well on practically nothing but air! I'd speak to the previous owner though but it would be better to get her onto the same routine as the others.

MrFibble · 08/12/2009 10:06

Sorry - meant to add that when my TB arrived her owner left 2 great sacks of oats (!!!!) of which she was supposed to have 2 scoops a day.

Well, the oats went straight to the chickens and there was no noticeable difference in her energy levels but I did do less with her than her previous owner did i.e. no jumping.

skihorse · 08/12/2009 11:28

My mare gets conditioning feed because she loses weight terribly quickly - sadly not one of those who thrives on fresh air. But the high-energy feeds don't send her doolally - if they did, I'd seriously have to reconsider my strategy.

Original poster
seeker · 09/12/2009 08:10

I think we might stick to what she's used to until spring at least - she's living out and there's not much grass left and ahe probably needs the energy to keep warm.

Feed is included in her livery - we just pay a bit more if we want somehing more expensive than what all the others have. There's one there who has to have a whole white board all to himself because of the complicated combination of feed and supplements! His owner is a bit of a figure of fun - don't us to look like us to look like pushy parents - the pony is a bit of a spoiled princess anyway!

OP posts:
mummydoc · 09/12/2009 09:54

is it going well with new pony ? our new new pony is called perdy and has been re-christened " princess perdy" by yard staff !! ahhh....girls and there ponies. old new pony back on sunday my dd so excited my dh groaning he so doesn't get it

Original poster
seeker · 09/12/2009 22:49

so far so good! She is settling in really well - turned out with the others now. dd is discovering the delights of owning a practically white pony in winter.....! She gets mud in places I didn't realize a pony had places!

OP posts:
Original poster
seeker · 28/12/2009 21:44

OK - we've had her 4 weeks now. So far she hasn't put a foot wrong. Dd went out on a 2 hour hack today. She jumped her and galloped her and she behaved impeccably. Can I forget that she only cost £800 so obviously there must be something wrong with her and relax or is it too earl to tell?
]

OP posts:
mummydoc · 29/12/2009 18:20

no i think you can tell in 4 minutes ! interesting the pony we bought to replace first pony we haven't been able to sell has turned out to be good but just not quite right we cannot bond wiht her,but first pony now back with us and we all love him so much even if he is a tiny weeny bit forward going so he stays she will go in the spring

MitchyInge · 29/12/2009 23:00

need some advice about our pony, he is a hooligan

Pixel · 30/12/2009 00:03

What's he been up to now?

MitchyInge · 30/12/2009 10:40

better start new thread

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