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Diet & Excercise Plan?

Graham wrote to us with the following query:

I'm 3 weeks into owning a 16.1hh Irish draughtx gelding who is need of a good few pounds! His previous home fed him on poor quality hay and not a lot else. I feed him 3 scoops of Dengi chaff with a good scoop of course mix and a couple of handfuls of conditioning cubes (pony nuts!) as recommended by my local feed stockist.

I also put about 30ml of linseed oil and 30ml cod liver oil in to improve his condition, and garlic for his insides and to repel the flies. This happens twice a day. He is out to grass at present and the aim is to keep him out as long as he's comfortable.

I've started to hack out (walking and some trotting) but the aim is to hunt and compete next year. He rides well and is mustard keen in all respects with a lovely temperament. Am I doing the right thing?? Can you suggest a diet and exercise plan to get him into shape without overloading him with food, especially coming into winter??

Hermione Ball MSc Nutritionist at Natural Animal Feeds gives her reply.

Dear Graham,

With a horse that has not been fed very well in the past, it is important to make any dietary changes gradually, introducing hard feeds slowly. It is always tempting to bung as much food down a thin horse as it can eat, but actually this can do more harm than good! If you have not already, the first thing to do would be to worm Harvey, and have his teeth checked, to make sure that neither of these problems are the cause of his poor condition.

Assuming that these are ok, you are definitely going about Harvey's diet the right way. For a horse that is not used to being fed, it is important to base his new diet on fibre. The fact that he is now on good grass and/or hay will make a huge difference. A hard feed based on chaff with (presumably) a low energy coarse mix will be adequate for the next few months while he is only doing light work.

The addition of oil is a good idea, as it allows you to give him extra calories without the risk of temperament problems. I am particularly interested by the fact that you have chosen to combine cod liver oil and linseed oil. NAF have recently launched a new product called Omega Oil, which is a blend of different oils, chosen for their specific Omega -3 and Omega-6 fatty acid content.

These essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been well publicised recently because of their health giving properties, notably their support of a healthy immune system, reproductive system and for skin and joints. To gain most benefit, it is important to feed the fatty acids in the correct proportion, which the introduction of Omega oil now simplifies. 60ml of oil a day should be plenty for Harvey as he is in light work, but if you were to increase the oil much more, you would need to feed a vitamin E supplement (NAF Vitamin E, Selenium and Lysine).

This is an essential anti-oxidant to ensure that the body can utilise the oil efficiently. To help Harvey adapt to his new diet, routine and surroundings I would recommend feeding a supplement rich in probiotics and yeast, to help his gut adjust, and ensure that he is utilising his feed to the maximum. NAF Pink Powder, is a concentrated feed balancer, combining vitamins and minerals with probiotics and yeast.

It is used on a short term basis to help improve condition and ensure that the gut is in 'perfect working order'. I would recommend that you feed it to Harvey until his condition has improved adequately, and then use it as a 'pick-me-up' as and when necessary. It is difficult for me to comment on his exercise plan, as you have not given me his age or fitness at the moment.

However, I feel confident that you are going about this the right way, and hacking out will be an ideal way to increase his fitness, along with a gentle schooling programme to develop his muscles. As you are finding him forward going, he is obviously coping well with his new routine. Keep a close eye on him as he will be the best judge of whether you are pushing him too hard. I am sure that in a few months Harvey will look like a different horse, and I hope you have a lot of fun with him. Hermione Ball Nutritionist, Natural Animal Feeds Ltd

Hermione Ball MSc
Nutritionist, Natural Animal Feeds

Freephone advice line: 0800 373106

www.naf-uk.com

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