Fizzy pensioner!

Q While Rhett loses condition in winter, he still gets very fizzy at times. What should I feed him to keep condition and provide energy without fizzing him up too much?

Jasmin says... Through evolution the horse was designed to fluctuate in weight — gaining pounds in spring and summer and losing them in winter — but this is not always ideal in the domestic horse, especially as they get older. For horses like Rhett, prone to over-excitable behaviour, it’s best to provide the extra calories required for maintaining condition through fibre and oil sources — these are classed as slowreleasing energy, as opposed to cereal-based feeds that are more quick-releasing.

One of the easiest methods can be to simply increase your horse’s forage intake, ideally offering it ad lib. Adequate fibre and forage is essential for the healthy functioning of the digestive system and is a valuable source of non-heating calories. Plenty of forage also helps to create your horse’s own ‘central heating system’ since heat is produced when bacteria ferment the fibre in the gut. This can help to keep him warm during winter, subsequently assisting with weight maintenance as he’s not using the body’s fat stores to generate heat. We already know that Rhett is likely to benefit from forage replacement options due to his loose droppings issue, and these will also act to provide more calories without a heating action. Try something like unmolassed sugar beet or alfalfa with oil for an extra level of conditioning fibre.