5 summer my ths

1 ‘GRASS IS SUFFICIENT’

Summer pasture alone will not provide everything your horse needs, especially if your horse is in regular work, is a broodmare or a growing youngster. Look to balance the ration with a low intake feed balancer.

2 ‘HAVE THE HORSE FAT GOING INTO WINTER’

This is only applicable to poor doers. With the advent of quality rugs, more stabling and improved feeding, native ponies and good doers are less likely to lose the extra weight over the winter months.

3 ‘MY HORSE NEEDS STARCHY FEED BECAUSE HE DOES MORE IN THE SUMMER’

It’s well recognised that starchy cereal feeds cause far more problems than they solve. A diet based on fibre with an added balancer is more than sufficient. For hard-working horses, simply add oil to their diet for extra energy.

4 ‘I’M NOT SURE WHAT MY

HORSE NEEDS IN SUMMER,

SO I FEED EVERY SUPPLEMENT GOING’

Most well-formulated feeds will be fully fortified, which means that when fed at the recommended intake, they will provide the horse with everything he needs. Look at the supplements you are feeding and decide if they are necessary.

5 ‘CHEAP FEED IS SUFFICIENT’

The cheapest or budget brands may not have the correct amounts of vital ingredients and you’ll end up feeding more to make up the shortfall. Speak to a feed company who can advise on a costeffective summer feeding programme.