Question
My 12-year-old gelding is a bit fleshy, a solid 6 on the Henneke body condition scorecard. He’s ridden nearly every day, usually between 30 and 45 minutes. He’s turned out for six hours each day, and he remains in his stall the remainder of the time. He is fed 3 lb (1.4 kg) of Re-Leve Sport and 1 lb (0.5 kg) of All-Phase ration balancer each day. He receives digestive and joint supplements, too. I would like for him to lose a touch of weight, as I think it would help him with his energy level. He’s laid-back naturally, so I think the added weight makes him more sloth-like under saddle. Suggestions welcome!
Answer
All of your gelding’s nutritional needs appear to be met with his current diet, but I do have a few suggestions. It was not mentioned if he gets hay in his stall, though I assume he does. Because you are looking for a measure of weight loss, you may consider feeding his hay in a slow-feed haynet that will draw out the time it takes for him to eat hay meals. As long as he is getting at least 1.5% of his body weight in forage daily, you can cut his hay back as needed. Slow-feed haynets are characterized by much smaller holes for horses to grab hay through, so horses must “work” a bit harder for each mouthful. It is surprising how much this single design change slows consumption.
His current feed intake is meeting his nutrient requirements with 1 lb (0.5 kg) of All-Phase supplying much of his vitamins and minerals and 3 lb (1.4 kg) of Re-Leve Sport for added energy. My only suggestion is to try switching him to E-Clipse for slightly more energy. E-Clipse contains oats and barley, which offer more calories from carbohydrates, and these cereal grains may give him more energy under saddle. Also, you may only need about 1 lb (0.5 kg) of E-Clipse to boost his energy without adding too many unnecessary calories. If you choose to make this change, All-Phase should be increased to 2 lb (0.9 kg) per day.
You are already addressing his special needs with supplementation with the exception of an electrolyte. In the summer, when performance horses are sweating consistently, it is important to replenish what is lost with a daily electrolyte supplement. Kentucky Equine Research (KER) developed the slow-release electrolyte Restore SR that provides sustained absorption of electrolytes. Australian horse owners should look for Restore and Restore Paste.
