My horse has been on LMF for over a year now, and he does really well on it.
When I'm working him he gets about 4 pounds a day. The other horse just
started on it, but so far, neither horse has been "hot" from it at all.
They never seem to run out of energy tho, and one thing for sure - I don't
have a weight problem with either of them.
The LMF I feed says that it should be fed only with a good quality grass or
oat hay - and so that is all my horses get (no alfalfa), and yet they still
became blimps over the winter. It also states not to feed any additional
source of selenium, and no alfalfa.
Since I'm posting to the list, I thought I would ask about that 'weight
thing' I've got going with my two critters. Does anybody elses horses get
fat on just grass hay? (and oat hay?) It's not like they aren't worked and
exercised - they are turned out 24 hours a day and ridden often, on good
long conditioning rides. I'm sure that now they will lose some of the
weight because I'll be riding more often after work. How fast should this
weight come off? I don't want to take it off too fast, and I don't want to
start them on an instant diet either - especially since they are both
getting worked harder now than they have in months.
I've been giving the one horse about 4 lb. (2 lb. in a.m., and 2 lb. in
p.m.) of LMF per day when he goes on an avg. 12 mile conditioning ride,
mostly trotting, and walking up steep hills. Maybe I should cut that back?
Do any of you think it is a problem to start the season with a horse that is
fit (his recoveries on the monitor as as good as ever), but a little fleshy?
I don't want to end up with a skeleton by the end of the season, it really
bothers me when they get that thin, even though I know it is better for them
to be on the thin side. I'm a featherweight rider -myself and tack,
including filled water bottles weigh in at 138.
Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you,
Karen
& the boys (who, if not given plenty of grass hay think they are beavers
and eat the fence....)