Senior Feeds - which is best?

[Jen]

I am currently using Spillers Senior Maintenance, which I am happy to continue using but would be interested to check if there might be anything better on the market...

[charliet1]

Hi Jen use Dengie Hi fi Senior and Spillers conditioning mix for my 16yr old shire

[Jen]

Thx charliet1, I think Spillers offer about the best Senior / OAP food, but just wanted to check I was up to date...

[Anne_Oxfordshire]

I use Dodson and Horrell Sixteen Plus mix. Can't comment on whether it's "the best" or not as I haven't tried the others, but certainly I have found it to be very good, and my ponies look well on it and like it.

[azura]

hi , i use hi fi senior and spillers snior conditioning mix with sugar beet, for my 30 year old, and she seems brighter on it, but she had a fall yesturday and twisted her hock.

[Anne_Oxfordshire]

What is the hifi senior? I use Alfa-A. I didn't realise there was a hifi senior! Cheers

[azura]

dengie make it and its a mixture of chaff and alfalfa a, you can add to there feed or use it as a hay replacer like i do. Shahlie seems to love it. I have to order it though.

[spottyhorse]

In my opinion, none (Or nearly none) of the mixes. They are all to high in startch.

You need to make sure all of the vits and minerals are in place with something like a balancer.

Then add to this is nessacary, ie if your horse starts to loose weight.

Jen, what type of horse is it? Thin or fat?

My welsh cob has topspec at half rations, sugar beet, alfalfa and oil during the winter and just topspec anti lam in the summer. He is 20 and just about up to weight.

[mrsj]

My 24 year old 14.3hh arab x welsh is now on top spec feed balancer, alfa a, alfa beet, top spec super conditioning flakes and garlic and has never looked better! I've always had problems with keeping his weight on all year round and this summer I swapped to the top spec etc and have never looked back.

He's having smaller feeds, which is ultimately better form him, but looking better.

[Jen]

spottyhorse, he is a 25 year old ish chunky chap who holds his weight well. He's a good doer, although isn't fat, he probably just about right at the moment.

Good point re the balancer, is Top Spec the best to go for?

Maybe I could feed both of mine with it, and continue to use the sugar beet, and AlfaA Oil with it, and then if they need to put on a few punds I could give them some Barley... what do you think?

[Confuggled!]

Can i ask, how old do you say your horse is as a 'senior' ? I dont think my boy qualifies as a veteren, even though hes technally in that category. What do others say?

[madmare1]

my girl is 20, and gets two scoops of Baileys Economy mix, and Leigh chop Senior, along with cod liver oil, and carrots! She is an arab, and gets hard feed only in winter...in summer she goes into the field on 24/7 turnout and looks great on it! in fact. here's a piccie:



that was taken last summer...she had been out in the field for 3/4 weeks there....and looking great!

[spottyhorse]

I would always use topspec unless there was something in it that didn't suit my horse.

If he is a good doer he could probably have 1/2 rations. This means a bag would last you 80 days (Based on 500kg horse and 250g of topspec per day). This would cost you about 35p per day.

Then as I said previously, just add what he needs for the time of year.

Let me know how you get on

Spottyhorse

[anon]

topspec comprehensive balancer - and linseed lozenges, and speedibeet

[julz]

Me oldie is also on spillers maintainence mix , and does very well on it! and has Dengie hi fi senior as a hay replacer...