Feeding with Haylage

[kate n gem]

hey everyone i was just wondering about feeding haylage. We have been feeding ours haylage for about 2 years now since we got my mare Gem becuase when we bought her thats what she was on. Just before we got her im sure i heard that feeding haylage ment you could feed less hard feed because it had more nutreints in it than hay, but i havent found this the case and Gem is still getting a lot to eat, and she is not a good doer (she is TB X welsh and arab) so we recently put her on top line to keep her weight up, but she has got really hyper now when we go out on hacks but is fine in the school. Any advice on feeding with haylage and how to keep Gems weight up? Thanks xx

[fin]

More haylage? Or perhaps look at Simple Systems feeds....they're not mollassed or sugary so can be a bit more calming. Or you could try adding oil to her feed--that's very good for calories without fizz

[june]

Try adding something like Simple Systems Instant Linseed instead of the Top Line. The instant linseed provides slow release long lasting energy whereas most of the other top line mixes are cereal based and provide bursts of short term energy hence you end up with a fizzy horse. We use about half a pint of instant linseed a day for any that need extra top line so it is pretty economical.

[kate n gem]

Thanks that was really good, i am convinced now that the top line is what has been making her so hyper recently and i have had a look on the Simple Systems website and i am going to ask around and maybe try it and see how she goes wiht it, thanks!

[june]

It would also be worth giving Nicola Tyler at Top Spec a call. She is the Top Spec nutritionist and is really helpful. The Top Spec Balancer is a fantastic product too and certainly doesn't make any of our lot fizzy. We use that and Dengie Alfa A Lite for most of ours and add instant linseed for the less good doers.