# Dodson and Horrell Build up and conditioning mix vs Allen and Page calm and condition



## GypsyGirl (22 February 2011)

Hey everyone,

So in August I bought a 5year old tb mare, when I got her she was very underweight. She is an ex racehorse. Her previous owner only had her for 5months before I bought her and had her on the Dodson and Horrell build up and conditioning mix. 

Now I bought her in August and since then, the feed store reccomended us Allen and Page Calm and Condition so since August she has been on that. Because she is living out 24/7 she is not clipped and she is very well rugged, although ive had to take her fleece off underneath as she was too hot.. shes perfect now. 

Now heres my thing .. because I dont know what shes like coming out of winter, ive started panicing about her weight because although she is a lot bigger then she was before, im just worried that as soon as her wintercoat starts coming out, shes going to be quite thin underneath. 

I have started weighing her (should of done this before hand) and today she is 448kgs. But she has gained a lot of weight since ive had her, so it is making an improvment. 

Ive been looking on the websites at them and the build up conditioning mix is sounding good to me? Im just wondering if anyone has any experience with it or has tried both and what was better? 

She is in work, she is schooled only once a week at the moment and the rest we are out hacking as the school is hired from the riding school. 

Im just wondering really about the different feeds, the allen and page has helped her so far, its just something else that she needs (more weight!!!) 

I will weigh her again in two weeks and see if theres anymore improvement. 

At the moment she is on allen and page calm and condition .. hifi orgional .. alfa beet .. garlic, carrots and a little bit of corn oil. 

Any advice??


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## Angelbones (22 February 2011)

You don't say how big your mare is? I have a 5yr old TB ex racer, who is 17.1hh. Currently he is underweight as has been on box rest for a couple of months etc, but he weighs in at 600Kg.

My yard is very mixed, but I do need to keep weight on my veteran TB's and my hunter, and the two ex racer TBs. They are all on D&H Build Up cubes, rather than the mix as it seems to get better results without any stupidity.  

I feed a scoop of Alfa A lite chaff, a scoop of Build up cubes (sometimes half a scoop substituted with Spillers veteran conditioning mix for variety for the oldies), D&H Ultimate Balancer fed at 100g/100kg bodyweight,  speedibeet, and a mash made up of soaked grass nuts and alfalfa pellets. Sometimes the oldies get some Readymash too. They get this twice a day, along with vast amounts of ad lib hay.

They all, without exception, do really well on it. Year after year, whatever horse comes onto the yard needing a bit of extra help, the Build Up cubes do the trick, I swear by them.


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## GypsyGirl (22 February 2011)

Angelbones said:



			You don't say how big your mare is? I have a 5yr old TB ex racer, who is 17.1hh. Currently he is underweight as has been on box rest for a couple of months etc, but he weighs in at 600Kg.
		
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Shes a 15.2 so shes quite small. I keep going back and fourth. Im thinking of just keeping her on the Calm and Condition and the more I work her etc the better she will become. 

Ohh young Tbs aye!!


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## SmartieBean09 (22 February 2011)

I'm currently using Build Up Mix for my elderly mare.  I wouldnt usually buy this but it was recommended and I have to admit that I have been amazed at the results!  It hasnt blown her mind either. 

Here are some before and afters (8 days difference between the two)

Living out on just chaff and balancer






Coming in and Build Up Conditioning Mix added to her feed


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## Slightlyconfused (27 February 2011)

my sisters ex racer when we got him was on a/p calm and condition and alfa oil, that was four months ago and he was put on a lovely amount of weight going into the spring grass we have kept the c and c but chnaged over to hi fi lite as the grass is very good here as he doesn't need as much weight putting on feed now.
xx


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## Lainey123 (28 February 2011)

I used the mix and Bailey nearly killed me, i am not kidding. Calm and condition is nice though.x


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## Amymay (28 February 2011)

If shes' doing well on the Calm and Condition - then don't change it.  

If she is at her optimum weight - and is getting good quality ad lib haylayge - you could perhaps look at substituting some of the diet with Hi Firbre Cubes.


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## Melliie (1 March 2011)

A& P is awful as is D&H - sent my boy la la and did nothing to improve his condition the only conditioning feed that has worked for my TB has been a comination of micronised linseed and Top spec conditioning cubes.  Both of which are non heating.


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## Amymay (1 March 2011)

Melliie said:



			A& P is awful as is D&H - sent my boy la la and did nothing to improve his condition the only conditioning feed that has worked for my TB has been a comination of micronised linseed and Top spec conditioning cubes.  Both of which are non heating.
		
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I think that for everyone of us that has a 'poor' experience with a certain feed, there are those of us that have a 'positive' one.

My horse looked absolutely fantastic on D&H Build Up Cubes.  However, you do need to work them (imo) when feeding a higher calorie diet - and he was worked 6 days a week.  Mostly TB and inclined to a little hotness at times it never made him over the top - because he was in proper work.

Personally I think that A&P is a total money waster because of the amounts you have to feed vs the condition it puts on a horse.  But that's just one opinion.

The key to any good feeding management is finding what works for you and the horse.  And not every feed will.


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## Flying_Filly (1 March 2011)

After playing with lots of feed combinations (my boy gets very hot and silly!) I have settled on Calm and Condition, DH Build and Glow and Alpa A Oil. He's gaining weight nicely and I still have a nice calm sensible horse


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## little_rou (1 March 2011)

I had a very very skinny ex racer, when he came to me he was on calma nd condition, plus sugar beat, chaff and something else (could have been barley rings - I forget!) 

Ive always used D&H products, so I spoke to the nutritionalist at D&H and she suggested build up with alfalfa, soya oil, and ablib hay - the results where amazing and within 2-3 months he was unrecognisable.

It didnt fizz him up either.

Would definitely recommend


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