# Feeding after hunting



## 1036Jones (10 November 2009)

What should I feed after hunting?
After a days hunting I feed my 16 hand warm blood mare her regular feed (economy mix, beet, hi fi, handful oats, handful barley, garlic and oil)  I add to this a scoop of warm bran mash.  I think it helps to satisfy   [color:black]  [/color]  the empty stomach after a long day with out food and it makes a lovely feed.  What does every one else do?


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## Cliqmo (11 November 2009)

Feed as normal when hunting, just much earlier!! (4am when cubbing :shocked: ) and progressively later as the meet time gets later until back on 7am and 6pm normal routine :grin:


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## posie_honey (11 November 2009)

i feed as normal.... once she gets back and is in her stable and is relaxed enough... then i turn her out afterwards (she lives out 24/7)
i do allow her hay before and after though in the trailer - cos without it she'll bang and bash about out of protest - with it she travels quiet as a lamb!


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## Christmas Crumpet (11 November 2009)

I feed as normal in the morning.
Depending on whether we are out all day or not he will either get a small feed when we get home from hunting and another small feed at supper time or a couple of hours later if we have only had a half day or if out all day gets his normal tea when in his stable clean, rugged and bandaged up.


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## Irishcobs (11 November 2009)

Normal feed and haylage (ab lib) when they are relaxed, dry and completely back to normal. 

They have normal feed in the morning and haylage.


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## star (11 November 2009)

small feed in the morning - fibre only (normal breakfast would include cereals)

normal feed in evening - plenty of sugar beet inc.


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## JenHunt (12 November 2009)

Please please please don't use bran mash!!! 
1) modern bran is so highly processed that there is no goodness in it for the horse.
2) bran is actually a form of fibre, and it is used so efficiently by the horse that you are in danger of causing impaction colic
3) using bran on ocasions like after hunting (when the system is effectively 'stressed') you are more likely to upset the horse's gut flora (bacteria)

the best thing you can do is to soak part of the normal ration with hot water and leave it to cool, so you end up with a warm porridgey mush. or if you use speedibeet then soak it with hot water, and by the time it's ready and been stirred into the normal feed it's cool enough to use.

Otherwise, fibre, fibre, fibre..... I leave my lad for at least an hour after washing down, with hay and plenty of water. this allows him to settle (not that he needs time for that, he's usually asleep in the trailer when we get home!) and re-start his gut at his own pace with the hay. then I check rug, apply stable bandages and then feed up.

ETA - I feed as normal (but smaller portion) in the morning, so he's finished at least an hour and a half before we travel.


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