# Question - feeding a Welsh Cob



## express_75 (11 March 2008)

I currently give my Welsh D mare - 3 scoops of kwik-beet, 2 large handfulls of Alfalfa-Lite, a scoop of Baileys No.4, D&amp;H Soya oil, garlic and a scoop of Naf Magic.
She gets two 30 mins schooling a week and hacked out every saturday and sunday (1-2hrs walk/trot &amp; a short canter)
She also gets haylage at night.  She gets this morning &amp; evening and is out in the day and in at night.
She was looking tucked up so is this enough or too much?


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## horsegirl (11 March 2008)

why not feed more alfalfa and change to alfa a oil if you are concerned?


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## OWLIE185 (11 March 2008)

Good time of year to be tucked up ready for the Spring grass and warmer weather.


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## ischa (11 March 2008)

just make sure you do  not give him too much 
as you now cobs are very good weight carries
 so depending on weight and age and height it has on bags what you should feed
 i feed mine i scoop of econamy mix one chaff and one sugarbeet, one scoop of vitamins and spoonful of oil and garlic  and unlimited hay


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## Asimmons (11 March 2008)

Oooh, hate to say it but wish mine was going into spring a bit tucked up instead of padded out!!!


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## laura_1983 (11 March 2008)

i agree with ischa, my friend has a welsh section d and she only gets a scoop of hi fi lite and endurance mix twice a day, hi fi just to bulk up the feed and the mix to try and add a bit of stamina, most really are good doers


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## pottamus (11 March 2008)

I wish my Welsh Cob looked a bit tucked up! I would be more inclined to go on body mass and weight though...can you feel her ribs easily and does she have a gutter down her back or any signs of fat around the shoulder or neck? Do you know what her weight is on a weight tape?
I would just be a bit careful going into spring as for a welsh she is on a fairly rich diet and they put weight on so easiliy on the spring grass.


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## browbrow (11 March 2008)

For the work your cob is in I wouldnt be feeding anything but haylage - and maybe only a handful of hi fi if you want to mix some supplements in.

My pony is a welsh D - and she gets haylage and a small handful of pony mix with garlic  - and I mean a small amount. She is worked in the school for a hour a day flat/jumping- goes on two/three hacks per week and goes hunting once every three weeks, infact the less food she gets the better she looks - her coat is bright and shiny at the mo and that lack of extra weight is making her feel much better!!

Looking tucked up at this time of year is ideal for a welsh/native - if they were fat now - you could have huge problems come spring with lami and weight.

I get so sick of seeing fat horses in my area - all over rugged and over fed and all under ridden!!

Well done for your horse being on the skinny side at this time of year- IMO you should probably leave the diet as it is  - and if you look at welsh D's they should be really tucked up anyway - not have a round belly - lol xx


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## Asimmons (11 March 2008)

Saff will be resolutely rationed...trouble is, she will produce the most awesome jump to get to food...we practically have to have deer fencing for her!


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## ischa (11 March 2008)

your right i only feed mine little and i only feed cause i have to feed my pregnant mare
 but i dont rug never have done and try and make her lose abit of weight for when spring comes
 even then i stick a mussle on to control her weight
as we now they are good doers and can be a higher risk of laminitis


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## blackcob (11 March 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
For the work your cob is in I wouldnt be feeding anything but haylage - and maybe only a handful of hi fi if you want to mix some supplements in.


[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, I would be very surprised if your cob was truly underweight with that amount of feed. My Welsh D is worked 5 days a week for usually 2 hours at a time, real hard work, lots of long trot work and whatnot and she also hunts. She's only fed a scoop of mollichaff showshine and a scoop of plain oats split into two feeds, and she still carries plenty of topline. Almost too much considering the spring grass is coming through! She is muzzled 24/7 in summer and despite that coupled with her exercise regime she still looks like a bloater for a few months.


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## browbrow (11 March 2008)

I'm glad that we all agree on here !  

My pony has a paddock with the most rubbish grass in for the spring and summer - plus she trashes it so there nothing in it but mud anyway but otherwise would most certainly have  have a muzzle on - in all my life I have never seen an underweight welsh yet!! ha ha ha x

Welsh ponies come from eating rubbishy Welsh sheep grazed hillsides - so can live on fresh air.


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## Shilasdair (11 March 2008)

I'd get rid of a lot of the feed, and give her more haylage.  Or him....I'm too lazy to look back and see what gender it is.
S


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## Donkeymad (11 March 2008)

That is actually quite a lot of feed for a D. I certainly wouldn't be adding anything, more cutting some out and giving extra hay to maintain the gut function.


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## misterjinglejay (11 March 2008)

To what?


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## star (11 March 2008)

i have 2 welsh cobs.  one is 22 and lives on fresh air - he has 1/4 rations of topspec antilam and lives out 24/7 - he's only recently had some hay as the grass is all gone and he's still fat as a house going into spring - i constantly worry about his weight.

my other one is 5yrs old and i've only had him 10days.  he is underweight - i can see his ribs, his hips stick out and he has no muscle on his hindquarters.  he's now in regular work which should help with the muscle, but he's also out in the day, in at night with huge load of hay/haylage and he has 2 big feeds a day of sugar beet and happy hoof with full rations of D&amp;H Ultimate Balancer and Equivite Milk Pellets - I know when the grass comes through i'll probably be worrying the other way, but for now he looks skinny and horrible!


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## merlinsquest (11 March 2008)

I know if I fed Merlin all that he would split!!!!
	
	
		
		
	


	





But all horses are different.


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