# How long between Feeding and Riding?



## 3Beasties (27 October 2011)

OK I really should know the answer to this but I can never remember if it's one or two hours, seems that people have different opinions on the matter!

So how long do you leave your horse after feeding before you can ride?

I fed the beast before I was suppose to be going to work but now I don't have to be in work till later so need to ride before I go, typically I had fed him 5 minutes before I was told not to go in till later


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## noblesteed (27 October 2011)

I think an hour would do. I was always told 30 minutes was enough!


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## Chellebean (27 October 2011)

noblesteed said:



			I think an hour would do. I was always told 30 minutes was enough!
		
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I was always told 30 mins too, if that is any help?


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## 3Beasties (27 October 2011)

Thought so, I'm only going for a quick hack (It's chucking it down  ) So I don't think it will do any harm 

Never heard of it being 30 mins but if it is then even better!


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## Syrah (27 October 2011)

I've always been told an hour after feeding and not to feed for 30mins after riding.


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## Noodlebug (27 October 2011)

I leave for 30 mins after riding but only if hacking so can walk for first part. I always leave 30 mins after riding unless hot and then wait until cooled down. I do feed haylage before and after riding but I know some people don't and treat as hard feed!


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## forestfantasy (27 October 2011)

I was always told an hour.
Gentle walking won't hurt, most people turn out after feeding in a morning and the horse might go whizzing round the field for 10 minutes and is fine.


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## PoniesRock (27 October 2011)

We leave an hour between feeding and riding.


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## TGM (27 October 2011)

Depends on the size and type of the feed and the intensity of the work to be done.

With a large (1-2kg) proper hard feed, then an hour before riding.

If the feed is only a scoop of chaff or similar fibre-based feed then would happily go for a gentle hack after 30 minutes.


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## misswitch2 (27 October 2011)

i always leave an hour between feeding and riding.


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## Marydoll (27 October 2011)

A proper feed with hardfeed etc, id leave an hour or so.
A handful of chaff and id ride after 10-15 minutes
Research into gastric ulcers show giving a handful of chaff before riding to be benificial in preventing splash about of gastric acid and reducing the impact of the ulcers


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## fidleyspromise (27 October 2011)

TGM said:



			Depends on the size and type of the feed and the intensity of the work to be done.

With a large (1-2kg) proper hard feed, then an hour before riding.

If the feed is only a scoop of chaff or similar fibre-based feed then would happily go for a gentle hack after 30 minutes.
		
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This


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## Rouletterose (27 October 2011)

marydoll said:



			A proper feed with hardfeed etc, id leave an hour or so.
A handful of chaff and id ride after 10-15 minutes
Research into gastric ulcers show giving a handful of chaff before riding to be benificial in preventing splash about of gastric acid and reducing the impact of the ulcers
		
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^^^^^

This is what we do, and after riding if the horse has had a proper work session, we don't feed for an hour.


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## eggs (27 October 2011)

When I was doing my riding exams years ago we were always taught to leave an hour after feeding.

However I do think it is very dependant on what and how large the feed is.  I am quite happy to bring mine in from the field to ride with only the time it takes to groom and tackup before hopping on board.

In the wild horses are basically eating for most of the day but have to be able to gallop off if a predator rocks up so I do think we tend to be a little more cautious than necessary.


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## Pearlsasinger (27 October 2011)

eggs said:



			In the wild horses are basically eating for most of the day but have to be able to gallop off if a predator rocks up so I do think we tend to be a little more cautious than necessary.
		
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Exactly!

I always make sure that mine have had some hay/lage to eat before riding but would never give a cereal feed less than an hour before.
Likewise I like them to eat forage after work, it is part of their 'winding down' period.


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## Dirtymare (27 October 2011)

However, Simple Systems claim you dont need to leave time before or after riding if you feed their feeds.
Its fed to endurance horses because of this.


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## scarymare (27 October 2011)

I don't give any time at all.

Mine are on (mostly) ad lib forage and only get a handful of hard food.  Obviously I wouldn't stuff them with food and then go for a gallop.  I think it depends.  Mind you, in the summer I do bring them in for an hour or more if they have been on good grass as I think this is worse.


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## unbalanced (27 October 2011)

I don't bother leaving any time. However, my pony is a laminitic out on a bald grass paddock. In her stable she gets soaked hay. When she was eating her bucket feed as I was tacking up before my lesson the other day (set my alarm for 7pm not 7am and woke up at 8.30 for a 9am lesson whoops!) she was actually only eating hi fi lite which is only fibre anyway so it doesn't really worry me. We start the lesson doing in hand work in walk for half an hour - it's not like we're headed out onto the cross country course. 
The only things I ever feed that I wouldn't give her straight before riding would be her blue chip lami lite and speedibeet but to be honest the quantities are so small (200g dry weight of each) that I would only leave half an hour if she didn't only get it in her evening feed.


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## juliette (27 October 2011)

I keep some Simple Systems in the diet purely so that I can feed it very soon after a ride as a reward. My horse LOVES their Lucie Nuts. They can be fed whole or soaked so i soak for after a ride so that he gets re-hydrated. Generally not an issue after a hack, but means it is normal routine for when we do endurance, he is a devil for not drinking away from home, but this routine has helped with that enormously.

However, I don't feed before a ride unless i am leaving it at least an hour before grooming and tacking up.


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