I have a 6 year old paint gelding that i am currently gaming. I would like for him to get the nutrients he should have since he is being worked at least 3 times a week. What would you recommend that i feed him? Any suggestions? Thanks!
What is he currently eating?
Being worked 3 days a week isn’t much work, so from a nutritional aspect, it’s not going to be different from not being worked.
But yes, we need to know what he’s eating now - all pasture? Good pasture or sparse? Hay? Any grain at all? What kind and how much?
Yeah, you haven’t given us much information to work with!
We at least need to know the forage situation.
Also what condition is he in right now? Overweight? Just right? Needs weight?
Sorry thats my fault! He is just right with weight, pasture 24/7 with 24/7 access to hay
If he is just right, then you are doing just right. Not sure of your location, but if your soil is deficient in something (ie selenium) you might want to consider a vitamin/mineral supplement to correct that deficiency, possibly in the form of a salt/mineral block.
If you really want to do it right, get your forage analyzed and have a custom supplement made up for him. He may only need a couple of minerals added to his hay and grass diet to make it just right, but you have no way to know without analyzing it.
If that seems way overkill to you, I would give him a small amount of a ration balancer, perhaps one pound a day.
If even that seems like overkill, I would give him a vitamin mineral supplement, something that you can give one ounce a day.
And, yes, he should have a plain, white salt block.
He probably doesn’t need anything else.
Agree with Cindy. I would probably add a ration balancer unless I knew for sure the forage - grass and hay - was so well nourished there wasn’t any need.
But if that made him overweight then I’d look at a v/m supplement at least.