Case Study: Weight Management

Casper is an 8-year-old, 15hh Irish sport horse cross who has been owned by Nikki Lawton since 2005. Casper is a typical good doer in that he piles on the pounds during the spring and summer months when grass grows in earnest and furthermore Nikki’s yard use haylage as the sole forage source, which was only adding to the problem when Casper was stabled.

To help control Casper’s bodyweight he wears a grazing muzzle in the summer months to restrict his grass intake during the day. Overnight when stabled Nikki replaces some of Casper’s haylage with Dengie Hi-Fi Good Do-er as a lower calorie option. Hi-Fi Good Do-er combines top quality straw with alfalfa, a light molasses coating and added vitamins and minerals. Hi-Fi Good Do-er can be used as a bucket feed or can be fed to partially or totally replace forage. This can be particularly useful for horses like Casper who only have access to good quality haylage as Hi-Fi Good Do-er usually provides fewer calories.

In contrast to many good doers, Casper tends to lose both condition and energy during the winter months. At this time of year Nikki gradually introduces up to 2kg or 5 large round scoops of Alfa-A Original, which combines pure alfalfa with a light molasses coating, in place of Casper’s usual Good Do-er ration. Nikki finds this helps to provide more energy or ‘calories’ to help maintain Casper’s bodyweight and provide sufficient energy for the work he is asked to do.

Nikki finds the flexibility of a fibre based ration key to keeping Casper looking his best. Casper loves his Hi-Fi Good Do-er and in the summer every time he goes in the stable he is on the look out for his Good Do-er and actually tucks into it before starting on his haylage! As a recent picture shows Casper doesn’t look like the same horse Nikki purchased back in 2005!

For friendly feeding advice contact the Dengie Feedline 0845 345 5115 or click here to send an e-mail.