Case Study: Hi-Fi Good Do-er

Lady Olivier ('Livy')is a 15.1hh cob that is overweight. Livy has recently moved yards with her new owner Karen, but prior to this she was kept alone on an 8-acre field that was well covered with grass which was why she became very overweight.

Karen now keeps Livy at a new yard where she is stabled overnight and out in a shared paddock during the day, which is makes controlling her weight much easier. Karen contacted the Dengie Feedline 0845 345 5115, as her yard only provided haylage and she was worried that it would be too 'calorific' for Livy who needed a calorie controlled ration.

Suggested Ration

• Haylage 2kg
• Hi-Fi Good Do-er 4kg

Hi-Fi Good Do-er is a blend of top quality cereal straw and alfalfa with a light molasses coating and added vitamins, minerals plus a mint flavouring. Hi-Fi Good Do-er is excellent for horses and ponies that need to lose weight, as it is low calorie and can also be used as a hay replacer when only higher calorie forage like haylage is available.

Using a combination of haylage and Hi-Fi Good Do-er allows Karen to offer Livy plenty to eat, but with fewer calories. To help keep Livy occupied for longer Karen can feed haylage in small holed nets to try and make it last a bit longer. As Hi-Fi Good Do-er is a short chop product it cannot be fed in a net and so the best way to slow the rate of eating is to feed it in a bucket with some very large smooth pebbles on top.

Livy had only been on the Hi-Fi Good Do-er for 3 weeks, but with regular use of a weight tape and careful body condition scoring, Karen has already started to notice that the weight is coming off. Combining a restricted ration with regular exercise will gradually help to promote further weight loss and a svelte Lady Olivier.