With summer here and an abundance of rich grass, it is important for you to keep a check on your horse or pony’s feeding requirements.

If your horse or pony is a ‘good-doer’ he will gain weight quickly and easily, and may be a little on the greedy side, constantly eating up and thriving well.

It can be all too easy for you to turn him out into the field and let him graze away all day, and then offer him more forage and concentrates when he is brought in for the night, without a thought for the extra calorie intake.

Obesity is not just bad for humans – it can also be a serious problem in horses and ponies, placing extra stress on limbs, joints and the spine as well as the lungs. It will prevent a horse or pony from performing at his best and he may also become lazy and sluggish.

You should adjust the amount and type of feed given according to the weight of your horse, and the level of work he is doing. Also remember that any changes that you make to your horse or pony’s feeding regime should always be made gradually as a dramatic change can be dangerous.

It is important to realise that overweight horses and ponies still require the essential vitamins and minerals to lead a healthy life.

If they are out grazing during the day, additional forage, such as HorseHage High Fibre or Timothy can be given when they are brought in for the night. HorseHage is a dust free, high fibre forage and, unlike hay or unbranded haylage, it comes with a 100% quality guarantee, enabling you to feed with confidence.

Mollichaff HoofKind is ideal for the good doer as it is a complete low energy, low starch, low sugar, high fibre feed in a bag. It contains a balanced blend of oat straw, alfalfa, fibre pellets, soya oil, vitamins, minerals, trace elements and antioxidants.

It can be fed in conjunction with a high quality forage such as High Fibre or Timothy HorseHage to horses and ponies that are in moderate to light work, resting or laminitic.

For those horses and ponies in harder work, with increased energy requirements it can be fed with additional concentrates.

Look out for the ‘Hoof Kind’ symbol which denotes the forage is low in sugar and starch and is suitable for all horses and ponies including laminitics.

For further feeding information and advice on feeding your horse or pony, please ring the HorseHage Helpline on 01803 527257 or visit www.horsehage.co.uk