Feeding for energy and stamina

[PaulC]

I have an 11 year old Connie mare - she is ridden 5/6 times a week, including a variety of work - hacking with hill work, schooling and at present competing once a week.
She is a very laid back type and on a permanent diet, loosing weight (for her own benefit) gradually.
Her regime is - turnout for 7 hours in small paddock, brought in for remainder with small weighed haynets fed though out the evening.
Currently fed literally a handful of frickers competition to have her joint supplement added, appreciate the amount I’m feeding will have no bearing on her energy levels.
So cautious to feed in any greater bulk as don’t want her to put on any of the weight she has lost ……
She just looses energy when out jumping after around fence 3 she can feel lethargic, bless her she keeps trying but would love to be able to give her something to help with her energy levels?
I’ve just bought omega B12 boost.
Has anybody had any experience with this?
Any other recommendations?

 

[Jessey]

Energy is just calories, if she’s getting enough to need to diet she’s got enough to use, equine nutritionist Clare Macleod recently did a bit about this on her Facebook page. Perhaps review your training program, are you focusing enough on high energy training to build top end fitness in between jumping, could you introduce something like interval training to improve stamina, etc.

 

[carthorse]

I was going to say the same as @Jessey , anything you feed will add to her weight. What you need to look at is getting her fitter and more responsive. The only thing I would add is either a balancer or vit and min supplement fed at the recommended amount since on her present diet she's almost certainly not getting enough, and you may find that alone perks her up.

 

[Mary Poppins]

My first thought was about her fitness and I wondered how often she is ridden? Perhaps she is tired by fence 3 because she isn’t fit enough to jump the full course?

 

[carthorse]

@Mary Poppins from the post she is ridden regularly, though maybe more intense work is needed.

@PaulC the other thing I thought of is that if a month on a balancer doesn't stop her flagging that quickly it may be worth talking to your vet to check there isn't an underlying problem.