Ive been told that my horses should be given a hard feed. I ride my horse once or twice a week depending on time/weather etc and the other 3 in his field dont get rode at all. I currently had to give mine a small feed because hes allergic to buttercups and gets lumps under his skin, so he had some medicine for this, and also garlic for the flies. Ive said I dont want mine to be fed anymore because it makes him rude. He barges me out of the way when hes on a feed, is more hyperactive and generally a bit of a bully. Ive been told that the reason he got colic before was because he didnt have a hard feed.....apparently the vet told me this - even though I was stood with the vet the whole time and never heard her say anything about this....just wondered what others opinions are? My horse is already overweight as he lives out - how can I get it through to this person that I dont want my horse fed?

Is your horse out at livery with this person?
Why are you worried about telling them what you think???
Sorry, just wondering as it sounds as if they need to be told to butt out, but if they are the owners of the yard, or some other reason why you cant then I can understand your quandry.
You have told me (a very very limited horse person I hasten to add) WHY you believe this, so why cant you tell them???
Lea :) :)

Its my sister! She has a very good way of persuading people. Ive told her I dont want him fed....she seems to think he needs it. Hes overweight as it is! If I put my foot down she'll cause problems in that she takes turns to feed etc and if she stops that....Im up s**t street!

Ah that explains alot xx
Sorry no help, but will give someone who knows about horses a help in working out what to say to her xxx
Is there any way you could buy 'diet food' for your horse?? I dont know if it is available, but if it is, it may be a compromise seeing as you need her???
Stupid idea I know
Lea xxx

Its not so much him being overweight thats the problem, its his bolshiness. He pushes me out of the way where as he used to be the perfect gentleman. :-(

Does he do that with her?
Sorry I know I know nothing about horses apart from tacking up, just trying to think logically to get an answer.
Am sure someone will be along that can give ALOT more help than me xxx
Lea xx

We had a similar problem a few years ago when we had our daughter's horse on a yard that insisted all horses need feed. She was a pretty good doer and when she was feed she was a bit too much for my daugher to handle.  We compromised by using http://www.allenandpage.com/Products/Rest-and-Light-Work/Quiet-Cubes.aspx which didn't heat her up like other mixes.  We used only about 1/4 scoop per day and livery owner was happy that she was feed and it was useful for catching the mare when she was at grass during the summer months.  It can be hard making your opinions count as some livery owners just believe they know better than you!  As it happened we eventually moved yards but continued to feed as it was a good food and didn't heat her up.  It was more expensive than other mixes and cool cubes but we liked it.

Tracey, if you really need to keep her on your side ( so she still feeds etc) can you not just give a small feed of chaff? Tell her he doesn't need the energy from grain, nuts, mix etc as he gets too bolshy, will become difficult/less enjoyable to ride, will put on more weight etc. If you sort of blame it on yourself, saying you find it more difficult to handle/ride him, she may be more inclined to listen to you. You could always speak to the vet again and ask his opinion on the feed. Do you know why he had colic before?

To  be honest with the sunshine and showers we've been having if my horse was a good doer and lived out - forget feeding it - it'd be lucky if it wasn't perm muzzled!
I would be worried about laminitus with a good doer especially the way the grass is shooting up at the moment.  I would explain to her that you are worried about his health and laminitus setting in.  Obviously if you upped the work load you'd need to up the feed. I agree with killickhick about a small chaff feed being the way forward if you can't get her to stop feeding it.  I also think with horses with colic issues you want to avoid feeds if you can - grazing keeps the digestive system ticking over all the time and stops the surges you get from feeding hard feeds.

Good luck with it I know its a nightmare everyone has such different ideas.  you have to be true to what you feel is right - after all its you that has to pay the vets bills should colic etc. become a problem

sorry missed the bolshy comment in that case I would want to restrict the sugary grass at this time of year that'll make him very full of himself.  So I'd probably muzzle him (one that he can still eat and drink through but restricts it so that he can't get as much).  I'd look at a slow release cooling feed if you want him fed (I love ride and relax no barley, no oats very calming really helps with my boy who is irish sports / irish draft and can become a bit spooky and bolty when given other feeds) also fast fibre which is a soaked feed also from allen and page.  I find these 2 keep my boy very much calm and settled.  Routine is obviously as important as I'm sure you realise.  But I find its the spring grass (that we are still getting from the sun & showers) that make my boy forget his manners.

I'd also look at doing a lot more ground work with him possibly with a pressure halter if need be to start with.  parelli and join up are great when I find them getting a little too big for their boots.  Maybe your sister isn't as consistent with him and this could be the issue?

Hes absolutely fine with grass, its hard to explain but its not the feed making him bolshy in an energy way, its more a 'where is my feed way'. As soon as I get to the field all the ponies start sniffing around where their feed it put as if wanting their feed. Its like they become obsessed with feed. He has alfa a and pony nuts with garlic sprinkled in.

Maybe the problem is that he is difficult with the others horses when they are fed and your sister finds it easier to feed him as well.  Possibly he's stealing the food from the others if he doesn't get a feed.  I think that when they are fed in the field it can cause all sorts of problems for both the horses and those handling them.  I have always brought ours onto the yard to feed them if there is no stable available. 

We had a sec A pony on a neighbours yard, a realy good doer and prone to laminitis.  The family felt ever so sorry for her when feeding their own horses and dispite repeated requests (and denile) the poor pony ended up with laminitis.  Try to control what food he has rather than others controlling it!

They are all my horses in that field, we dont have to share with anyone, and the other 3 dont get worked. They arent underweight, all cobbys, my sister just likes to make work for herself and spend my money! Im just gonna have to be firm with her and say I dont want it anymore, its a complete waste of money in my opinion.

lol - relatives are very good at spending money for us.  From what you described its a manners issue then he assumes he's going to get food when someone comes to the field so he barges and hangs around interfearing until he gets it.  When I feed my boy has to walk backwards and move away from me.  I put his feed down and stand over it, he's not allowed to touch it until I move away allowing him into the space.  It's much more difficult in fields though to teach feeding manners.  So maybe as you said just tell you sister to stop feeding him