Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
Last week I was reading back through some old posts and shook my head at the number of times I've readjusted what my boys eat. I have tried so many different products in an effort to heal hooves, shine coats, soothe tummies, and keep emotions on a more even keel. By now you'd think I'd have figured out that most of that stuff doesn't work all that well. For the record, here's what my boys are getting this year. Speedy
At this point, I've whittled the supplements down to the most basic of items. Since Izzy eats primarily grass hay, he really does need the extra calories found in the beet pulp and rice bran. I've tried several "cooler" feeds, but all of them sent his energy through the roof. Rice bran (fat) and beet pulp (forage) are the only feeds besides the grass hay that he can tolerate. My vet agrees that the vitamin/mineral mix and milled flaxseed are probably doing more than just making expensive poop. He feels that the flax probably helps with Izzy's summertime itch, and being on grass hay alone means he's probably not getting enough minerals and vitamins.
As far as the GastroElm, I know that it works when Izzy needs it. I am still trying to determine just how frequently he does need it. For the past three weeks I've given it to him on Saturday after my lesson. So far, that isn't making things worse, but I don't know that he needs it weekly. I need to give it a few more weeks to see if the occasional sloppy poop piles disappear or continue. Eating really shouldn't be this complicated. Comments are closed.
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About the Writer and RiderI am a lifelong rider.
I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010. Welcome to my dressage journey. About Speedy GSpeedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
About IzzyIzzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
National Rider AwardsState Rider Awards
State Horse Awards
Working Towards:
CDS Sapphire Rider Award Third Level: 63.514% Third Level: 62.105% Fourth Level: Fourth Level: 2023 Show Season
Show Rating (***) CDS/USDF/USEF (*) CDS (s) Schooling (c) Clinic (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic 2023 Show Schedule
TBD 2023 Completed … Pending 2023 Qualifying Scores
Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Training Level 3 Scores/2 Judges/60%: Score 1: Score 2: Score 3: Archives
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