Advise on horse who looses a lot of weight when hunting...

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Badger has been keeping weight on quite nicely this season as we haven't been out much, but it seems it's definitely the hunting that makes him drop condition. He looses it on the day more than anything.

We are a bit cautious of "feeding him up" for the day, because he can get colicy and we don't want to risk that...

any idea's how we can stop him getting so skinny from a days hunting??
 
Do you feed boiled barley routinely?

The hunters on my yard all have at least three meals a day - all with boiled barley. One in particular runs up very light - but always looks tremendous.
 
No, he has baily's no.4, alfa A oil and speady beat twice a day I think... not entirely sure because my mum feeds him..

Only problem with feeding him a lot (i.e. 3 feeds a day) is that we tend not to get out that often for one reason or another and he can get a bit loopy..?
 
Ah, I thought he hunted regularly.

Personally I'd be inclined to give him a lovely warm tea with boiled barley in it after hunting then. It shouldn't heat him up. Do you feed him electrolytes? That could also make a big difference.
 
Fibre!! Lots and lots of fibre is the best thing to keep bulk on them, and can be fed in larger amounts running up to hunting. It holds moisture which the gut can draw off whilst out hunting. Oil is also helpful.
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I had this prob(hence no hunting),my mare wud get so hyped up she didnt eat much hard-feed for nearly 2 wks after hunting last yr! lost alot of condition through over excitement after i had spent a fortune on special feeds (to keep weight on)as she hots up. Barley of any sort is a NO NO 4 her,makes her loony as does alfa A. Mind u,anything makes her hyper hehehe.
shes fab in the summer just on grass,loads more chilled with no hard feed at-all!!
 
Hi there

I have found the weight gain mix really good, my oldie (bay in my sig so not your quiet 27 old!) usually gets fizzy on most mixes but seems relatively normal on weight gain!!
 
Well I'd like to say we go once a week but it seems to be about every fortnight or less due to cancellations etc!
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I think if he was going more it would be much easier cos he could just have more food!
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Thanks everyone!
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Try coligone - stops my horse from returning from eventing tucked up - I give one syringe 30mins before leaving, and he now does not come back run up at all.
 
This is a very interesting post for me. Our 15.2hh TB/X 6yr old mare is doing the same. Coming back from hunting she has reduced her haylage intake by roughly half.. She is still eating her hard feed but picks at the haylage (which is good quality so not being a fussy eater).

She is VERY fit at the moment and last year when she was at peak fitness she did the same.. Only fibre I have increased is sugarbeet, with that she is getting a mix, oats and alfalfa.. Just can't get her interested in the haylage..
 
What about NAF pink powder or a feed balancer? PS, not an expert but my mare did the same after hunting, she was just too excited to eat but started after a day out in the field.
 
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