Another feed post about a skinny horse!!

GLEEK

GLEEK

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 February 2010
Messages
977
Location
Aberdeenshire
Visit site
Hi my horse has lost a lot of weight this winter have tried fast fibre but this year there has been no success. She gets Alfa oil and fast fibre along with good quality vit and mins twice a day. She hasnt been fed adlib hay as my other hrse is very greedy. However she is moving on wednesday so i plan to feed plenty of haylage. She is fed twice a day again as of wednesday will be uping that to 3 times a day as she is also moving to better grazing.

Tomorrow she is due to be wormed. I was going to give equimax. Is this best for a all round wormer? I am thinking of giving A&P calm and condition along with Alfa Oil. Should i feed more sugar beet (I know its in A&P calm and condition) or Alfa-beet? Or if anyone could recomend anything else would be greatfull. Thank you.

Sorry to bother everyone with another feeding post
 
Barley is the only thing keeping Crow in a good weight. I've tried pretty much all feeds available but that was the answer for us. I'm not a big fan of feeding grain but if I chose between that and having a skinny horse, grain it is. :3

Does the horse get enough protein? No protein = no muscles = skinny horse (but often with a big belly though, if it's extreme lack of protein)
Carbohydrates - as in barley, corn etc - is good for adding the weight, but we need to remember that the horses stomach isn't really made to take care of it. Giving too much is risking a sick horse.
Oils are good, alfalfa hay or pellets add protein as well which should be good if there's a question about it (that's the first thing we are recommended to try over here)
Beetpulp is good but remember that most of it is water once it's swelled. It's good to keep them healthy though.

That's my advice :)
Feed for pregnant mares usually has a good energy level and should be good for skiny horses too.
 
If she hasn't been getting ad lib hay than that is the 1st thing to sort which sounds like your doing that.
Calm and condition I find does not work, baileys no 4 is a lot better.
Carry on with the alfa a oil and sugar beet.

Worming: paromox ( spelling) is the better one but has she been on a reg programme?
 
When I wanted to put weight on Gerry I rang round the feed companies and was recommended Speedibeet, Alfa A Oil and Carrots. Made a huge difference in just a couple of weeks and much, much cheaper than feeding a conditioning feed.
 
Calm and Condition is awful for putting weight on, but it does maintain the horses current weight.
I would recommend a good balancer like Blue Chip,
or Build Up Cubes- they don't fizz up either.
 
lol just had to say that i feed my two fast fibre and alfa-a oil :) but mine also get a cup full of alfa-a balancer each and must say it has made a big difference to them both. We took my spotty off it for a while - as its expensive - and didn't think it was necessary for him however he quickly lost weight, so we had to put him back on it and he's maintaining a good weight again now. Typical horse has to have the expensive stuff :rolleyes:

Also i used the A&P calm and condition for a while last year for my spotty and i personally didnt notice any significant difference with him (condition or calmness), but we did discover he prefered it to the fast fibre as when we ran out of the c&c/forgot which was which :o he promptly smothered his floor with his food :rolleyes:
 
Ok thanks for the advice. I had also been looking at Baileys No6 It does say its also good for weight gain. Can anyone convert there nutrient table for it into good or bad food
?!!!
http://www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk/whatproduct/condition/no6.htm
My worry with Barley rings or similar is it going to her head. I dont want her to start fence walking which she can do. If i was to try barley what else would i feed along with it? I know to keep the Alfa oil and to try and feed adlib hay/haylage its just the what else im stuck on!
 
Be careful not to go too mad changing everything all at once, I would defo increase the hay/haylage as a start, you say you are moving to better grazing as well so maybe just that will be enough, I'm a great lover of spillers high fibre cubes, you can increase/decrease as necessary with the grazing, speedibeet is also good but as I said you don't want to go mad otherwise you won't know whats working. You could add more oil, you can feed up to a mug a day of good quality oil, soya/sunflower
 
Definately increase the hay/haylage and grazing - try bluechip or similar too. D&H do a build and glow which is pretty good too.

I personally would not go down the barley route as you could end up with a mental horse on your hands!
 
Good and plenty of hay should always be the base.

I feed barley to my somewhat hot-headed horse. No problem with his head at all (isn't it oats that tend to get to the head?) Just start slowly and don't give too much (I think max give is 0.5kg per 100kg horse, I'd stay a bit below that). Beet pulp to add to the taste and make it nicer for his stomach could be an idea.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top