Any idea's for 20 something Cleveland Bay x tb

[edgedem]

my 15.3hh Cleveland bay x tb 20ish year old boy is very 'suddenly' back from loan. he went away a healthy slightly slim happy horse & has come back a skinny depressed RSPCA case. and that's after checking him just 6 weeks ago! needless to say I'm fuming but that's another story.

His ribs are showing even under his thick winter coat, his hips are sticking out he has hollows behind his shoulders however he does has a low hanging belly that seems more bloated that normal so I think he needs a worming restart.

I cant ride as I am pregnant, so just wanted to know what my options were this winter in regards to feed and health. he has some grass currently, but this will soon die off im sure. he has the option of a couple of hay nets but is ignoring them so the grass is currently good at the moment. he is out 24/7, has a thick coat but is skin and bone under that.

I currently have him on Condition cubes & Alfa-A with oil, top spec balancer & I'm thinking of adding linseed if he doesn't improve. he will have Ad lib hay when the winter sets in. at the moment he is unrugged.

any suggestions to keep him going? am I missing anything?
I'm a bit lost as normally dealing with fat cobs at this time of year not skinny tbx

 

[Equi]

Were his teeth checked? Id get some grass nuts and sugar beet. 4 x feeds a day and tbh i would rug. The coat is good but if there is nothing under it to shiver off he will feel really cold. Id have him in really.

 

[edgedem]

his teeth were done in July and they said he has good teeth but took a couple of points off.
I thought about rugging him but he seems to sweat in a medium weight? he always feels warm to the touch and doen't look tucked up. I was going to put a lightweight on him but this will flatten his coat etc and I think makes him colder, its a bit of a tough one. he wont go in unfortunately, he weaves in the stable and gets very stressed out, has done all his life apparently, he doesn't eat or drink when in & it causes more harm than good. his field is sheltered on all sides by thick hedges and tall trees and there is a shelter if he decides he is cold. im hoping the unlimited hay will keep his inner furnace going!

 

[twiggy2]

vet check would be my starting point for rapid weight loss in an oldie, cushings can cause weight loss regarding top line and quarters but leave them with what looks like a wormy belly (it can also cause sweating and over heating), I would also want to rule out weight loss from painwhere you present when his teeth were done?
with a vet check done I would feed grass nuts/speedi beet/micronised linseed and a good supplement-if he gets the all clear from the vet I would feed him just small amounts as the weight ma go on as fast as it came off and you don't want to create another problem

 

[edgedem]

yes I was there for the teeth even felt them myself so knew they were done ok. thanks for that I will look at getting the vet out asap for a check over. he was fine when he went on loan, given the all clear for the workload and actually remarked how well he was for an old boy. now he just looks like hes not been fed in the 8 weeks she had him, heart breaking.