Best way to put more weight on thoroughbred?

[BigGinger]

My boy has started to drop weight and I am starting to wonder what else i can be feeding to gain more weight.

You cant see his ribs when standing but they are visable when moving and has definately lost condition as he was quite tubby for a TB October time.

He had ulcers over 12 months ago so have to be very carefull with what he's fed. He is also barefoot so is current on a barefoot friendly diet.

He currently has 1.4kg (dry weight before soaked) of fast fibre. 1kg of alpha oil. 2 mugs of micronised linseed, brewers yest, magnesium and salt. This is split between 3 feeds and he always has adlib hay or haylage. He always has enough rugs to keep him warm and is healthy otherwise.

Is there anything else i can be feeding that is safe to feed? Everything i see for weight gain is either full of sugar/starch or is cereals which he can have.

Work wise he get worked 4 tines a week up to 45mins.

Any advice welcome...

 

[Palindrome]

You could try unmolassed sugarbeet, it has lots of calories and still a fibre feed.

From "The Myths and Reality of Beet Pulp " (on http://www.allcreaturesanimalhealth.com/site/view/212994_EquineNutritionArticles.pml)

Feed Type Energy
(Mcals/kg) Comparison
to beet pulp
Vegetable oil 8.98 385%
Corn grain 3.38 145%
Wheat bran 2.94 126%
Oat grain 2.85 122%
Beet pulp, dry 2.33 100%
Alfalfa hay,
early bloom 2.24 96%
Alfalfa hay,
full bloom 1.97 85%
Bermuda hay,
29-43 days growth 1.96 84%
Timothy hay,
mid bloom 1.77 76%
Oat hay 1.75 75%
Orchardgrass hay,
late bloom 1.72 74%

(sorry the table didn't paste properly so hard to read)

 

[Lulup]

Alfa Beet - looks like cow pats once soaked (!!) but great for adding condition and fits the bill for your horse, I think, in terms of ulcers etc.

 

[BigGinger]

Thanks for the suggestions.. I have been looking for something more like cubes or nuts to give some consistency as he's always eating slop and isn't that kean, he always leaves his feed over his net although its always gone in the morning. Can't seem to find anything!

 

[LynH]

I have a 21 yr old TB who is living out 24/7 for the first time in her life. I have to feed her the same volume of feed as the fatties so they all finish eating at the same time. I feed Molasses free Hifi, speedibeet, High fibre nuts, micronised linseed, Omega Ricebran and Supershine Soya Oil. She's kept her weight well with only a MW rug on. She gets 2 secs of hay twice a day or 3-4 times if it's cold or snow.

 

[be positive]

If he is alright with Alfalfa you could try the pellets, I have been using them for some of mine, although have cut them out while they are not in full work, they do not need soaking so may suit your horse.

 

[china]

I would have thought that what he is on is ample. That's plenty of fibre, is the linseed full fat? My tb has had to be cut down to half a cup of linseed because he was looking abit podgy! Perhaps up the fast fibre?

 

[BigGinger]

I would have thought that what he is on is ample. That's plenty of fibre, is the linseed full fat? My tb has had to be cut down to half a cup of linseed because he was looking abit podgy! Perhaps up the fast fibre?

I thought the same myself, it is ample and he always tucks into his hay but has recently dropped off a little. Was thinking of upping the alpha a oil and adding either speed beet/fibre beet to see if it tempts him any more to eat up.

I was thinking of putting him back on calm and condition as he never dropped off weight on this but I stopped using it as he was slightly footy and once off it he improved.. But then again he wasn't in work and I'm wondering if this is why he's more lean than I'd like..

 

[ellie11987]

I thought the same myself, it is ample and he always tucks into his hay but has recently dropped off a little. Was thinking of upping the alpha a oil and adding either speed beet/fibre beet to see if it tempts him any more to eat up.

I was thinking of putting him back on calm and condition as he never dropped off weight on this but I stopped using it as he was slightly footy and once off it he improved.. But then again he wasn't in work and I'm wondering if this is why he's more lean than I'd like..

Only horses I've seen that gained weight on C&C were absolute hat racks so not a fan personally. I never use chaff to add condition either as its basically chopped alfalfa with a little bit of oil and just a bulk, the quantities you have to feed for a noticable differance is insane. Waste of money, I don't feed chaff anymore, the fibre in it can come from forage. I'd swap the ff with speedibeet and maybe add some omega rice or something. I also know of rowen and barbary solution mash that might fit the criteria but I'm not an expert on this product. Hope this helps, good luck

 

[monkeybum13]

I'd swap the fast fibre for something more conditioning. I know several people who have found top spec cool condition cubes brilliant for horses prone to ulcers

 

[MillionDollar]

I would add a balancer such as 365 Complete, and this also can be fed at a higher rate to add condition...

http://www.equineanswers.co.uk/prodpage.asp?ProdID=1

 

[Antw23uk]

My TB mare is possibly one of the healthiest looking on the yard right now. Her coat is definatley has the winning shine for sure

One scoop spillers cool mix
Two scoops Dengi Hi-Fi Light
Garlic powder
100g Micronised Linseed

The above is twice a day with Ad lib hay.

She is currently in 24/7 with school turnout for a couple of hours and work every other day (mainly lunging) and in Heavyweight rugs, unclipped.

Cant help other than the above is working wonders for me

 

[whizzer]

Amongst other things I use the top spec condition cubes for my poor doer TB who's had ulcers several times & also cannot tolerate anything starchy as starchy feed=bonkers behaviour!

 

[Holly Hocks]

Spillers high fibre cubes or Pure Easy by the Pure Feed Company?

 

[horsey mad matt]

fine fettles charcoal powder is brilliant for ulcers also try adding more oil even just cheap cooking oil is good. again speedi-beet is good also i really like spillers cool mix, i know it is very non heating but don't know if it would help with weight

 

[Chestnutmare]

My girl is fed hi fi molasses free and high fibre cubes and she has done brilliantly on it also as lib hay

 

[Antw23uk]

Oh and a course of Omeprazole via USA as well .....

 

[Pigeon]

Mine is just having a couple of scoops of Pure Feed at the moment, with Calm and Condition if it's really cold. He's on ad lib hay, if he started dropping weight he'd get switched to haylage, and feeds complemented with cod liver oil. He looks pretty good atm, considering the weather, this is him earlier today.

Could probably do with a bit more chub if this weather is here to stay, but his coat and feet look healthy. (I have no idea what I'm doing in the second pic)

I don't really know much about barefoot, and what changes in feed regime you'd make to cater to that, but if you can use Pure Feed in place of chaff, it seems like good stuff to me

 

[BigGinger]

Mine is just having a couple of scoops of Pure Feed at the moment, with Calm and Condition if it's really cold. He's on ad lib hay, if he started dropping weight he'd get switched to haylage, and feeds complemented with cod liver oil. He looks pretty good atm, considering the weather, this is him earlier today.

Could probably do with a bit more chub if this weather is here to stay, but his coat and feet look healthy. (I have no idea what I'm doing in the second pic)

I don't really know much about barefoot, and what changes in feed regime you'd make to cater to that, but if you can use Pure Feed in place of chaff, it seems like good stuff to me

He looks lovely.. I will try to get some photos of him tomorrow in the daylight

 

[Pigeon]

Good idea Is he getting ridden much atm?

Also if you have the option of hay or haylage, I'd switch to haylage!!

 

[Elsiecat]

Pigeon - at first glance I gasped at those pictures - it looked like he had the worlds WORST topline because of the darker unclipped patch!
Now I've re-looked, he looks fab

 

[Pigeon]

Pigeon - at first glance I gasped at those pictures - it looked like he had the worlds WORST topline because of the darker unclipped patch!
Now I've re-looked, he looks fab

LOL!! Like a hammock!! Bless, those are my slightly dodgy clipping skills, that saddle patch is a good five inches smaller on the other side... :S

 

[Vetwrap]

I also have a tb who has recently been diagnosed with ulcers and ndergone treatment. I am also struggling to get weight back on him.

I was recommended to use rice bran, but couldn't find where to get it from, though it is used in some feeds. I found that Tesco sells Rice Bran Oil, so am feeding that instead. I think that he is starting to improve a little.

FWIW, my old boy always looked really good on Saracen Biolife2000.

 

[LynH]

Vetwrap, I use Omega Ricebran which I buy from our local feedstore. It's sold in a very large tub as well as sacks.
I'm not sure if this is relevant or not but I had really bad stomach ulcers myself last year as a result of taking NSAIDs. I take Omeprezole but nothing really worked until I started taking Turmeric tablets which cleared them up immediately and I've not had any problems since. It may be worth googling to see if turmeric helps horses. Fine Fettle Feeds sell a pure charcoal supplement called Happy Tummy which I've used on a horse we nearly lost to colitis and a pony who has had digestive issues due to not being wormed before she came to us. Both have not had any reoccurance since being on the Happy Tummy.

 

[eatmyshorts]

I've found Readymash Extra good for poor doers and veterans - you can feed it as a lovely warm mash. It has a sweet smell so they sometimes take a few days to get used to it. l add Mollichop Show cherry chaff (not sure that is the right name but you can Google it!), good for condition as it has a high oil content. The other thing you can try if feeding beet or similar, is soaking in some grass nuts. Oh, and micronised barley is also useful.

 

[ghostie]

Spillers high fibre cubes are fab for getting barefoot tbs to eat their feed imo. Mine has unmollased sugarbeet and micronised linseed but a handful of high fibre cubes will get him eating anything

 

[TwoStroke]

It's mid jan, so I wouldn't be alarmed at a horse dropping a little weight; it's perfectly natural and a good preparation for the coming spring.

That said, if you want to increase feed, oats are usually well tolerated by barefoot horses. Copra is also well rated.

 

[BlackRider]

Might also be worth looking at A&P's veteran vitality as that sits between Fast Fibre and Calm and Condition for digestable energy.

 

[BigGinger]

Might also be worth looking at A&P's veteran vitality as that sits between Fast Fibre and Calm and Condition for digestable energy.

I was thinking about this also... But didn't know weather it was seen as 'ok' to be feeding a rising 6yo a veteran feed

 

[BigGinger]

This is Kero this morning.. What do you think weight wise?