Conditioning and feeding

[chesterandrumour]

Hey guys, just got a new horse on trial. He's a wb/tb, 12yo, were in the jumpers. I'm feeding him alfalfa and high fat grain, bute, sunflower seeds by the handful, and a cup of oil in the morning. He's quite skinny and high energy. I don't want to feed him anything that will make him more high energy because he can get high strung and pushy. Any suggestions to put weight on him? He's in his paddock from 6-4:30 but there isn't much grass in his paddock.
EDIt- he does have a lack of muscle in his hind end, neck, and shoulder, his legs are quite thick and muscley.

 

[be positive]

If he is on trial I would not want to change too much from what his owners had him on or to change anything too quickly, he may need time to settle in, if there is not much grass in the field I would make sure he always has hay out there as well as ad lib in the stable, make sure he is warm enough if clipped or not getting too hot if not.
The diet you have him on seems very high energy and may be encouraging him to burn off any weight by being too energetic when working meaning you end up working him hard to keep him sensible, I think with any new horse it is worth going back to complete basics and starting with a simple diet of grass, hay and a low energy high fibre feed with oil if weight is required and only build up if required once the settling in period is over and you know more about the horse, being a bit underweight will do no harm in the short term as long as he is eating plenty of forage and is generally feeling and looking well.

Last point it may be a mistake in your OP but you say he is on bute, if that is correct are you seriously planning on buying him??

 

[chesterandrumour]

Thanks for your suggestions. Yes he's on bute as an anti inflammatory and yes I'm considering buying him. His hocks are still fusing

 

[epeters91]

I'm confused his hocks are still fusing so he's on bute and jumping?! Maybe I'm confused but that sounds like a recipe for further problems and vets bills? Surely the horse should be on rest not trial?!

 

[BORODIN]

Id be running a mile - sounds like one big vet bill and a load of heartache!

He is on bute - so what if you take him off the bute? is he then lame? sounds like jumping should be the last thing he should be doing!
if it is only anti inflammatory he needs and he would be sound then the long term effects of bute on his liver isn't good for him either
botswalia is a good herb for anti inflammatory but again if he is on trial I wouldn't be changing much either