Conditioning feed - advice?

[only_me]

I need some advice please! As billy is getting fitter and doing more he keeps dropping weight - obviously our current feed regime isn't working. He is on equi jewel and a 10% mix, eating as much hay as he can.

He normally drops weight at this time of year, but just looks a bit too poor for himself. He's been wormed, teeth checked etc. so no underlying health issues

So what would you advise me to feed him? He is a big horse and I also have a feeling he has currently grown "up" through his shoulder but I haven't measured him. He is also rising 7 so just beginning to fill out his frame which I guess means most of his food/energy is being used up there rather than putting actual meat on his bones!!

I'll post a pic only because I want you to see what he looks like at min, I know he is poor and am trying to change this but he has never been a fat horse even when he is out 24/7 with no work for 3 months!! Am a bit upset at how much he has dropped really.

I had thought maybe straights would be a good way to go? Ideas?

Has definitely developed an improved top line and is starting to come up behind his saddle, but I don't remember his withers being that high before
Very grateful for some help please!

 

[thatsmygirl]

He doesn't look poor to me.

 

[Slightly Foxed]

He doesn't look bad at all! If you want to put weight on him look for a diet that's higher in fat. Introduce any changes very gradually. Lucerne is good, it's high in protein.

You could use a proprietary build up mix in small amounts frequently throughout the day - up to six small feeds a day if you can do it.

Oil is good for underweight animals but needs to be introduced gradually and built up slowly. Never feed more than 100mls oil per 100kg body weight and introduce it gradually at 100mls per week. If you feed high amounts of oil, you'll need to supplement the diet with an anti oxidant such as vitamin E.

Oh, you asked about straights, these should always be processed, micronised or cooked.

Just make sure he has good quality forage and he'll be fine, I'd put him on 4.5 on the Henekke body conditioning scale which is damn near perfect!

 

[thatsmygirl]

I do also think people are to use to seeing over weight horses

 

[Passtheshampoo]

My Tbxshire mare has dropped weight over the past couple of weeks, more work during better weather! I'm currently changing her onto Alfa A Oil as it should put some weight back on her without the fizz.

 

[only_me]

Well, for example, here he is at his peak fitness last year (1*) where he galloped strongly round the xc easily making time.

And at his "fattest" for a show

I don't expect him to look like either of these, but as you can see he's never really been a fat horse!
Thanks slightly foxed, also forgot to mention he's on linseed oil as well but only a dollop at night. It's a bit concerning only as he's only had one run out xc and all being well will be doing a lot more very soon so don't want him to drop any more!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Ive put my veteran on spillers conditioning fibre and hes gained weight in less than two weeks on this, alfalfa pellets, linseed and beetpulp

Hes cereal intolerant so I cant use mixes, straights or any feed over 12% starch

 

[dianchi]

I put my TB on linseed as well as equi jewel and its worked well. Tbh you don't want to do too much as give it a month and well all be complaining about the grass!

 

[Topaz Tiger]

Ive been feeding my eventer top spec cool and condition cubes, been on 3 scopes a day, am about to introduce their performance cubes as his is weight ok now, just needs more muscle, so will aim to do a mix of both....
He's a pretty fussy eater, wouldn't eat any straights, so feed him the top spec balancer, the cubes, 1 1/2 scoops of unmollased sugar beet, 10-12 carrots and ad lib timothy haylage..... Hope that helps...

 

[Slightly Foxed]

Well, for example, here he is at his peak fitness last year (1*) where he galloped strongly round the xc easily making time.

And at his "fattest" for a show

I don't expect him to look like either of these, but as you can see he's never really been a fat horse!
Thanks slightly foxed, also forgot to mention he's on linseed oil as well but only a dollop at night. It's a bit concerning only as he's only had one run out xc and all being well will be doing a lot more very soon so don't want him to drop any more!

Gorgeous boy! Also increase electrolyte intake by ensuring he has adequate vitamins and minerals, maybe add a forage balancer? Sugar beet is also a very under rated source of digestible fibre.

You said his teeth are ok and your worming programme is fine? You need to up his energy intake to match the amount of work he's doing. Even if he's in hard work, forage should still comprise 60 - 70% of his feed ration. You can feed supplementary mix formulated for working horses, sugar beet pulp and high temperature dried alfalfa and oil. Feed any cereal grain feeds in small amounts throughout the day.

 

[Spotsrock]

Sugar beet. My vet reckons thats why my veteran looks so good.

 

[Ouch05]

Personnel I would not up his feed he looks great going in to spring and the spring grass.

 

[Elsiecat]

If he is poor than I'm David Beckhams underpants! He looks fine, especially going into spring!

 

[Megibo]

I think he looks okay actually

Come spring he'll gain the pounds

 

[only_me]

Lol ok, so not quite panic stations yet, hopefully weather will improve so can get him out!

 

[4x4]

I think he looks fine but I went to feed shop today to buy some Alfabeet to put little bit of extra into mine and whilst I was there the girl said loads of people are looking to put extra condition on ATM because it's been so cold and wet, so as others have said I wouldn't worry as the grass is coming through.

 

[Firewell]

He looks like my boy weight wise atm and I was like you, starting to panic! However I then thought that the grass will be coming through soon and it's better for them to go into spring slightly under weight then over weight..
He's probably about right really, I do think we are used to seeing horses too fat. Saying all that though I was just looking at Rowan and Barbary solutions mash. It looks a good feed for weight and stamina without fizz.

 

[wench]

Baileys outshine may help... It also helps to put a wonderful shine on their coats. I love the stuff.

 

[glamourpuss]

I've recently started feeding my poor doer who isn't bothered by food fenugreek.
I looked into it after reading about it on here (I think Nikkimarriet has had good response with it with Fig)
In a week I've started to notice a difference. I haven't upped his feed but he's really keen to finish up & is troughing down much more haylage. He's always been ad lib but some nights he would literally pick at half a slice, most nights it was about one slice & he never really ate the stuff in the field.
Over this last week he's been steadily increasing the amount he's eating at night.....last night he munched through a whopping 3 slices! This morning he was tucking into a haynet in the field as well
I don't know how it's worked but it seems to be stimulating his appetite to eat more forage!

 

[amandaco2]

I think he looks ok atm....
Id go for something oil based like ers pellets....