Do I need to put weight on my horse?

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florayG

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My Welsh Cob 24 years old was semi-retired until she developed laminitis due to IR and PPID last autumn. She's the special horse of my life so I have put everything I have into getting her right and now she is super fit, lean, good feet (barefoot) and working quite hard, 2 hours of trot/canter/gallop on very hilly ground at least 4 days a week. She is keen and looks 20 years younger than she did this time last year.
However, she now has the look of a 100 mile endurance horse - no spare fat anywhere and you can see every bone and every muscle.
I've not had her this fit for maybe 15 years and I'm not sure if this is fine or if she needs to put some weight on? She is 14hh and weighs in at 380Kg. She has 400g Thunderbrook base feed, 2kg dry weight sugarbeet and 2kg alfalfa pellets plus as much soaked hay as she wants (she doesn't eat that much), she is turned out on very restricted track grazing, it seems the more I feed her the more energy she converts it too!
I guess I'm just not used to seeing her looking more like a 2yo racehorse in training than a Welsh Cob. Two people who have known her for years have asked me if that's a new horse I'm riding? because they didn't recognise her.
Maybe the alfalfa is a waste of time, as it hasn't put an ounce of weight on her?
I'm just asking for general opinions, please.
 
Some pictures may be helpful. Seeing plenty of muscle on her is quite different to seeing every bone on her. If you've been built up to long steady, but at a good speed work, then it is likely you will have lean muscle - which is quite different to the kind of muscle you would see from doing schooling work for example.

But well done you for getting her fit to help her out - it does sound as though she's enjoying herself!
 
It sounds great as you say you are not used to seeing her properly fit, most people are not used to seeing fit horses, if she is well, full of energy and looking good in her coat you must be getting everything right.
My only thought is that if she does not want much hay will she be ok in the winter or will she eat more then so she does not drop off too much which can be a problem once it is cold and there is no goodness in what grass she is allowed, some oil in her diet, micronised linseed should be safe for her, would give calories without extra fizz but otherwise enjoy her and keep up the good work.
 
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