Elderly tbx, clipped out, no hard feed..

[rhino]

Horse is in his 20s, is out all day in a field with lots of mud and no grass at all. He comes in at night and has restricted haylage and no hard feed at all. Would you be worried?

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Here he is, I think he looks pretty good actually

Obviously he is lacking muscle but have found it very difficult to keep him exercised since the advent of the ice age in early November!
Any comments?

 

[pastie2]

He just looks okay, he is lacking over his loins. May I ask why he is having no hard feed? If he was mine he would be fed twice a day, I really dont understand why you are not feeding him at his age.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

He looks absolutely fine to me. It just shows that you have to feed the horse in front of you, rather than a theoretical horse. I do wonder, though, why you clipped him if he's not being ridden much.

 

[stencilface]

Looks fine to me - how elderly is he?

TBH looks like he is just lacking muscle, and as long as he is ok in himself I wouldn't be changing anything

We have a 24yo welsh x tb out 24/7 (not clipped, rugged according to weather) and tbh he could survive without hard feed, coudl probably do ok without hay tbh, haylage would blow his mind!

I would question why you had clipped him, but mine is fully clipped, gets ridden only at weekends, and due to weather (grr!) hasn't competed since november - when he wasn't clipped! Keeping mine clipped is easier as he's filthy and as long as he has proper rugs, he doesn't care what hair he has

 

[joeanne]

only thing I would change would be to give him a veteran suppliment in a handful of chaff.
Looking good for an oap TB!!

 

[Girlracer]

He looks okay, although a little lean IMO.

 

[rhino]

Thanks guys, I agree he is lacking muscle over his loins, he has always been slightly weak here but he has not been in work for nearly 4 months. Will improve a lot with hacking/schooling/inhand work and some lungeing.

Clipping - I am bringing him back into work now and he is a sweaty beast without. Also has fairly sensitive skin which reacts to everything so it's easier to keep him clipped. He's not a 'cold' horse though I have plenty rugs for every eventuality!

Feed - I normally spend all summer trying to keep weight off him, he is a very good doer. He does have a multivit supplement/balancer in a handful of chaff daily. Other than that, I really don't think he NEEDS any hard feed at this time. (His teeth are in great shape too)

I have had him 12 years and am happy with how he is, just find it interesting to get other people's perspectives

 

[Girlracer]

Also how has he not got a stupidly thick coat!!!? (obviously he's bald but i mean his legs) i have a 26 yo tbx who his so incredible hairy, and i think your lad is less hairy than my 5yo tb!!

 

[Sue C]

He looks OK, but I think scoop of 16+ and Alfa oil a day his coat would look better x

 

[rhino]

Also how has he not got a stupidly thick coat!!!? (obviously he's bald but i mean his legs) i have a 26 yo tbx who his so incredible hairy, and i think your lad is less hairy than my 5yo tb!!

He was clipped out, including legs, last time. What you see is what has grown since then! I normally take ALL off, in fact this is the first time I have tried leaving legs and face on.

 

[stencilface]

How old is he?

 

[Kaylum]

He looks well kept and happy to me.

 

[rhino]

How old is he?

Sorry, missed your question earlier, he's 'only' 21.

It's interesting that people think he is too lean - unfit and lacking muscle certainly - but you cannot see his ribs and I wouldn't have said he was skinny.

Will monitor the feed, he has had hard feed in the past but only when he was in work, but knowing my luck in a month or so I'll be worrying about keeping him off the grass!

 

[stencilface]

Ah, 21 is a mere baby!

I don't think he looks skinny, our 27yo TB retired ex chaser is out 24/7, gets hay and hard feed (Allen and Page Old faithful, Alfa A and sugarbeet), and he has dropped weight. But dropping weight is natural in winter, he is not in work and will positively balloon when the grass comes - better to be a little lean on old legs than a little tubby imho

 

[ozpoz]

I think he looks good, for a horse who isn't in work. Why would you give a good doer hard feed when you will have to restrict him from the grass later in the year, I wonder?
Exercise will give him more muscle.
I have a similar type - I give him a little hifi lite with his supplement. For me, not him, as I have been told!

 

[rhino]

better to be a little lean on old legs than a little tubby imho

That's my thinking too!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply - much appreciated

 

[SusieT]

Why is he on restricted haylage?

 

[rhino]

Why is he on restricted haylage?

Because he doesn't ever get full! And when I say restricted, he is still getting 15 - 18kg depending on when he comes in. He is a horse 'hoover' so gets a haynet when he comes in, one last thing at night and a little one in the morning before he goes out. I would actually prefer to have him on hay but there is none about locally, or rather what there is, is rubbish quality and more expensive than good quality haylage.

I don't actually want any more weight on him at the moment, the grass will be coming through soon now.

 

[somethingorother]

He's a perfect weight. I don't see why he would need feeding twice a day when he looks great for what he is on. If his coat is looking a little dull then maybe some oil in his chaff would help but he looks in great condition to me.

Anything where there might be a suggestion of a rib without it being burried in flab seems to be 'skinny' these days. Whatever you're doing is working so well done

 

[vikkiandmonica]

I think he looks great! Wish I could give my 11 year old restricted haylage and no hard feed

 

[rhino]

He's a perfect weight. I don't see why he would need feeding twice a day when he looks great for what he is on. If his coat is looking a little dull then maybe some oil in his chaff would help but he looks in great condition to me.

Anything where there might be a suggestion of a rib without it being burried in flab seems to be 'skinny' these days. Whatever you're doing is working so well done

Thank you! I wasn't really posting for advice as am happy with him, I just think it's really interesting seeing other people's take on things... I wonder if I'd posted 'fat' summer photos of him - would I have had people complimenting him on his great condition?

Coat does look rubbish here, just clipped and cold overcast day. He actually has quite a nice gleam now. Have alfa a oil for other horses so can use for this one if needed.

Will post some more photos as he fittens up - well that's if the snow ever finally goes away and stays away

 

[rhino]

I think he looks great! Wish I could give my 11 year old restricted haylage and no hard feed

I'm lucky, he's a fairly low maintenance horse, who despite his age and frankly rubbish conformation has never had a day's lameness or illness in his life!

 

[somethingorother]

He actually doesn't even look that unfit to me, apart from lacking in top line a bit he looks like horse who has been in light work. But yes it would be nice to see what a difference proper work makes, i'm sure he will look fab. (not that he doesn't now!)

What's he crossed with by the way? I think i spy some arab in there

 

[rhino]

)
What's he crossed with by the way? I think i spy some arab in there

Ah. I may have cheated somewhat, I was wondering if anyone would jump onto the 'elderly' + 'tb' bandwagon. He is in fact a branded Belgian WB (though sire was a French tb so I wasn't lying). What the dam was is anyone's guess as it's an open stud book and I don't have papers. He's also only 15.3hh so little by BWB standards.

 

[somethingorother]

Ah, i fell for it lol

Was just the high set tail in the second photo but it could just be the photo/ angle.

I loaned a branded BWB but he was a completely different build and a bit of a brute. But i think there's a lot of variety in the breed so it's hard to tell sometimes.

ETS if you had a photo of the brand i would be very interested as it was always a bit uncertain if that's actually what ours was)

 

[vikkiandmonica]

I have a Belgian Warmblood too! (Wings in my signature!) He's fairly chunky, and built like a brick ***** house, but has some TB features, but I think he has a fair bit of TB in his bloodlines

 

[rhino]

Don't have a photo but here is a pic - 4 horse heads in a circle

As it is an open studbook there is huge variation in BWBs - although I have never met a 'bad' one. How are your BWBs bred?

 

[JenHunt]

May I ask why he is having no hard feed? If he was mine he would be fed twice a day, I really dont understand why you are not feeding him at his age.

I don't think it's a problem not to give them hard feed - not all horses need it, even in their 20s. My query would really be why he's fully clipped - is he in hard work? if so then fair enough, but if not then I'd query the necessity of a full clip.

I think he's looking well given his age etc - well done OP!

 

[ozpoz]

aha, my 'similar' type is also branded BWB!

 

[rhino]

I don't think it's a problem not to give them hard feed - not all horses need it, even in their 20s. My query would really be why he's fully clipped - is he in hard work? if so then fair enough, but if not then I'd query the necessity of a full clip.

I think he's looking well given his age etc - well done OP!

Thank you!

I did say about the clip earlier, he is a real hairy bear and can't even walk up the road without sweating, and he has just started coming back into work - just walk hacks and in hand work for now. He also has crappy sensitive skin and reacts to random things so under vets advice I clip him out anyway. I know it's not the done thing but it works for us. He has an extensive range of Rambo and Fal rugs (trashes anything else) but never seems to feel the cold anyway.