Feed experts- help please.

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Milanesa

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So my tb gelding is now around 18yrs, and has had a year off due to me having a baby etc etc. he is wormed, paddock poo picked daily, and out with 5 others.

He looks poor though, can anyone suggest the best feed/ combination for him to help gain weight and bulk up? I prefer old fashioned straight feeds so don't have much knowledge of the many new feeds on the market. Also he does not like cubes of any description so they are not an option. Also any specific supplement that would help him keep weight on? He is out 24/7 on ad lib good quality hay-and will be for most of the winter.

Many thanks.
 
I use micronised linseed if you search threads on here or the net you will find loads of info on it. I buy it online by the sack which are 20kg one mug a day at the minute so lasts for months. In fact I have to be careful not to give him too much as it puts too much condition on.

Also very good for joints/hooves/coat etc

forgot to ask what does he eat now?
 
Hi, ah ok I haven't tried that so will search some threads- does it need to be soaked?

He is currently just on hay- I have just started sugarbeet and mix morning and evening as this has worked well in the past but wondered what else I could try. Thanks.
 
I wouldn't call myself an expert but I can tell you what works for my poor doer who is no longer a poor doer! After going through a fair amount of pre bagged stuff, I've found that low sugar starch diets are best as their body isn't trying to burn up stuff that isn't really meant for them. I really like linseed and I like soaked whole oats. If you soak them then it takes out all the stuff that makes them go mental. I was feeding this with the odd bit of fast fibre until I found that it was treated with caustic soda so went looking for something else. That's when I came across thunderbrook. My girl is now on the base mix and she's great on it. Initially it looks expensive but a bag last forever as you hardly feed much. If she starts dropping off then I'll add in some oats but so far she's great. If you like straights then you will like this. It's got linseed, pre pro biotic, magnesium, lots of other stuff ith no fillers hence not having to feed much.
 
Have you had him tested for Cushings? If he is positive he probably also has insulin resistance so it is even more important to do the low sugar diet - unmollassed beet pulp and micronized linseed is the basis for mine. Cereals contain too much starch which metabolises into sugars so best to avoid if he is positive. But if he is positive you will need to get him on Prascend before he will get much improvement, so any diet change will be a waste of money.
 
Claribella- thanks for this, last winter he had oats as well as the sugarbeet and mix and he is fine on them, I was giving bruised as to aid digestion- perhaps I will try then again also thankyou.

Jill- no I hvent had him tested, perhaps if he stays looking poor I will investigate further with the vet, thank you.

So that's a few votes for linseed- is there anything I need to know about feeding it? Does it need to be soaked like sugarbeet? I have not used this before - have any of you had a tb on this, can anyone suggest a good supplement to add, or will this be unnessecary if I amend the feed to include the linseed? Many thanks. :) :)
 
I have also just started feeding linseed, not for weight but condition, and no it doesnt need to be soaked if you get the micronised one, just feed straight out the bag :)
 
Milanesa said:
Claribella- thanks for this, last winter he had oats as well as the sugarbeet and mix and he is fine on them, I was giving bruised as to aid digestion- perhaps I will try then again also thankyou.

Jill- no I hvent had him tested, perhaps if he stays looking poor I will investigate further with the vet, thank you.

So that's a few votes for linseed- is there anything I need to know about feeding it? Does it need to be soaked like sugarbeet? I have not used this before - have any of you had a tb on this, can anyone suggest a good supplement to add, or will this be unnessecary if I amend the feed to include the linseed? Many thanks. :) :)
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Linseed is magical stuff . . . buy the micronised stuff (Charnwood Milling is one producer) and just add it as a supplement . . . my sporthorse has been having it since January or so and it's good for condition, coat, feet, joints. I feed my lad (16.3hh) a mug full split between two feeds, along with ERS Pellets (also rich in oil/low in starch and sugar), an unmolassed chaff, Blue Chip Original and pure MSM for his joints. You don't need to soak it (it's like a coarsely milled flour in consistency), it's non-heating and delivers slow-release energy.

P
 
Gemma ok thanks for explaining that.
Polarskye again thanks, good to hear people's experiences.

Victoria thanks for the link if my local feed merchants don't stock it I will buy from there thx.
 
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