Feeding a ex race horse

[lori ann]

My daughter is slowly re training a five year old feeding baileys ease and excel and alfa a oil to required quantities split over 2 meals however she has little energy .this is the first tb we have owned other horses are warmblood any suggestions feed wise to increase her energy level ?

 

[ycbm]

Having retrained many myself, feeding them mostly grass at this time of year, and currently owning one, I would say that an ex racehorse who is lacking energy is fairly likely either to be ill or hurting. Even the quiet ones tend to be forward going. There are always exceptions, of course. If there's nothing obvious physically I might get a blood test to check for the indicators of a possible infection. In terms of potential pain stopping forward movement, my first port of call, especially in an off track TB , would be bilateral front foot lameness. My current TB was the stuffiest horse imaginable until I got his front feet sorted out.



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[be positive]

I would also be thinking pain, most people want to know how to keep the energy levels down in ex racehorses not increase it, the ones here have worked off nothing but grass in summer and only required calories in winter to maintain weight not for energy.
Front foot pain will not always show in their movement but as ycbm says it will make them reluctant to go forward freely, I would look into that and the possibility of ulcers which are common in racehorses if they have been on very restricted rations but are usually secondary to pain elsewhere.

 

[lori ann]

Thank you both I was thinking along the lines of ulcers will arrange to get her scoped .

 

[Carrottom]

If you rule out physical pain to be the cause, what is the horse's confidence like?
My lad lacks any oomph when he is worried about something, once he relaxes he goes forward much better.

 

[lori ann]

Confident mare hacks out well on her own very nice natured settled well but our yard is quiet. We have a very good physio so will have a top to toe next week see if there is anything which may be causing her pain and booked for her to be scoped so we can be sure if she has ulcers or not .