Feeding Correctly

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trotter259

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My horse is a 17hh ISH, 6 years old. I have had him for 6 months and he hasn't gained much weight.

When I first bought him he was like a hat rack, you could clearly see all his ribs, his hips and his bum was like a triangle. He had a extremely sore back from a broken saddle that he was ridden in for months in his old home.

I have given him the 6 months I have had him off, with plently of lunging, in hand walking, pole work and generally just bonding with him and getting used to him, and him used to me. This has been fantastic as I feel we have a much stronger bond now than what we would have had if I had just ridden him.

When I first fed him, he was on Alfa A Oil, Conditioning Mix, Sugar Beet and garlic powder. This didn't do anything for him, so I swapped the Sugar Beet for Calm and Condition. This made a little difference, but not a lot.

So I moved him away from the Calm and Condition about two months ago and have him on Copra Cool Stance, which has worked wonders.

So I now have him on:

1 x Scoop of Alfa A Oil
1 x Scoop of Cool Stance
a scoop and a bit of pink powder.

He is fed twice a day with ad lib hay.

I want to get a little more weight on him, as he is still a little too slim for my liking. You can still see his ribs and his hips. He is having his saddle fitted at the end of the month, so will be getting back on board towards December time as I want to take things slowly with him and not rush him.

What suppliment or other fed can I add to his feed to give him a little more bulk?
 
If he doesn't have much muscle mass then he will look rather lean, so long as he continues to get the nutrition he needs then when you start riding you should see an improvement. You might well find he is rather late to mature given his height and breed, so in the next few years he may well bulk up a bit on his own anyway. In the meantime if you want more calories for him then, as well as ensuring teeth are good and he is appropriatly rugged, then microinoized linseed is my fav thing ever! No prep needed, even my picky girl loves it, and it is so good for them as well as putting a bit of weight on. Great stuff. You can get a big sack from charnwood milling, or smaller amounts from loads of places online. I like here http://www.naturalhorsesupplies.co.uk/p/product/0807109621-Micronized+Linseed+900g++%A3249/
 
Spillers and Dengie both provide free feeding advice helplines.
I have used the Spillers service and they have been great. I was worried they would just try and sell me their expensive products but I found them impartial and even advised a competitors products!!!
Im now on a great feeding program now that is really working for my horse.
They also do yard visits so they can see your horse and advise you and anyone else who wants feeding advice.
 
Stating the obvious here but have you had his teeth checked and has he been wormed?

I would just increase the quantities that you are currently feeding him. 1 scoop of alfa a oil isnt actually that much weight wise and the copra will contain water.



Do you have access to good grass? Or feed him grass nuts too.
 
Agree with the poster above that says 1 scoop of Alfa A Oil is not really a lot - a scoop only weighs about 400g - so worth increasing the amount as he is a rather big lad. I suggest contacting Dengie for optimum amounts for a horse that size.

Have you had his teeth checked as poor teeth will slow down his haylage consumption and therefore make it harder to keep weight on him. When you say that he has adlib haylage, is that in the field and in the stable, or just in the stable at nights? Have you actually weighed how much haylage he gets through each day?

I see from previous posts that your horse 'burps', so I would strongly suggest that you get him investigated for gastric ulcers as this could contribute to the 'burping' and the poor condition.
 
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He is getting haylage through out the day, and that is a huge amount.

He has been wormed and had a worm count done, and nothing sinister there. His teeth are good, not long been done, although contemplating having him checked again.

I shall increase the Alfa A, although I do tend to chuck another couple of full handfuls extra in his bowl. His bowl is full to bursting, but I shall give the feed company a ring and see what they suggest.
 
Does he get this:
1 x Scoop of Alfa A Oil
1 x Scoop of Cool Stance

twice a day or split between two feeds? If twice then I'd add another feed and give him something at lunch time as well, if possible. Also consider adding barley rings if you want more weight, or try again with sugar beet.

I know when my YO was struggling to get weight on her skinny TB, he was getting 3 feeds per day of chaff, mix, sugar beet and barley plus adlib haylage.

Also feed haylage in the field now as there won't be much goodness in the grass.
 
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