feeding for condition

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crazyjockey

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Hi everyone,
My boy went lame a year ago and has since done not very much work. he used to be out competing every week with pretty intense training. he is 15 and has lost his muscle tone but now unexpectedly has dropped loads of weight. Medically he is fine but it is embaresing becasue he looks like we aren't feeding him. the reality is I am shovelling him full of food but he has only gained a small amount of weight. Does anyone have any reccomendations for feeds that they have found good for condition. Any help would be great. thank you
 
What are you feeding him? How much hay/haylage do you give him and how much does he actually eat?

When you say he is OK medically, I presume you have had bloods taken and you know his teeth have been done recently?
 
It's important to feed lots of fibre for weight gain, rather than cereals as these have short burst of energy in the form of calories which then get used up quickly - you need something that is digested slowly and releases energy slowly to help your lad put on some weight.

Something like conditioning cubes are fab - plus you should add soya oil, or Alfa Oil to his feed. Alfalfa should be the base of the feed anyway to provide fibre and bulk for him. You could also try adding Outshine by Baileys to his feed - my friend used this successfully last winter on her boy. At 15 he might also need a senior feed of some sort to up his nutrients...
 
If he is in light work, Oil and fibre would be the perfect basis. Alfa Oil combined with something like Speedi beet and oil, and if still need more something like Allen and Page calm and condition or Topspec calm condition cubes would be perfect, as they have no heating ingredients. A balancer like Topspec will help him utilise the ingredients properly aswell
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[ QUOTE ]
something like Allen and Page calm and condition or Topspec calm condition cubes would be perfect, as they have no heating ingredients.

[/ QUOTE ] You are right that the Top Spec Calm & Condition Cubes have no heating ingredients, but the Calm & Condition actually contains maize which does make some horses fizzy, being one of the starchiest of cereals!
 
Bailey's no 4 conditioning cubes are my favourite, having tried many on my TB. I use Alfa A Oil, unmollassed sugarbeet (so I can feed as much digestible fibre as possible without a sugar overload) and Baileys No 4.

Currently I'm experiementing with using rolled oats instead of the cubes with good results as they're high fibre/protein and slightly higher in energy for my aging horse. I'd probably recommend starting out with the cubes tho as a first step.

also - are you feeding twice a day? two smaller meals will increase nutrient absorbtion better than one big one.
 
Someone on here ..I think it was TGM...recomended Spillers Response slow release cubes ......high in fibre/oil.....they are great, got them for my Vet and I feed with Molli Veteran chaff and speedibeet and he is looking really good ....really pleased with how he is, he seems to have a load of energy but isn't too demented either, which is a bonus!
 
Try CoolStance, its a Copra meal that you soak and I've just started experimenting with it. It comes highly recommended for weight gain. I also recommend sugarbeet and adlib hay. A little haylage as well would help. Funny a friend and I were discussing this at the weekend for her 19 yr old TB X.
 
If you are already feeding him quite a substantial amount and he still isn't gaining any weight he may not be absorbing it properly.

Have his teeth been checked?

I use NAF Pink Powder, this seems to work wonders. I also use Baileys No 4 on both my TB's and it's fab for condition.

Instead of using Sugar beet you could try using Fibre Beet from British Horse Feeds instead!

Good Luck
 
Baileys no. 4 is almost identicle to Baileys Racehorse cubes.... just more expensive
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TGM, didnt realise that! My horse is fab on the C+C though
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KatB....really??? *runs off to baileys website* Omg yes they are!! Same ingreients and everything. Do you feed these then with the same results?? Just the fact they say "racehorse" that puts me off
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How much cheaper do you find them??

My poor doer is fed
2 scoops Baileys no.4
2 double handfuls of alfa a oil
2 mugs of barley rings
about 2 litres of speedibeet (soaked)

She looks absoloutely fab on it!!!! She lives out 24/7 with a chaser clip, with 2 other horses, and they get 1 bale of hay per day.

Would really recommend baileys no.4
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I'm trying a few things this season for weight gain and condition- I was advised to try Baileys No1 (which is protein, cooked cereal meal) and Saracen's Equijewel- (rice bran, highly digestible oil pellets) apparently this is much better and more efficient than soya oil.
On top of this my boys get good quality hay and alfalfa plus conditioning cubes- when it really starts getting icy and cold they will also be getting sugarbeet.

They are looking fab though! Really shiny coats, and good round bellies- all are ridden 4-6 times a week... will also be hunting too.

Hope this is helpful...
 
try vetran chaff high fibre cubes and fibre beet that should put weight on if it dose not get teeth checked his he wormed? get a pre/pro boitic to help him digest and get the maxium out of his feed!
 
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