Feeding for weight gain

[fidleyspromise]

Tilly is 23 yrs, Highland.
She's dropped lots of weight and condition since her colitis episode at the start of the month.

She is very ribby, spine is prominent, hips aren't too bad. (First image was Apr when she was an ideal weight. The others are today).

She gets fast fibre, progressive earth for vits and mins, linseed 200g, tumeric and boswelia for stiffness, protexin gut balancer, limestone flour (as her bloods showed low calcium).

I'm using the last of the fast fibre as the other 2 are on speedi beet so planning to put her on that too.
I just wonder what else I can add in to help her without overloading her? I was reading about Cushcare and thought it might be worth it.

 

[meleeka]

Cushcare is fabulous, but I'm not sure she needs it from those photos. If you do decide to feed it, you'll probably find you won't need to feed the recommended amount to get results. You could just add some linseed to her Speedibeet and you can feed a fair bit of that.

I'm assuming her teeth have been checked? Has she had a cushings test? I wouldn't wait for symptoms in an older horse who's struggling to hold weight.

 

[KikiDee]

Cushcare is magic stuff. It’s transformed my ribby 30yo into a bit of a fatty who I’m considering putting on a diet if he doesn’t drop off in January! And he only gets 1/2 scoop twice a day.

He also gets soaked grass nuts and FibreBeet but it was adding in the Cushcare that really helped his condition.

 

[ihatework]

She doesn’t look that poor, I’d be careful against changing her feed given the colitis history. She lost some because she was ill, let her regain it slowly and naturally and don’t risk putting her guts under additional stress

 

[Highmileagecob]

Agree she is not looking 'Highland shaped.' Might be worth having a blood test for encysted redworm too. My oldie has had two recent bouts of mild colic, twelve months apart in spring time. Had the vet out again last week because of swollen sheath, and she took blood for screening. Results showed low protein and high encysted red worm, despite being wormed with Moxidectin two weeks previously. Not sure where to go with this, as Moxidectin remains active in the body for up to thirteen weeks, I am reluctant to give another wormer so close to the first dose. Has she had teeth checked recently? She is around the age when teeth start to deteriorate and chewing ability reduces.

 

[fidleyspromise]

Thank you all.

The photos dont do justice to how poor she looks especially as we're coming into the worst months of winter where she usually loses weight.
BCS 4/9

She has tested negative for cushings.
Teeth done Aug, Nov and Dec with diastemas widened.
She is not a lover of hay so will continuously pick at grass over eating it. I've tried various haylage over the years and same thing. She will eat a little hay but not enough. (There are 2 rounds out in the field).

The colitis was due to encysted redworm so she's been wormed.

 

[fidleyspromise]

Agree she is not looking 'Highland shaped.' Might be worth having a blood test for encysted redworm too. My oldie has had two recent bouts of mild colic, twelve months apart in spring time. Had the vet out again last week because of swollen sheath, and she took blood for screening. Results showed low protein and high encysted red worm, despite being wormed with Moxidectin two weeks previously. Not sure where to go with this, as Moxidectin remains active in the body for up to thirteen weeks, I am reluctant to give another wormer so close to the first dose. Has she had teeth checked recently? She is around the age when teeth start to deteriorate and chewing ability reduces.

The colitis was due to redworm. I asked the vet whether another bloodtest was due and when and he said it takes a while for the redworm not to show after worming.
I want to speak to my normal bet to see what her thoughts are on ensuring the redworm is gone and how we tell.

I'm sorry you're going through similar with your oldie.

 

[KikiDee]

Thank you all.

The photos dont do justice to how poor she looks especially as we're coming into the worst months of winter where she usually loses weight.
BCS 4/9

She has tested negative for cushings.
Teeth done Aug, Nov and Dec with diastemas widened.
She is not a lover of hay so will continuously pick at grass over eating it. I've tried various haylage over the years and same thing. She will eat a little hay but not enough. (There are 2 rounds out in the field).

The colitis was due to encysted redworm so she's been wormed.

My oldie is a picky hay eater too, not teeth related as he’s been the same all his life, he just picks through his hay rather than eating it with any enthusiasm. He gets a big scoop of soaked grass nuts and FibreBeet twice a day alongside his feeds, I found making sure he has plenty of fibre going through his gut alongside a conditioning feed does seem to help him hold his weight too.