Feeding my Veteran through the winter

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celajl13

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Hello

I have a clydesdale x who is 18 this year, she is getting fed top spec senior and alfaalfa pellets soaked so its like a mash. She has coped well but she is still in medium work and is always very pleasing ride, not fizzy or crazy . My worry is that now im coming out of winter and into spring summer months she is starting to show signs that she has lost weight

She is stabled at night with a large haynet and out to grass between 9 and 3

Does anyone have any tips on how i could help her gain some weight without feeding sugar beet, my reason for not feeding sugar beet is that she had colic surgery in 2008 and when fed sugar beet in 2010 she started to show signs of colic with only a tiny cup of beet so u can see my reasons why i would want to stay away from beet. I should say she was on alfa oil but its too coarse for her gapping teeth hence why i feed the pellets as a mash

What do u feed your older horses and do they maintain weight ok?

any help greatly appreciated
 
I feed my 21yo alfa oil and Topspec cool conditioning cubes - he is an ex lammi so I avoid anything with high sugar or starch levels and this has worked in getting his weight back up. Luckily his teeth are in good nick (very important at their age!) so he has no chewing problems but I'd recommend the topspec cubes and soaking them so they form a mash? Then maybe add some oil? I'd also recommend copra meal - it needs to be soaked so should be easy for your boy to eat and it's great for adding weight.
 
Given the spring grass will be springing up shortly I would be hesitant about adding anything at this time. Give it a month and she'll be filling out :)
 
micronised linseed would be a good one :)

would also say the topspec conditioning cubes as well, I popped them in a decahedron for my mare when she was on box rest then every night she got half a scoop to keep her occupied :) You could also add afalfa pellets in there as well :)

Im currently feeding my 22yr old spillers conditioning fibre, alfalfa pellets soaked and linseed along with his joint supplement and hoof supplement. He has dropped some weight after going off his feed of alfalfa chaff, veteran vitality and beet. Hes alsop getting a double handful of alfalfa pellets in his treatball at night and a handful of linseed lozenges in there as well :)
 
Thanks for all the messages and help I will be looking into feeding her a conditioning cube as I've been advised on that a lot! As for her teeth she eats well but it's her breeding lines that have caused the gaping :( not serious at moment but have been getting her checked every 9 months as recommended by her dentist thanks for all the helpful replies xxx
 
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