Feeding to improve top line without fizziness

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Jazz18

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Could I have recommendations for a feed that will improve top line without sending him loopy. At present he lives out and is fed Thunderbrook chaff and Top spec light balancer twice a day.I only feed half the recommended amount of balancer as he was getting fizzy and given its summer etc thought he only needed a token feed. He has plenty of weight on him, is exercised and schooled regularly but have had continued problems with saddle fitting which we think might be due to his lack of top line. Vet does not think its due to diet, and we are exploring possible hock issues( arthritis) but would like to feel those things aside, that I am feeding correctly.
 
Yes, he's been working doing dressage competitions and hacking but no matter what work we do top line stays the same. Vet suggests lunging in Pessoa.
 
You say he has saddle issues I assume the fit is not right? And then he possibly has arthritis in hocks, to be honest with these issues and the fact he has a lack of top line I would be investigating a pain or lameness issue first.

Often bad saddle fit can be caused by hind limb lameness.
 
I agree, and we're seeing vet again to investigate whether or not he needs another hock injection but have previously been advised to hold off from these although he did have one last year. Wondering if feeding more protein would help though.
 
Topline does need both things - correct work, but also the building blocks to build muscle. If you are a body builder, and you work out all the time but arent feeding your muscles, you will just keep getting leaner and leaner rather than bigger.

So you need good quality protein to help promote muscle build up rather than getting leaner. And each horse is different in terms of fizziness - I have a spooky little so & so who does not need to be sharper than he is but I've found Baileys No 4 great for building him up with no stupidness - but there are plenty of high protein feeds out there!

I think you may need to look at the overall picture though when you mention some arthritis issues - he may not be using himself correctly which means it will be harder to build up correctly but seems like you are looking at everything together - best of luck! :)
 
Cinnamontoast said:
Lungeing in a Pessoa with possible hock arthritis?? Exactly what I was told not to do! No circles. Are you going to have an x ray to confirm the arthritis?
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Yes, i have had x rays last year and was told it was mild . I do agree, so much conflicting info. it was the vet that suggested I do that.
 
Rose has put a huge amount of topline on and she gets next to nothing to eat apart from good grass and ad lib hay, in the winter she got micronised linseed and unmollassed beet with her low sugar chaff to put her balancer etc in. It's about the work they do and if your horse is struggling to engage his hocks I think he'll struggle to put muscle on his topline.
 
Jazz18 said:
Yes, i have had x rays last year and was told it was mild . I do agree, so much conflicting info. it was the vet that suggested I do that.
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If you do not have a decent physio involved it may be time to get one they should be more clued up to what will be suitable to help build topline without resorting to a pessoa , it may be you need to work him in a slightly different way to enable him to lift through his back, even if his hocks are not perfect having the rest of him well muscled and working properly should help but forcing the issue through lunging may mean you end up with him totally crippled or resenting the work you do.
Some in hand work can be really useful as can polework if it does not cause discomfort in the hocks so should be done with care.
 
oldie48 said:
Rose has put a huge amount of topline on and she gets next to nothing to eat apart from good grass and ad lib hay, in the winter she got micronised linseed and unmollassed beet with her low sugar chaff to put her balancer etc in. It's about the work they do and if your horse is struggling to engage his hocks I think he'll struggle to put muscle on his topline.
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That's very reassuring. I googled it and read that if they don't get enough protein, they won't develop their top line. Sounds like you feed the way I have been.
 
be positive said:
If you do not have a decent physio involved it may be time to get one they should be more clued up to what will be suitable to help build topline without resorting to a pessoa , it may be you need to work him in a slightly different way to enable him to lift through his back, even if his hocks are not perfect having the rest of him well muscled and working properly should help but forcing the issue through lunging may mean you end up with him totally crippled or resenting the work you do.
Some in hand work can be really useful as can polework if it does not cause discomfort in the hocks so should be done with care.
Click to expand...
Sounds like the pessoa is a bad idea. What in hand work would you suggest?
 
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