follow on from...does he really look that bad...

marley and danni

marley and danni

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hi again some of you asked for more photos here they are :)

and thanks again for all ur kind comments on my other post, i will welcome any advice but as you can see from one of the ridden photos besides having fun im geeeting him working correctly...its a long process x

the ridden trot is from monday, the confo pics r from today...and the gallop/canter pic is from 3 weeks ago....

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just because hes cute


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and for those of you who dont know this is the original picture and story my YO said my horse was a disgrace and was skin and bone.......

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thanks so much :)
 
Although pictures can be misleading, he's not far off the ideal weight, IMO, in the recent pictures. Build muscle slowly onto that frame and be careful what you feed and he'll be perfect pretty soon. Will have to trawl back for the history now!

He doesn't look that bad in the last one?
 
I did read some of your other thread but didn't comment. I do think he needs to put a bit of weight on, I think that he could do with a bit of a covering but not too much. I certainly don't think he looks POOR but I do think he looks 'slight'. Is he full of energy and bright? The cantery picture suggests yes but a couple of others say no. That said, you would probably get the same from any horse that you posted several pics of....

Has YO wound her neck back in yet?
 
thanks for the reply all the pictures are from month of May and my Yo just said infront of everyone basically that i dont look after my horse.... so i posted on here t see if he was the only on thinking it... i try my best with him but hes hard to keep wight on with the amount of work i do with him he is extreamly fit and there isnt much grazing out in the feilds at the moment ither..... i was just looking for opinions really :) x
 
not quite they wont speak to me lol!

i agree i would like a little more on him but as i said im feeding him as much i can and there is limited grazing and he does a lot of work... i rode this morning and he was bright as a button very soft in his contact saw the jumped and he loved it and we have a few canters and he was a little to energetic... hes also been galloping and bucking around the feild with his freinds hes also very cheeky in his stable :)

i would be worried if he wasnt like this.... :)
 
Alot of TB type horses just don't do well carrying too much weight! To me I would say he looks lovely and fit, whats wrong with a fit horse for goodness sake?
 
I don't think he needs more weight either, I'm surprised people think he does. My arab is looking similar at the moment and I'm quite relieved with all the new grass coming through. More topline maybe, but I can see that you're working on that.
What is the username of the lady with the beautiful black mare Delicia? If someone could help with that I'd have a look back at her posts, because she's put that lovely finishing touch on her mare by changing her feeds, I think to Pure Feeds. I wonder if something along those lines would help your boy to develop his muscle and just get that bit more condition (not fatness!).
If he was my horse, I hope it's OK to say, I would get a second opinion on his hoof shape and balance. I reckon that could be better maybe, and long-term that might benefit him.
He's lovely.
 
thanks tiny pony ill find out and PM her and ask her opinion

for his feet i have a new farrier working on them there getting there the main prob was that he was lame all the time so got new farrier he sorted that out and now he is working on getting his soles firmer and his heels up...so far so good :) thanks very much

i am trying my best to get topline and his rear end sorted :)
 
I still think he looks good, albeit agree topline could be improved, which you're working on anyway. If he has the energy to do the work you expect from him, then he's fine. I guess he doesn't look so enthused in some of the pictures as you're asking him to work in an outline which is probably quite hard for him at the moment.

Keep it up - ignore anyone who thinks he need more weight! :)
 
hi yes he does lack the enthusiasum when i ask for the outline and form him to work properly but once he gets wamred u and hes going he works much better.... hes much more relaxed and energetic when we are cantering or out hacking... he only likes the school when we are jumping :) although he doesnt refuse to go in the schools so i guess thats a good thing :)
 
I think he looks more weak/lacking in muscle than thin although on the side on photo you can easily see his ribs, with my tb (who is very fit) you can just about see her ribs but not as prominently as your horse.

I wouldn't feel bad about how he looks as IMO he's not bad, just could be slightly less lean and trying to build up some of his muscles in the right places.

I feed mine oil in her normal feed if she's getting a bit lean. You can build it up to 100mls per 100kg of horse so easy calories and none heating.

I do feel bad that people on your yard are making you feel bad about it, I'd rather have a horse a similar weight to yours than the obese horses you see, but a bit more covered would be perfect (for me at least)
 
Tinypony said:
What is the username of the lady with the beautiful black mare Delicia? If someone could help with that I'd have a look back at her posts, because she's put that lovely finishing touch on her mare by changing her feeds, I think to Pure Feeds. I wonder if something along those lines would help your boy to develop his muscle and just get that bit more condition (not fatness!).
Click to expand...

Black_Horse :)

Really cute horse OP, I like him a lot!
 
I agree with the other posters.. you are doing a good job here :)

I would also agree about the feet... feet are often a mirror to the health of the horse, and his say to me diet could maybe improve :) By that, I don't mean at all that you're not feeding enough, but that TBs often have very sugar sensitive digestions and we can sometimes get caught where we try to feed up to put condition on, but find it doesn't work because the delicate stomachs actually do worse with rich feed. I've had success cutting feed back to fibre only (fast fibre, speedibeet, unmolassed chop, micronised linseed) but adding a good probiotic (yea-sacc) and keeping off very long/lush/rich grass... just normal grazing. This worked better at putting condition on than all the mixes, balancers, lush grass we'd tried before, and had the added bonus of improving hoof quality :). And when the hooves improved, the horse was able to work more correctly, and muscled up well! Funny how everything's connected!

Anyway, sorry for rambling on. Just to say, stick to your guns... your horse is lovely, you are working really hard doing all the right things and deserve credit for it :)
 
just to say - hes gorgeous - could do with a bit more topline/muscle (as could most horses) but for summer I would say ideal weight - going into winter i would like a bit more on if he is likely to drop off a bit but hopefully with this bit of rain and some grass growth you will get that - if he holds his weight through winter I wouldnt be worried.

My neighbours had a shock when the vet visited and 2 out of 3 horses were declared overweight - one is very very overweight but is a nightmare to get weight off but think owner thought the other one ok even though he is obviously plump - my chap is a bit plump at present and everyone thinks he looks fine but if you condition scored him he would be def. on the "good" side !
 
If i saw your horse in person my first thought would be 'Bloody TBs!' They are known for being buggers to keep weight on. He's not drastically underweight. I certainly wouldn't describe him as anything like your YO has said.

I would however, Inform said YO that since my horse is such a 'disgrace' she wouldn't want to make money out of me and my ill treatment, And move yards :cool:
 
Black_horse - what does 'kill this thread' mean? I see that saying sometimes and I don't get it. I haven't been in internet world that long!
 
I'll prove you wrong on that one then! Don't you reckon that this boy might benefit from a similar feed regime to the one you are using with your lovely mare?

Op - if you would like more about the feet you take some pics from ground level, ie laying on the ground level, from different angles and underneath and then you post "Oberon, feedback please??" or similar. I agree with what was mentioned above, I think those feet need a change of diet, and also it looks like a farrier has been chasing the toes for sometime.

:-))
 
No advice from me, I don't know enough about feeding for weight gain to advise! I did comment on your original post, and just wanted to add that your boy looks lovely.
 
He looks a little poor to me- he's carrying a lot less than Reg (also an ex-racer who's a bugger to keep weight on!) who is eventing fit atm. It's not so much what Reg is fed, but the sheer volume of it that appears to help him- he gets about 2 full trugs of feed each day, with alfa A, nuts, Baileys balancer, either speedibeet or sugarbeet and then many supplements and probably other stuff I've forgotten. But it's a lot of food (spread over 3 meals). He's also out 24/7 on good grass.

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This is him almost immediately post XC so he's a bit tucked up- his ribs are hardly visible.

These are probably the best photos of him when he's 'relaxed'- his ribs are felt, but not actually visible. He's in what we reckon is almost perfect condition.
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I think your boy looks very well but needs a bit more covering to help him along.
 
OP, I think your horse needs a tiny tiny little bit extra weight, LOLO's horse looks perfect to me.
Youre working on the top line, so that will make him look better.
I second oil in the feed ( if youre not already feeding it ), its really helped my tb, and gives him a lovely shine as well
Kx
 
I'd second what Black_Horse says about pure feeds. Mine is similar to yours and looked embarrassingly thin in November. We upped her feed to gigantic proportions, and she was eating haylage at a huge rate, we also added oil and she started to pick up but feeding pure condition has helped loads, she was weighed and condition scored the other day and declared spot on. The best thing is that with pure condition she only needs 2 feeds of 1kg a day and no additives. A horse can't digest big feeds so no point making up huge bucket fills. I'm now just working on getting the top line built up.
 
I think your horse looks lovely and your YO is being very very weird! He certainly doesn't look like you need to worry, he may have a tendency to the thin side but that's a lot better than horses that put on weight just by looking at grass!

He could do with a bit more topline and developing the muscles on the top of his neck which is something you are already working on, and it does take a long time to see changes in this area. One small observation from the long and low pic would be that your reins look a bit loose and although he has a lovely long frame, he is not using his neck and back as much as he could. Try to keep him connected in the long and low so that he rounds his back and neck more. Also make sure he is elevated through the shoulders when doing long and low work so that he is not tempted to push his weight on the forehand.
 
hi thanks for all the recent replies i appreciate them... black horse ill look inot the pure feeds :)

hes currently on 2 meals a day which consist of 1 large scoop of happy hoof (hes been on this a year to help his feet along) 2 scoops of biotin, linseed oil, garlic, mint, 1 scoop of speedibeet (soaked) and 1 scoop of apple mix....i cant put to much sugary stuff in his diet as he goes a little loopy... hes also on 2 large bags of halege a night and hes out from 8am-6.30 on grazing.... hes never left with out food, oh and a small net in the morning (one of those travel nets) and every now and then i keep him in wich 2 large nets.

im working on keeping him connected but its very difficult as its not what hes use to and he is very weak in that department, but hes quite fit and i am trying my best....

i was maybe considering feeding Alfa a Oil instead of the happy hoof now his feet no longer seem to becomming lame but ill look into the the pure feed option also.....

i also wanted to add my farrier is doing a good job with his feet as when he 1st started doing then they were terrible flat and spread out and ver long in the tow and were always getting abses and he had very thing soles and couldnt keep a show on so i changed to my current farrier and since i have hes never pulled a shoe... never been lame and seem much happier... i realise they are still not the best but hes working on them

any more advice to help him gain more muscle?

my current work out with him is..... schooling 3 times a week for 30mins-1 hours depending how his listening is... then for a quick gallop on the track....
once a week hes either lunged or juned and twice a week hes hacked a good few miles for few hours...(this includes jumpuing and plent of fast work)

he some times egts a day off during the week ussually but also he some times gets an extra jumped day....

:)
thanks
 
It's interesting seeing these photo's - because in the stripped ones he looks ok to me - but ridden I'd agree he could do with more condition.

You're not really feeding him any calories except for the haylage - and personally I would look to put him on a conditioning feed, i.e D&H Build Up Cubes and definately Alpha A oil.
 
thanks amy may, i put him on the feed i mentioned originally when i first got him as he didnt need fattening up as does well on the grass (that was on my old yard though) and he needed his feet looking at more than anything and the old farrier suggested the above feed along with old YO suggesting it too.

but since i see that a few people think he looks poor maybe i should re evaluate his feed, and up his cal intake....

:)
 
marley and danni said:
hi thanks for all the recent replies i appreciate them... black horse ill look inot the pure feeds :)

hes currently on 2 meals a day which consist of 1 large scoop of happy hoof (hes been on this a year to help his feet along) 2 scoops of biotin, linseed oil, garlic, mint, 1 scoop of speedibeet (soaked) and 1 scoop of apple mix....i cant put to much sugary stuff in his diet as he goes a little loopy... hes also on 2 large bags of halege a night and hes out from 8am-6.30 on grazing.... hes never left with out food, oh and a small net in the morning (one of those travel nets) and every now and then i keep him in wich 2 large nets.

im working on keeping him connected but its very difficult as its not what hes use to and he is very weak in that department, but hes quite fit and i am trying my best....

i was maybe considering feeding Alfa a Oil instead of the happy hoof now his feet no longer seem to becomming lame but ill look into the the pure feed option also.....

i also wanted to add my farrier is doing a good job with his feet as when he 1st started doing then they were terrible flat and spread out and ver long in the tow and were always getting abses and he had very thing soles and couldnt keep a show on so i changed to my current farrier and since i have hes never pulled a shoe... never been lame and seem much happier... i realise they are still not the best but hes working on them

any more advice to help him gain more muscle?

my current work out with him is..... schooling 3 times a week for 30mins-1 hours depending how his listening is... then for a quick gallop on the track....
once a week hes either lunged or juned and twice a week hes hacked a good few miles for few hours...(this includes jumpuing and plent of fast work)

he some times egts a day off during the week ussually but also he some times gets an extra jumped day....

:)
thanks
Click to expand...

OK, my general thoughts are that his coat looks OK and he generally looks bright and happy.
Yes he is doing some work, but he certainly isn't doing so much that I would expect him to be running up as light/'fit looking' as he is.
I don't think he is drastically underweight at all, but I do think he could be carrying a fraction more fat condition, as well as added muscle.

When you say 'scoops' of food do you mean the big round stubbs ones?
Also what is apple mix? Given you say he reacts to sugary stuff I suspect that this might not be the wisest choice!!

Definitely take a look at the pure feeds
 
Remember feeding the right quantities of feed should supply all the vit's and min's he needs to help his feet - but you can always add biotin.
 
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