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

thanks for the responce yes they are large prob if you did it in hand fulls maybe 4 ?

the apple mix is just own branded from our local feed suppliers... there is i guess a lot of sugar in it but he doesnt seem any different ridden...

hes not los any fitness from when he was on box rest and can easily do more than what im asking but, im not as i dont want to push him to far and go back to square one.

i will deffinatly look into pure feed i will see if our feed store has it if not then ill try him on alfa a oil.
 
You probably won't find pure feeds in your feed merchant, but they deliver free. Have a look at the website, it is low sugar and a complete balanced feed so no need to mix it, soak it or add vitamins (unless you want to).
 
Give him as much top quality forage as he will eat. Are his teeth in good order? I'd reach for the 'feed bucket' as a last resort TBH. Try Simple, natural and fibre-heavy feed, with a vit/min balancer type thing. And Something like farrier's formula for his feet. Not sure what your YO is on about - he looks well-cared for to me.

If you aren't riding his legs off and trying to compensate by stuffing him full of hard feed, I'd say you are doing OK.
 
hi all another little update :)

this is marley 20 days later after this pics on this thread so about a month after my original thread hes been on alpha a oil for about 3 weeks now along with a little bit of happy hoof and speedibeet and his normal supps... unfortuantly iv left him out of proper work for 2 weeks untill tuesday as i think hes done somthing on his shoulder as he cant turn to the right properly but iv been long reining on stright lines so hes not board.... so let me know if you think hes improved..... thanks

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i know hes still ribby but i cnt seem to get the coverage lol hes healthy though and has sooo much energy :)

please dont be harsh im trying my best x
 
Your horse is lovely and is not a disgrace !

you have two choices;

1. plump him up by feeding him all sorts of 'body building' foods, supplements and balancers etc and you will probably end up with a sick plump unhappy horse;

or

2. build him up slowly, as you are doing and you will have a fit and happy horse you can enjoy :)
 
This horse could do with more weight around 50kg. Any good quality condition cube should help , given in 3 or 4 meals a day. eg Bailys Dodson and Horrell etc.
 
marley and danni said:
hi all another little update :)

this is marley 20 days later after this pics on this thread so about a month after my original thread hes been on alpha a oil for about 3 weeks now along with a little bit of happy hoof and speedibeet and his normal supps... unfortuantly iv left him out of proper work for 2 weeks untill tuesday as i think hes done somthing on his shoulder as he cant turn to the right properly but iv been long reining on stright lines so hes not board.... so let me know if you think hes improved..... thanks

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20120624_094638.jpg


i know hes still ribby but i cnt seem to get the coverage lol hes healthy though and has sooo much energy :)

please dont be harsh im trying my best x
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Yes,definitely looking better than the earlier photo's. Keep up the good work,he's looking lovely.
 
He looks fine to me.....he is a tb thats how they look....well thats how mine looks. If he is fit and up for work then i dont see a problem......i think i posted on your other post.
He is fine, tell her to get stuffed. She obviously doesnt know what a fit healthy horse is.
 
Personally, I think he looks great now. A lot of TBs will always look a little 'ribby' - and the camera often exaggerates this. If people are used to looking at 'well rounded' cobs or warmbloods then he may look light in comparision but I would far rather see a horse looking like yours than overweight. :) I certainly don't think you need to be adding conditioning cubes/build-up mixes, etc. He sounds happy and healthy and as the topline gradually improves he'll look (and feel!) even better.
 
He does look better in the most recent pics however you should be able to feel the ribs not see them. I haven't read all the posts so I apologise now if feeding has already been covered. You seem to give him alpha oil, a little Happy Hoof (why?) Speedibeet & his normal supplements (again why?). To me this doesn't sound like he's getting enough. I'm not saying he should be on feed to build him up, just that he's not getting enough. What weight is he? What weight of hard feed (this doesn't include alpha oil & supplements) / hay or haylage is he getting? How much time is he at grass & what is the quality of the grass? If, as you say, he is doing a lot of work he needs feeding for that amount of work, maybe a non heating feed that is high in oil would suit him. I am not a nutritionist but there are plenty out there who could advise you. You obviously care very much & want to do your best for him. Next time your vet visits ask the vet to fat score your horse. That should shut your YO up.
 
Seems to me people don't know a fit TB when it smacks them in the face. Don't change anything, grand horse, you are doing a grand job.
Your YO should see some fit racehorses or fit hunters...
 
Thanks guys im glad u think he looks a little better in the recent pics from yesterday x
Mari... Hes on 2 scoopa of alpha and small scoop of happy hoof as when i chnaged over to alpha a i didnt want to waste feed... And hes on speedi beet to help keep his current weight and nt lose much his suppliments are just min biotin and linseed oil.

Hes fed 2 of the large small holed nets a night stuffed there super heavy i dnt weigh anything and hes out on grass for about 11hours a day hes only left an 2 hrs without food or forage as tjis is being working and cooling off so is never with out anything... ALthough the grass iant the best but its comming through...

I think im doing ok with him for now will see what futer brings x

Oh thanks for comment on the feet he farrier was to him 2 weeks ago xxx
 
Fools Motto said:
Seems to me people don't know a fit TB when it smacks them in the face. Don't change anything, grand horse, you are doing a grand job.
Your YO should see some fit racehorses or fit hunters...
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having worked as head lass on two high class racing yards , owned a variety of tb,s over the years eventing at a high level and worked on hunting yards all my life where they are hunting hard at least once a week , none of them when fully fit , *showed a rib*, tbs are no different from other horses , they just need feeding correctly
 
I had an ex racer who had visible ribs and similar condition to your horse. She looked better once the muscle was on, but her ribs stayed visible. The vet also told me to make sure she does not put any more weight on. All I would say is she was slightly more covered than yours.

I am a little jealous of horses who struggle to carry weight right now anyway!!! My 3 natives live off fresh air and it is a nightmare to keep the weight off.
 
the photos dont do him justice to be fair to him and me :) he doesnt look ribby when i see him in his stable or in the feild or even when i took these photos really.. when he stands a certain way i can see them but not very clearly but are visable.... same when worked cant really see them....

well i have the physio comming out to him tomorrow afternoon so i will have her opinion too.

i realises hes not in the same work as fit hunter and race horses but even though i may not do as much with him as some people think a fit horse should do to look as light as he does but trsut me he is very fit he excersises him self in the feild and he works hard (when in work) when i work him he goes round somerford 3 times without a sweat...and can be on the beach for 5 hours on a hot day and not sweat or be out of puff.... hes just natually fit same as some people are natually fit :)

im trying feeds that have been recoomened to me its just a case of wait and see what feed works :) although he puts the pounds on when we move into our winter feilds. summer feilds dont have much grass on them.

thanks for the replys :)
 
He looks 'nearly perfect' to me. What your feeding him sounds good, I would just make a tweak or two. Is he fizzy? I would be tempeted to add some baileys topline conditiong cubes if not, or swap the speedi beet for Allen & page calm and condition, or add a balalncer such as topspec, blue chip etc. The exercises suggested to add topline will help too.
He is by no means 'straved' or very thin though.
 
thanks dominobrown.... i know he needs more muscle but im at a loss at the moment but physios comming tomorrow so she will shed some light hopfully although he seems sounds now lol!

in regards to feed the topline cubes didnt really work last time but he was in and out of work so that prob didnt help....i could try them again although the calm and condition maybe be better.

hes not really that fizzy actually i thought he was as he was on molichop when i forst got him and he was a loony bin and cantered all the time...but i fed it him for a few weeks over the winter and he was still the laid back horse he is now so i think the 'fizzyness' i though must have been a schooling issue as he wasnt schooled when i bought him.....

iv heard bluechips good and my friends hunters on that so might ask her opinion...:) thanks
 
I think he looks good. So many people are used to seeing fat horses, they think it's normal. But it's much healthier for a horse to be a bit ribby than to be overweight.

If you have had lameness problems in the past due to his feet, I would strongly caution against taking the advice to try a starchy conditioning feed such as Baileys No 4. Keep the diet high in fibre and low in sugar and starch. Ues oil for calories - micronised linseed is a good source.
 
marley and danni said:
thanks dominobrown.... i know he needs more muscle but im at a loss at the moment but physios comming tomorrow so she will shed some light hopfully although he seems sounds now lol!

in regards to feed the topline cubes didnt really work last time but he was in and out of work so that prob didnt help....i could try them again although the calm and condition maybe be better.

hes not really that fizzy actually i thought he was as he was on molichop when i forst got him and he was a loony bin and cantered all the time...but i fed it him for a few weeks over the winter and he was still the laid back horse he is now so i think the 'fizzyness' i though must have been a schooling issue as he wasnt schooled when i bought him.....

iv heard bluechips good and my friends hunters on that so might ask her opinion...:) thanks
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I use bluechip, buy it straight off bluechip and get free delivery as its cheaper. I find that it is really good. Your does have a nice coat etc so obviously isn't lacking in anything drastically. Good luck with him :)
 
Update physio came out his back was tense and she said this had a reaction on his not gaining weight properly on his rib age but she said hea getting pot belly!! ND SHE gave me some gd feed advice pics in a few weeks x
 
I used kitchen scales to weigh out a scoop of chop & mug full of the hard feed of each of my, very different, 3 horses. You are more likely to waste feed by not weighing it. I too do not like to see fat horses but I can recognise when a horse needs a bit more condition & by that I don't mean fat. Racehorses & eventing fit TBs are fed / exercised according to the work they do. Agreed they don't carry any fat but they do carry muscle & condition & don't have fat bellies.
 
thanks for the response mari. iv not meant for him to get a big belly and no rib coverage but what the physio said about his not working properly and being tense over his back means he cant gain weight in the appropriate areas.

hopfully now hes sound again his feed will help along with the work ill be doing.

thanks
 
hi all just to let you all know hes back in work and hes brilliant and you can no longer see his ribs hes very well covered and hes very bright and chirpy and hes certainly taking advantage of it ridden! he likes going super fast haha!
 
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