Getting ready for winter (!) - any ideas for feeding for weight?

Nudibranch

Nudibranch

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I have a 16.1 tb mare, had her since December and as with many tb's she is hard to keep weight on. As an ex racer she is pretty highly strung though coming on great. My main worry is this winter and how to keep her weight on. She is always a bit ribby, even in summer. I know some horses are always going to be slimmer than others but it can be a bit embarassing - luckily her saddle hides it when we're out. At the moment her neck and quarters are looking good, not fat or anything but good for a tb. Back in December she was very thin and it took a long time to get her looking healthy.
At the moment she is out at grass with just a small amount of ordinary D&H cubes. Over winter she was on haylage, ordinary cubes and oil which just isn't enough. I need something seriously calorific but not too heating, and there's only so much oil I can give her!
Have heard Allen & Page's Calm and Condition is good but as yet can't seem to find it around here. Is sugar beet worth adding?
 
Might be worth adding NAF Pink Powder, if is a fantastic conditioning, feed balancer. Boiled Linseed and Barley are also good for adding weight.
 
What type of oil are you giving her? Mate has a 19yr old tb that is similar and we find corn oil really helps keep the weight on.
If you are feeding compound try looking for something with lots of barley in. Or alternatively try adding barley rings in to her diet too.
 

Also - can't believe I forgot to say - I would definately add sugarbeet - IMHO it is the best feed you can give any horse as it gets digested in both parts of the gut. I feed it to mine all year round. good Luck!
 
sooty i have exactly the same problem with my ex racer but in summer i feed happy hoof, H&P nuts a calmer and hay. in winter i up the happy hoof, D&H build up cubes (Fab. dont seem to be heating) and Speedi beat, calmer and hay. i also make sure she is rugged up well when its cold.
 
in the same position as you!but ive tried them all......calm and condition i found had no effect and sent him loopy, topspec conditioning flakes also sent him loopy and no weight gain!!topspec cubes ddint work either...speedi beet does send him loopy so be careful if you add that-although some are fine on it.im about to try baileys outshine with their topline cubes and dodson horrell ultimate balancer.its such a battle!!also heard that d&h build up is very good-sorry there is not much actual advice here but hope you find a solution!!
 
My friend's TB had got a bit ribby and she has put her on Alfa-Beet (Dengie) and she is now looking really well, especially considering she is a cushinoid laminitic.
 
Beau ws a bit of a hat rack when we got him, I put him on Topspec cool condition cubes, topspec feed balancer, hi fi, sunflower seeds and he looks like a different horse.

People actually thought he was a different horse!
 
Hi

I have a german warmblood who has a similar problem. He lives out 24/7 in the summer and keeps a nice weight on but as soon as the winter comes he drops it off. I have the problem that he is v.spooky and has an impressive buck so I don't want him too sharp!!!

He is now on Baileys's No 4 (top line cubes), Bailey's Outshine and Baileys Competition Mix. I tried topspec cubes as well but I found Bailey's worked better and I can't recommend Outshine enough - it helps to gain weight and improve coat condition without heating (I'm not a Baileys sales rep, honest!!)
 
I rate Calm and Condition, if you can find it near you. If not, then Top Spec Cool Condition is similar.

But both these feeds are about 40% sugarbeet (and very expensive) so you could get the same effect by using a non-heating all-purpose cube with sugar beet and oil. I use Soya Oil.

Also, make sure she has really good quality forage ad lib. I had a skinny type who would not put on weight despite me piling him full of conditioning feed - he was out all day and in with ad lib hay at night. The problem was, the grass at that particular yard was not very good, and the hay was appalling.

I moved him to a yard with good grazing and haylage, and he put on loads of condition.

Remember good quality forage first, then hard feed.

If she's fizzy, feeds with lots of barley in may not be a good idea.
 
Thanks for all the replies! Am going to check out the feed store again tomorrow and see what they definitely do and don't sell before deciding what to introduce. But the beet route (?!) may be the way to go. Will keep on with the oil as well, as I've been using sunflower and her coat is pretty amazing.

Interesting reading re the haylage, that did cross my mind but the other horses are all fatties, even the other tb... mine is the only one actually in work, it's like a rest home for waifs and strays. Hopefully this winter we'll crack it, I suppose the stress of moving in the dead of winter can't have done her any favours. Thanks again!
 
My mare can be very hot i feed her alfa a, calm n condition and for bulking up i found alfa beet a treat didnt heat her up at all she also has cod liver oil and saracen 2000 balancer.

Hope this helps
 
Alfa beet is excellent, Alfa Oil instead of Alfa A, Top spec is fabulous, and Baileys No 4 is their top seller, which tells you something! Watch out for Calm and Condition, when you read the blurb in detail it doesn't say it will keep your horse calm, just that it will get no worse!
 
i second baileys no.1- its fantastic. i have the smae problem and i find feeding the no.1, hi fibre cubes and some hi fi lite really works well.
 
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