horse lost weight?

[ShowJumperBeckii]

So I was tacking up today and had to do my breastplate up 3holes so he's lost a bit of weight which is the last thing I want coming into winter/now its winter.. (Also was told by YO he's lost a bit) but she suggested to add pony nuts too his feed but I personally don't think he's put any thing on with them he's currently getting - 3/4 chaff, 1mug of topspec balancer(was told to feed balancer for behavor), and 1/4 of pony nuts, and 20lb soaked hay per night and has field in quite a bit of grass... But only problem with feeding is he is a nutty horse and gets nutty on dust (ie-leaping buclking etc) so was just wondering what you suggest too feed him? Thank you x

 

[rhino]

Why do you soak your hay? Is it because it is not good quality/dusty, as soaking it dramatically decreases the digestible energy, so will fill your horse up but not provide the energy he requires.

I would also consider adding oil to the diet to add calories without 'fizz'. He really is on a fairly low calorie diet and he is obviously not getting enough; don't confuse adding calories with making the horse overexcited

 

[ShowJumperBeckii]

Because its quite dusty and he won't eat it if its not soaked.. We have the opinion of haylege but it goes straight though him what type/s of oils would you suggest? X

 

[minniemouse]

soya oil or veg oil, a pre pro biotic for his gut to help him utilize the fibre in his diet and add some spedi beet for weight gain, that's what worked for my poor doer but also a must is good quality hay! mine can't have haylage either it just gives him the runs and he stops eating it as too acidic for his sensitive gut x

 

[CrazyMare]

I have a very sharp mare, she is on 1 1/2 scoops of Alfa A, 1 scoop SpeediBeet, 1 cup of TS Balancer, plus Fibre Plus cubes in her ball daily.

Can you just wet the hay/soak for less than 20mins - that should take out the dust but loose the mimimum nutrients.

 

[Louby]

Alfa A made a massive difference to my horse last winter. I fed this along with Top Spec balancer and Hi Fibre cubes as any mix or sugar beet (inc speedibeet) sends him loopy.

 

[ShowJumperBeckii]

Thanks guys, he used to have speedibeet but we took him off as it made him more loopy so could I feed alfa a oils? As its the alfa a as suggest but also has oils? X

 

[CrazyMare]

Yes you could. You could also try Alfa Beet

 

[Moon Dancer]

Alfa a oil has quite a lot of energy in it, think it has the same amount as a competition mix though check the website for this information. My horse is currently on chaff, balancer and speedibeet and ad lib haylage. I am thinking about changing to alfa

 

[Moon Dancer]

Sorry pressed send before finishing, i am also thinking about changing to alfa a oil and someone has suggested grass nuts but have never tried these before so not sure what they will do!