Horse weight loss

[horselover3107]

A horse that I work with struggles with gaining weight especially in winter, he's an old chap too. He's on 2 types of weight gain and it's working but in the spring once his weight is moderate / normal, I'll be able to ride him again. Will building up muscle help him with his weight or will that just make him go the opposite direction to loosing weight. I am thinking of doing some dressage with him as don't particularly want to bring him into jumping. Any tips, that don't involve feed.

 

[Birker2020]

A horse that I work with struggles with gaining weight especially in winter, he's an old chap too. He's on 2 types of weight gain and it's working but in the spring once his weight is moderate / normal, I'll be able to ride him again. Will building up muscle help him with his weight or will that just make him go the opposite direction to loosing weight. I am thinking of doing some dressage with him as don't particularly want to bring him into jumping. Any tips, that don't involve feed.

Have his teeth been looked at recently by an EDT? Has he been wormed reguarly? Those are the two things I would look at first. Horses don't just lose weight for no reason. It's good that he's on a weight gain feed that's working but you need to tackle the reason why and not just look at the solution if you know what I mean.

I had a 14 year old going back two and a half decades ago now, and he was really very ribby and very excitable to ride. I was giving him Bailey's No 1 and Super Barley rings which made him even more excitable and although it put on weight I didn't even consider contacting an EDT or looking at his worming routine. Looking back I can see that I didn't really tackle the issue and it has always played on my mind as he was a smashing horse and I feel maybe I could have done more. You are always wiser after the event though, and EDT's weren't exactly common in those days.

 

[be positive]

Getting a good amount of muscle tone built up can help them maintain a more level weight and having exercise can increase appetite but the work needs to be appropriate for their condition and age, an 'old chap' may struggle with anything other than gentle hacking and if he has had a long period out of work he will take many months to get fit and even then proper schooling work may be too much for him.

I brought a 20 year old pony back into work after 2 years or so retired, he was taken very slowly for 6 months, teeth and vet check done first and he had a lot of physio in that time, his overall appearance improved, he built up muscle and became much looser generally, he did get back to low level flatwork and jumping at well below his previous ability so found it easy once he was fit, the key was going slowly and ensuring he was working correctly so he built up properly.

With one that drops weight in winter I think the key is to get the feed in all year and increase before the grass goes so you are not trying to get weight on in the middle of winter, that is assuming they are generally healthy and everything is up to date..

 

[horselover3107]

Have his teeth been looked at recently by an EDT? Has he been wormed reguarly? Those are the two things I would look at first. Horses don't just lose weight for no reason. It's good that he's on a weight gain feed that's working but you need to tackle the reason why and not just look at the solution if you know what I mean.

I had a 14 year old going back two and a half decades ago now, and he was really very ribby and very excitable to ride. I was giving him Bailey's No 1 and Super Barley rings which made him even more excitable and although it put on weight I didn't even consider contacting an EDT or looking at his worming routine. Looking back I can see that I didn't really tackle the issue and it has always played on my mind as he was a smashing horse and I feel maybe I could have done more. You are always wiser after the event though, and EDT's weren't exactly common in those days.

Thank you. He's been checked over, he is turned out 24/7 and it's the cold that triggers his weight loss (he's rugged) x

 

[horselover3107]

Getting a good amount of muscle tone built up can help them maintain a more level weight and having exercise can increase appetite but the work needs to be appropriate for their condition and age, an 'old chap' may struggle with anything other than gentle hacking and if he has had a long period out of work he will take many months to get fit and even then proper schooling work may be too much for him.

I brought a 20 year old pony back into work after 2 years or so retired, he was taken very slowly for 6 months, teeth and vet check done first and he had a lot of physio in that time, his overall appearance improved, he built up muscle and became much looser generally, he did get back to low level flatwork and jumping at well below his previous ability so found it easy once he was fit, the key was going slowly and ensuring he was working correctly so he built up properly.

With one that drops weight in winter I think the key is to get the feed in all year and increase before the grass goes so you are not trying to get weight on in the middle of winter, that is assuming they are generally healthy and everything is up to date..

Thank you! i dont have any jumping intentions with him but a bit of light flatwork! Thanks for recommendations. x

 

[Birker2020]

Thank you. He's been checked over, he is turned out 24/7 and it's the cold that triggers his weight loss (he's rugged) x

You didn't answer my question about his worming regime? Is he wormed or worm tested regularly?
If it's the cold that triggers his weight loss maybe he needs a thicker rug, although normally horses make up for any heat loss by growing longer hairs (called cat hairs) to try and trap the warmth in their coats.
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