Horse's weight....

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Jassie

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just wondering if anyone can help I've had my horse about a month now and she has put on weight since I've had her but her ribs are still visible.. (not servere) no weight around her ribs....
She is feed....
conditioning mix......
Sugarbeet....
alfa a oil.... (not sure weather to give her the original one?)
Is there anything else I can feed her to help her put weight around her ribs? She 3 this month and is a tb (possible x) she gets lunged currently 2 days a week.
Also if anyone has any idea on her breed she a tb on passport but farther is unknown. Her neck is short compared her body. :) TIA.
 
can you post some pictures? could she be wormy? or in foal?

just as an aside I would not be lunging something of her age routinely, maybe walking out in hand or long reining hacks but I would avoid lots of circling as it is not good for developing joints
 
Has she been wormed and is she warm enough? These two things will affect weight as much, if not more than feeding. There's no point in pouring ££££ worth of food down her if it's being not being digested properly or used to keep her warm.
 
How do I post a picture? No she been wormed no worms and I hope she not we have no stallions on the yard. And don't think the owners before me did. Okay thank you. Only lunged her once first time yesterday. Waiting for both of us to have day off to long rein as I have a littlen and don't want to take her with me she only 1 half. But will bear that in mind thank you :). x
 
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This is her she has a bit more weight under her belly but still a bit ribbie.
 
I used to feed Dodson and Horrell Mare and Youngstock, this will provide all the essentials if fed at recommended rate [if she is skinny]. Provide ad lib forage and check teeth every 6 months till all teeth replaced.
I don't like molassed s beet , its full of molasses, you want to cut out molasses, so no licks either.
Add salt daily 25gms as it is not in the feed.
Micronised linseed 100-200gms per day, from Charnwood Milling £30 delivered. It adds condition and is good for joints and skin health.

Sorry, I assuming she is young and immature, if you are going to start riding her you will need something like Spillers hi fibre nuts or Fast Fibre or non molaased beet plus minerals instead of M&Y mix.

I found the Amigo lightest rug a very good fit and excellent for milder days.
http://www.equinesuperstore.co.uk/mio-turnout-lite.html
will double as stable rug occasionally.
 
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She lives out atm no stables available. has a big round bale avaliable to her we do piles of haylage to incase she doesn't get any but seen her eating from the round bale. unlimited grass when I bring her on the yard she always has a Haynet full to munch on, hard food split to morn and night feed I'm out of idea's on what more I can do.
she is wormed up to date. thanks bonkers will try this see if that helps :). X
 
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She doesn't look too bad for a horse that is still maturing and has by the looks of things wintered out, if she is only coming 3 she is just weak and will take time to build up a bit more. I would prefer her to look a bit lean than pig fat and at risk of joint problems early in life, I would be in no rush to start work with her, the grass will be through soon and she should pick up, keep on top of the worm situation, plenty of hay and she will look like a different horse by May/ June once she has got some decent grass and a summer coat.
 
Use Westgate labs to do egg count of poop [roundworm] rather than worming too often.
A saliva test for tapeworm is a good idea, maybe annually. [Westgate send out the kits and will advise]
For encysted redworm there is no count as such, this is treated in the autumn with specialist ingredients.
 
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Jassie said:
Thank you very much :). Yes I don't want her fat just a bit of meat on her ribs. Thanks you will see what next month brings :) x
Click to expand...

I know you want to see a real improvement but it takes time, she looks perfectly healthy, not in foal or wormy just a bit under ideal, it is the right time of year for her to pick up.
 
Ok, I can see photos now, first one looks definitely poor to me, but you can't force feed them, weigh tape every week and as long as weight is going on every two weeks I think that will be OK.
Looks as though you will need to give her the whole summer before starting her. I would not bother lunging, she is not ready to back yet. It will do more harm than good. You might be able to do a bit of long reining in the spring, and go out and about with someone at her head. Take it slowly.
 
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I don't think she looks too bad! I would keep on with the feed you are giving her and see how she goes, once the grass is through she should put weight on. Long reining will be better than lunging and once she has gained some muscle she will look a lot better, she looks very sweet! :)
 
Thanks for all the help everyone and I don't want to start riding yet. Not until she fully grown as she keeps leveling out then bum high again... I'm in no rush to ride at all And I agree the longer the better. she is bored doing the same thing in and out. So wanted something to keep her ticking over. Might do some horsemanship Instead then If that wouldn't do her any harm?!. She is a very sweet girl!! been underweight for a while Just don't want her to stop putting the weight on but I suppose if she still growing it won't show so much. She such a sweetie... <3
 
Well can she not go in to a field with others for the summer, they need to gallop around and play, just like teenagers anywhere. Its not a good idea to keep her alone imho.
 
That's okay :). No she in a herd best friends with a little sec a that likes to charge at me when I go in the field to get her haha (he don't like her to come out the field) there about 8 horses in there x
 
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