Hose lost weight in wet weather

Penny Less

Penny Less

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Elderly horse lost weight during a really cold wet spell a few weeks ago when she was out in heavy rain without a rug as rain not been forecast! I want to get some weight back on her before proper winter but we have really lush looking grass coming through so don't want to tip her into laminitis. Any ideas, should I just start haying (which would mean field companion fatty also getting fatter)or up her hard feed. Not had this problem in previous years as both nags do well on minimum feed
 
Penny Less said:
I could split fatty off but I would feel really mean !
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But you would feel more mean if skinny doesn't put the weight back on before the winter gets going xx
Wont hurt fatty, lob hay in just as you are leaving, make sure fatty has a teeny bit :) you could always feed both too, giving fatty a lick-tea-spoonful in bottom of bucket whilst skinny has proper ration.
My 2 grass liveries are now doing this as are chalk & cheese, skinny is the smaller & he gets big hay pile & big feed, fatty bigger one into bare paddock with teeny feed and a wisp of hay as owner is leaving each night. :)
Tiny Fuzzy goes in diet paddock overnight with no hay, yes I feel mean, but her size (width!) dictates this :)
 
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I have one that drops off a bit when wet and cold, the rest are really good doers. I just give him an extra feed in the evenings ( I always put hay out for them all) and up his micro linseed levels.
 
My 25yo started to look a bit skinny this year when on the usual laminitis avoidance measures - i've been feeding her 2 cups (dry) speedibeet mixed with a scoop of Dengie Alfa A oil and 200g cup linseed, twice a day (it almost fills a black rubber skip, but it is mostly fibre) and in a month she looks loads better.

She gets hay in her stable twice a day too and is rugged up. She lives with a fatty sec A who gets a token handful of non molassed chaff and a bit of hay but both have free access to their stables day and night at the moment, this will have to.change as it gets wetter though which will actually make it easier. 25 yo is VERY possessive over her food though so fat one doesn't get a look in!
 
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