I'm really sorry, but how's he looking?

redcascade

redcascade

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I know we get these all the time but anyway...
Have struggled with Red's weight alot in the time that I've had him but this was him in February:
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And a horrid grease monkey today after just being clipped:
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Do you think looks any better? I know he is still quite hollow around his hips but I think it's just the way he's built, I think his topline has improved, but you tell me, thanks in advance :)
 
I think he's looking fine, he's put on a bit of weight but looks the sort who will always be on the lean side. If he was mine I would have left some of his coat on, helps with the skinny ones......not that's much help now !
 
I don't think he looks liker he has really put much on. He's a big rangy horse and probably built that way!

He looks like he has some muscle on his quarters now though.

Good clip job! want to do mine? :p
 
To be honest cant see much difference, I probably wouldnt have done a full clip!

He looks happy in himself, but I'd want to continue trying to bulk him up...what is he eating? does he get good turnout?
 
He looks fine :), I do think he looks a bit better than before too, personally if he was mine, I would like a bit more on him though through winter but I agree some horses are just a bit 'hippy looking' and by the time you've rounded them off they holding a bit too much belly, guess it's just a case of finding a happy medium with the sort of exercise that will work for his frame and the right amout and type of feed for him to work off.

Certainly wouldn't worry though, he's a sweet looking chap.
 
Yeah, he's still fairly lean (might be built that way?) but looks as though he is fairly undermuscled too. I would up his feed and add oil maybe, as he doesn't seem to have much of a shine (know you say he's a grease monkey, so that might be part of it). I'd just prefer him slightly fatter coming into winter, and more muscular, but that'll come with working him correctly and I would be tempted to put him on a conditioning feed/topline cubes or the like to help build muscle.

He looks a nice sort though, I like :D
 
I know we said it the other day but he really is the spit of mine!

He probably won't get any fatter. They're built that way I think. Brown horse just gets a belly if I feed him up to the gunnels. He never puts on over his ribs and quarters. I wouldn't worry that he is thin. He isn't. He is rangy :) Some horses just look this way. The only thing which makes mine look better is work and I reckon your second picture reflects that well.

And in answer to your question, he is looking gorgeous as ever
 
looks a little better but still needs a lot more top line and muscle on his quarters. Try baileys outshine it is expensive but it was the only thing that put topline on my skinny one and once I got it on I didn't have to keep feeding it. You only feed a small amount too

Also you could try adding up to 500ml of rapeseed oil Co-op's own brand is rapeseed
 
Fully clipped as he does quite a bit of work and runs fairly warm anyway, he has good rugs and will be rugged appropriately :) Just to get that out of the way :p
At the moment he is fed Blue Chip Original, Saracen Equijewel(not been on this long), chaff, pony nuts and sugar beet :eek: All fed in not huge quantities though.
He is out during the day at 8.30 til about 5 at the moment and then he is in at night with adlib hay.
Now that you mention it he probably hasn't put much on :( I think he has muscled up
though, but still could do with more, see the thing is I think he's got a belly on him but he's still a bit ribby and hollow? Strange horse :p
I would love a bit more on him but I'm starting to think it's impossible! Lol!
I think I will try some oil before I go down the different feed route again, he's already been on Topspec and Baileys No4
He's usually incredibly shiny but when he's clipped it vanishes :(
Persephone- I don't clip him :p Someone from the village who has clipped one everyday this week does it for me! Thanks anyway :D
Thanks everyone for you opinions
 
The first thing I will say is that he is lovely, such a kind eye and well turned out. But I can't really see any difference in his weight. I guess the good thing is he doesn't look any leaner, but if he was mine I would like to see a little more on him going into winter. How old is he?
 
Thanks :) He's 12yrs old, 17hh and a TBxWB, would love more weight on him really! I wish he was fat so I could shift the weight, it's a nightmare having a horse that just won't put weight on! :D
 
He's still skinny but you sound like you're doing your very best!!! He's got a lovely face as well. If you're really worried you could talk to feed companies but some horses are just built like that! Can imagine it is a nightmare for you though =[
 
I would definitely ring. Then see what they all recommend and then see what the main ingredients is. Then see where you can get it cheapest!!!
 
I wonder if simplifiying his feed may help?

Blue Chip and Equi Jewell are (as far as I'm aware) both types of conditioning suppliments. Have you ever considered D&H Build up cubes - fed along side High Fibre Cubes as a base, with the sugar beet? You don't say what chaff you are feeding - but again there are higher calorie ones available. I'm a huge fan of Alfa A Oil.

Redmills also do a really excellent range of food - higher in protein, but seems to be non heating. The one I'm thinking about specifically is the Horse Care Cubes.

He really is the most lovely horse, but I would personally like to see his bones fleshed out more.

But - some are difficult to manage, and he certainly doesn't look poor.
 
My friends previous horse was very like him, naturally lean and no matter what she fed her nothing made a difference, She was muscled, lean and competition fit. When the VET came out for a vetting for insurance purposes, she asked advice and the vet said she was in great condition, very lean but well muscled and healthy . She never lacked in energy.

I think as you say, with a horse naturally like that the most important thing is keeping them warm.

I think he looks a stunner :) Would def go with the others advice and ring a feed company for advice though just to make sure he is getting the right combination.

:)
 
I agree with amymay with the simplifying of the feeds. Have you tried adding oil to the feed or feeding a chaff with oil already in it? It does really help with a bit of weight and just overall condition such as shiny coat.

He also looks like he could do with more muscle coverage, I find collecting them and then walking them up a hill but collected really helps muscle build up, this along with various raised trotting pole exercises and he will look better in no time. When he has a bit more muscle he will look a better weight.

Good luck and I say this everytime I see him but he is gourgeous!! :)
 
I'm not sure which chaff he's on amymay, the YO takes care of that and I provide the other feeds, will ask her about getting some Alfa A Oil for him or I'll get some myself... I will ask my mum about getting the D&H build up cubes once he's finished the equijewel.
When I ask people about him they generally say he looks ok but most of the horses at the yard are overweight so it makes Red look even worse :p
Will try those exercises to Kokopelli and try doing some long and low too :)
Glad you like him :)
And just to prove he DOES have a shiny coat usually, here he is before we clipped him:
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Thanks guys :D
ETA Since yesterday I have wiped him down with warm water and distilled vinegar so he should look a bit better since I got both sides of a sponge filthy FOUR times :eek:
 
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He actually looks glorious in the last picture.

I think it's very important that (especially with the more tricky horse) the owner takes direct responsibility for feeding. The horse may be on full livery, and if that's the case I would strongly recommend seeking a reduction so that you can buy all his feed, and ensure that he is getting absolutely the amount he needs and the type he needs.

How much hay does he have left in the mornings, and how many times a day is he fed, and what amounts???? Is he on hay or haylage??
 
redcascade said:
Thanks :) He's 12yrs old, 17hh and a TBxWB, would love more weight on him really! I wish he was fat so I could shift the weight, it's a nightmare having a horse that just won't put weight on! :D
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It used to be really hard to keep weight on my old girl (3/4 TB). She was a hat rack when we got her and although she put weight on compared to that, it wasn't really until she moved to her current yard that she really bloomed (she would have been mid teens then).

I think for her, that a lot was to do with the routine and environment she was in. She moved to individual turn out (she used to be head mare and would spend much of her time rounding up everything else and stressing generally), and the whole yard atmosphere was just quieter. Her actual feed didn't change at that time.

This has also happened to several other horses that are at the yard. They are just generally happier and as such keep the weight on better. Just something to think about.
 
Thanks amymay :)
I manage all his other feeds except the chaff but will have a chat with the YO owner about this or just buy some anyway. I feel bad asking for a reduction as the full livery is a steal at £45pw anyway :eek: I know I shouldn't but I don't want to sound cheeky if you get what I mean?
Will review the amounts he's having and just check that they follow the amount instructions on the bag :)
He usually has a bit left in a morning, he has a hay bar which is overflowing, he is fed hay, he is currently on one feed a day so would you split it into two? He gets a round scoop of chaff, one square scoop of nuts, same of sugar beet, one wash powder scoop of BC and two of EJ!
Thanks so much for all your help amymay :)
Would you ask about individual turnout then Niki?
 
Ahh. I love him. Can we swap please? He looks really well to me in honesty in that last photo. If he were mine I wouldn't be trying to get him fatter. Just keeping him as is.
 
redcascade said:
Thanks amymay :)
I manage all his other feeds except the chaff but will have a chat with the YO owner about this or just buy some anyway. I feel bad asking for a reduction as the full livery is a steal at £45pw anyway :eek: I know I shouldn't but I don't want to sound cheeky if you get what I mean?
Will review the amounts he's having and just check that they follow the amount instructions on the bag :)
He usually has a bit left in a morning, he has a hay bar which is overflowing, he is fed hay, he is currently on one feed a day so would you split it into two? He gets a round scoop of chaff, one square scoop of nuts, same of sugar beet, one wash powder scoop of BC and two of EJ!
Thanks so much for all your help amymay :)
Would you ask about individual turnout then Niki?
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Ooo, no agree - no reduction necessary.

And for his weight - well the answer is actually in your last post. Simply, it would seem, he is not being fed enough. He's a big lad - and I would certainly suggest at least two feeds a day of the amount he is getting only once a day.

So before you buy anything - increase his grub.

And absolutely ensure that there is hay left in the mornings (he would do better on haylage).
 
Haha! Thanks Jess :D I find it's quite hard to get a true representation in a picture, but the other night he looked fab, he was hardly hollow at all then the next day he was clipped and I ended up with a ribby horse again? He's a strange one! :p
 
I don't want to push my luck you see :p Right, I will be doing that, I will have a word with the YO owner today about breakfast, I will make sure there is some left too :) Would have him on haylage but my mum has breast cancer so is on sick pay at the moment so we can't afford it until she's better and working again :o
Haha Suzie! It's the cheapest yard round here and the YO is lovely- I'm very lucky! Thanks, glad you like him :)
 
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