Mare not putting on weight on grass?

[B&J]

Looking for ideas please?

I bought a pony about 3 weeks ago, she is slightly underweight at the moment, she has been at our yard for about 6 months on loan to someone else then she was supposed to be going back but I bought her instead.

As the weather is quite mild and we have good grass in the summer field; my horses are turned out 24/7 at the moment. My other 2 have put weight on as normal on the grass but the new mare hasn’t put anything on. It’s just really strange. She has been wormed, teeth done, vacs up to date, temperament hasn’t changed, settled in the herd, an easy going mare and not in regular work, a very short plod in the sandschool (about 15 minutes) once a week with my novice husband at the moment until she starts putting weight on.

I just wondered if anyone had any ideas or am I worrying over nothing? I thought I’d put her on the Ready-mash that my old boy is on and see if that picks the weight up.

 

[4x4]

Try soya - it's working for mine

 

[dianchi]

You don't mention if you are feeding her currently?

 

[B&J]

Sorry yes she has a scoop of Dengies Hi-Fi original, 1/2 scoop of basic pony nuts and carrots which is what the previous owner was feeding so I've carried it on and have started to introduce ready-mash very slowly over the past few days. I am a little concerned about changing her diet dramatically as I was told she had colic a few years ago so got to make changes gradual for her.

Also forgot to mention she's 16, a gypsy vanner and 13.3hh if that makes any difference at all

 

[mandwhy]

Maybe this pony just doesn't put on weight as easily as you might expect for her type. My Welsh A gets fat on nothing and she is not gaining weight much despite being on a new overgrown field so the grass isn't super nutritious yet here. My not super good doer Haflinger is doing Ok and just having feeds when ridden and their fairly poor doing ISH friend is still having quite big feeds.

I think even with good doers you need to get their weight up past a certain level before they can maintain it. My haffy lost lots of weight the winter before last and I couldn't pile food into her fast enough, she just couldn't get it back on!

 

[Tnavas]

Try soya - it's working for mine

Be aware that Soy products suppress the immune system, increase susceptibility to head shaking and hormone type problems such as IR.

Plus Soy is a protein most likely to assist with muscle development rather than weight increase.

OP -if this were my pony and all the normal boxes had been ticked I would bomb drench it. Worm weekly for three weeks with a wormer containing Ivamectin and Praziquontal.

 

[Queenbee]

Maybe this pony just doesn't put on weight as easily as you might expect for her type. My Welsh A gets fat on nothing and she is not gaining weight much despite being on a new overgrown field so the grass isn't super nutritious yet here. My not super good doer Haflinger is doing Ok and just having feeds when ridden and their fairly poor doing ISH friend is still having quite big feeds.

I think even with good doers you need to get their weight up past a certain level before they can maintain it. My haffy lost lots of weight the winter before last and I couldn't pile food into her fast enough, she just couldn't get it back on!

Agree with this, op do you have photos or what would you say her condition score is currently?

 

[thatsmygirl]

I would also like to see a pic, most horses I see are over weight and quite often a decent weight horse gets classed as underweight. Iv been told my horses look skinny but my vets say its a pleasure to see horses which aren't obese and look fit and are all perfect weight.