Need Help On Horse Gaining Weight

[Madrid]

My 3 year old thoroughbred is 16.2 hands and 850 pounds. She is still growing and has lots of filling out to do, she has been dewormed. I am looking for info. on feeding her to help her gain weight. Also, any suggestions on how much a horse this size should weigh? I currently have her on trimax, she has been worked up to 4 pounds a day now (divided in 2 doses), free choice, good quality hay, salt and mineral blocks, and water. Not sure how long I should wait to see the weight gain, any supplements I should add, or how high up in the grain I should go. She is currently just out to pasture resting her young bones and learning how to be a horse (I bought her off the track). Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[PapaFrita]

Had to get my calculator out to figure that out... 850lbs is 386.36 kilos. PF , who is 15.2 weighs a little over 400. It does depend on the build of your horse, but unless she's very lightweight I think she should weigh 450-475kg IMO.
I don't know what Trimax is, I'm afraid, but I feed straight soaked oats with alfalfa (the rest of the forum must be sick to death of me talking about them!) PF is on 3kg (dry weight per day and is being exercised 6x a week. Very sensible of you to feed lots and lots of hay

 

[PapaFrita]

Just had another thought. Sportznight knows lots and lots about young TBs so you could ask her

(she's also keen on the soaked oats diet )

 

[ThomasTank]

I agree with the straights diet. I feed mine 2 scoops oats, 2scoops bran 2 scoops alfaA and 1 handful linseed gloop a day in 2 feeds. Mine is 30yrs ish welsh cob and looking GREAT !! I dont understand all this feeding 'ready meals' business. Just a waste of money. Hmm perhaps we should start a straight feeders club..lol

 

[Fleur100]

I rear a lot of youngsters (TBs & natives). It sounds like your lady has grown up fast and just needs time to fill out. So long as she is eating well, healthy & got lots of energy I wouldn't worry too much.

I am not one for buying lots of mixes, conditioners & additives. I would steer clear of the oats though for a TB youngster. Much better to feed chaff and barley with as much hay as she wants. Two large feeds a day should be more than sufficient until the grass starts coming through. She will really start to put condition on if you have good grazing.

 

[Baggybreeches]

At three and straight off the track it might take a while for her to gain weight, I find that fit racehorses need a while to come round and relax. The results are worth the wait though! Take some pics of her at 6 week intervals and then you have hard proof of her improvement.

 

[Madrid]

Thanks for all the input. What is known as straight feed? I've just been use to already mixed feeds. The Trimax is a high protein, high fat mixture, I beleive it has some beet pulp. Anyone have suggestions on time line? How long should I wait to see results and make some adjustments?