New pony feeding question

[Ddraig_wen]

Finally after a six year gap I've finally found myself a new ridden pony. I say pony but he's a 17.1 5yr old with the kindest temperament and an engine that I can't wait for him to work out. We've had a few light bulb moments that have made me think wow. You know when you sit on a horse and you feel like you're home? That's what I get with this boy. I honestly never thought I'd feel that way again.

Anyway enough rambling - he's a big lad who hasn't quite figured out his legs. I'm in no rush. He's rather pointy in the hind end department and has less muscle/covering over his back than I'd like. Looking for recommendations on what I could feed him to sort this out. I know that topline comes with work but we're limited to what we can do at the moment after the big furry idiot thought getting stuck in a fence was a good idea. (Don't ask)
He's on 1.5kg of copra, 0.5kg of conditioning nuts, ad lub hay in the field and as much grass as he likes. He's fairly thin skinned so he's got a rug on when it's cold overnight

 

[HopOnTrot]

I wouldn’t worry too much about weight, the grass is coming in slowly and it will pick up soon enough if on ad-lib forage

 

[JBM]

5kg of nuts? A day?
Edit - missed the . In front of the 5
Retract my question

 

[poiuytrewq]

I think, especially with a new horse don’t be tempted to chuck feed at him. Carry on with the ad lib hay and grass, the grass as Hopontrot said will soon be growing and he will naturally pick up. You don’t want to risk him getting a bit too fresh at this point or fat!
He will also muscle up over time.

Congratulations and I hope you have a lot of fun with him. Photos?

 

[Albus15]

Mine is the same! I've chucked loads of conditioning feed at him and nothing has really touched the sides so hoping that Dr. Green does the trick!

 

[AppyLover1996]

I'd wait for Doctor Green to come through and then you can re-think what he is getting in terms of his feed and go from there x

 

[Abacus]

I had a similar 17.2 (then) 6 year old arrive in Dec '23. I'd say he was definitely too skinny, I chucked food and adlib hay at him (no grass to speak of at that time of year), none of it made a difference to his weight until the grass came back in about May last year. He was in work and based on a weight tape stayed exactly the same. It's not far away, as long as he isn't unhealthily thin just wait for the grass. He sounds lovely.

 

[Ddraig_wen]

Congratulations and I hope you have a lot of fun with him. Photos?

The gangly giraffe himself

 

[Clodagh]

He’s not thin he’s just not in fit condition.
It’ll come with time, there are no (healthy) shortcuts.