Opinions please? Is she too skinny?

AmiRobertson

AmiRobertson

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 August 2012
Messages
873
Visit site
Dizzy has been back in work for 4 weeks now and I am a little worried that she is losing weight. She lost a lot while on box rest from being poorly and completely losing interest in food. She has one large scoop of fast fibre, 2 cups of micronised linseed and farriers formula she is in for most of the day with ad hoc hay and then out at night.
Work wise she is doing 3 half an hour hacks a week in walk and trot and 2 schooling sessions in walk (moving on to trot next week) plus ground work.
Worming etc all up to date.
She is a 4yr old tb mare and we have a long way to go with muscle :)
Just some opinions if you guys don't mind.
Blueberry muffins for all!
1010653_10152920662350389_139213482_n.jpg

983958_10152920662130389_1967340629_n.jpg

(don't worry their is loads of grazing behind me in this picture with 3 more water stations and we refilled this on after the picture was taken :) )
 
Were those pics take on the same day, as she looks better in the second one than the first one!
But no not even close to being skinny
 
She looks a bit on the light side but not disastrously so! Summer grass and muscle will help. Maybe some coolstance copra or something might help? Or Bailey's outshine? More calories without heat would be good, I don't know if there are enough in fast fibre (my lad didn't keep condition on well with it). Good luck, she looks a nice sort, wants a cuddle in photo 1!
 
Thank you! My mind can rest, been staring at her all day wondering if she is too skinny!!!

Yes both pictures were taken within 5mins of each other i think light can play havoc sometimes :)
 
As you up her workload up the calorie intake to help her with energy and build muscle. I wouldn't want her to be any thinner as you increase her work.

I would replace the fast fibre with something like alpha beet by Dodson and Horrell you soak it for two hours in cold water, or hot for 15 minutes and feed it eitjer on its own or with a chaff like alpha a oil or if she is prone to fizzyness then the alpha a molasses free.

If she needs any more than that then Dodson and Horrell to a pellet for tbs called ERS Pellets, they are more for tbs prone to ulcer problems and have helped our Tb put back on his lost weight.


She is very pretty.
Hope that helps
 
She gets rugged if the temperature drops below 10 or if it rains. She has one big feed in the morning then she is in until 3pm with ad hoc hay. I think I may look at adding something else sadken does coolstance cobra or baileys outshine have molasses?
 
slightlyconfused that is what I have been thinking I want to make sure she is having the right amount for what she is doing. when she came off of box rest she had a month off on spring grass and her condition improved loads but I think she needs more! Anything that is molasses free haha!
 
Alpha A Molasses free doesn't have molasses neither does the Alpha Beet (or only has a very tiny bit) the Tb had grade two ulcers so anything we give him has no Molasses in as it upsets his tummy.

He is on box rest due to slashing his leg open so is back on three feeds of the above with the ERS Pellets so help keep his weight even.

Here are a few links to the above feed.

ERS Pellets
http://www.dodsonandhorrell.com/our-feeds/ailments/tying-up/ers-pellets.html


Alpha Beet

http://www.dengie.com/pages/products/additional-products/alfa-beet.php

Alpha A Molases Free

http://www.dengie.com/pages/products/alfa-a-and-hi-fi-ranges/alfa-a-molasses-free.php
 
The main reason your horse looks the way it does (healthy, lean, not a grossly wobbly blob) is that she is a young, adolescent horse that is most likely growing, and fittening at the same time. You need to feed according to work (anybody remember that from Pony Club?), not add in any extra.
 
Cortez said:
The main reason your horse looks the way it does (healthy, lean, not a grossly wobbly blob) is that she is a young, adolescent horse that is most likely growing, and fittening at the same time. You need to feed according to work (anybody remember that from Pony Club?), not add in any extra.
Click to expand...

haha she is most certainly growing :) she seems to change shape every 5mins! Yes I do remember that haha i think i am going to give her something more as her work load will be increasing slowly over time just need to decide what!
 
You say she has 'one big feed in the morning' - not a good idea. Divide her feed into two smaller amounts, horses aren't designed to take large intakes of hard feed in one go = overload on the hind gut, which ain't good.
 
Slightly Foxed said:
You say she has 'one big feed in the morning' - not a good idea. Divide her feed into two smaller amounts, horses aren't designed to take large intakes of hard feed in one go = overload on the hind gut, which ain't good.
Click to expand...


Thank you! I am going to change it round and split it between when she comes in in the morning and when she goes out in the afternoon :)
 
As others have said, as you increase the workload, you have to increase the calories.
What I would say is that she looks fine but there isn't much going spare for an increase in workload.

Any reason why she can't be on grass 24/7?
 
Aarrghimpossiblepony said:
As others have said, as you increase the workload, you have to increase the calories.
What I would say is that she looks fine but there isn't much going spare for an increase in workload.

Any reason why she can't be on grass 24/7?
Click to expand...

She was up until beginning of last week apart from a couple of hours in the morning but then she started hanging around the gate for most of the afternoon pacing and then she tried to get through the gap in the post and rail fencing so figured she wanted to be in :rolleyes: this afternoon me and her were lying down in her stable while i was reading :) she just seems to want to be in there at the moment!
 
She looks fine weight wise, a bit strange she's gone off her feed though, has she had the usual checks?
 
Oh no RSL she is well and truly enjoying her feed again. She was on box rest for 8 weeks and I think she just got seriously fed up and was eating so little. Vet and physio saw her in this time. I also bought hay from 3 different suppliers as she would just fuss over it or turn her nose up. She would finish her feed but just wouldn't eat any forage. I was going out and picking grass everyday! As soon as she went back out she started eating it all again.

Thank you guys!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top