Recommendations for weight gain

[SallyBatty]

My 23 year old retired mare has recently lost quite a bit of weight and I am getting worried bearing in mind we are going into winter.

She is currently turned out at night and in during the day. She has 2 main meals of alfa a and veteran mix (large bucket with as much feed as she will eat), plus is also being given some ready grass at lunchtime, and has ad lib hay while stabled.

Her teeth were checked and rasped as needed a couple of months ago. She does not quid when eating.

Any suggestions on what could be added to gain back weight would be very helpful.

 

[Snow Falcon]

Micronised linseed, soaked barley rings

 

[Barton Bounty]

As above

 

[AmyMay]

And smaller meals three times a day. I’d personally have her in overnight rather then the other way around.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Yeah as @Amymay says as well, in at night when its cooler so she is not using all her fat stores to keep warm

 

[SallyBatty]

Thanks. We will be swapping back to daytime turnout anyway now the nights are getting colder.

 

[TheMule]

This would be a vet visit for me, in the first instance- run some bloods, have a proper look at most likely causes

 

[JBM]

I second bloods
My 20yo lost weight before winter and was something wrong with her liver
Liver flush sorted it but would’ve got worse untreated

 

[ecb89]

Third vets. A large weight loss over summer just isn’t normal.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would get the vet as well my friends 21 year old horse lost weight a while back and he was anemic so worth getting bloods done.

Has she been tested for cushings?

 

[SallyBatty]

Thanks for recommending getting the vet out as I was thinking along those lines anyway. So I will do that.

 

[HorsesRule2009]

Another to say get the vet maybe have bloods run, though personally i think id get teeth looked at. I know you say only done a few months ago but things can change easily and as they are prey animals are very good at masking pain/issues.
And they do seem to be amazingly good at masking dental pain.
I don't know how as personally I think dental pain is the worst of all.

Good luck,

 

[nikkimariet]

I would run bloods. If all ok look to adding linseed oil. Calorie dense and very palatable.