She is fading away before my eyes.....

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Keltic

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My old mare 29yo tb mare is not wintering at all well, she is losing weight and looks terrible, ive had her teeth done and had the vet out and had a full blood count which came back fine no problems at all. She is now coming in at night is well rugged has hay in the field and i am trying to get her to eat a breakfast before she goes out, Im at a loss now tbh so i need some new ideas, im feeding her..
Veteran conditioning mix
Baileys No1
Mollichaff
Sugarbeet
Corn oil
carrots apples etc
365 supplement

Any ideas suggestions she is happy as larry in herself but is getting really skinny........
 
The only other thing that you could add is linseed pellets I am using these for a young tbx who is anxious and its helping her because it is high in protien and oil.
 
I tried alfa oil and she was not keen, she is a funny eater and i struggle to get 2 feeds down her as it is, she will only eat when hungry and as soon as the grass comes through wont eat a feed at all, or sometimes will have one every other day... its soo frustrating!!
 
I know how you feel.

My old boy does much better on soaked nuts rather than mix. Might be worth a try. He doesnt like hay/horsehage etc. although he will eat Readigrass instead. It is just a lot softer and easier for them to eat.

Plus linseed is a good appetiser and will help with weight gain.
 
Apparently global herbs 'old horse' supplement is ment to be very good, sugar beet can have a laxative effect if your making it too runny, I would'nt give her alfa-a if her teeth are a bit worn now, we had to take our old mare off that, we give her veterian chaff and spillers 16+, and vegitable oil, which is also what my partners 35 year old pony is on! she also has a big bucket of dampend ready grass to snack on during the night in the winter as well, and this year she has kept her weight on a lot better.
 
Does she go out happily? With my old boy (he's 25) I see how he feels and if he stays in his stable I let him have a stable day and that seems to do him, he likes to go out too but if it is too cold/wet he wants in after a short period of time.

X
 
Midlings is a v old feed bit like fine bran really soft for horses with older teeth and can be used to put on weight. Just make sure whatever you are trying to soak it all well so that its soft as older horses teeth hurt. Think like a bran mash type of feed. Have you looked at the dodson and horrell website, veteran horse society website. Does your horse eat hay?
 
Yes she eats hay very well, she eats her feed well problem is if she has a breakfast, she goes out then not bothered too much about tea!! She cant stay in too much as she has poor circulation and her legs swell terrible, she does wear thermatex bedsocks when she is in, she has a heart murmur after a stroke 5 years ago and just before xmas fractured her splint bone!
 
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Can you not wrap her legs to prevent the legs swelling? Then she would have all night to eat her tea.

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She wears thermatex leg wraps, she is funny eater but i leaver her feed with her so she can eat it at her leisure. Breakfast is given but i have to stand and hold the bucket for her or she wont eat it!
 
I know that day is coming but ive got to give her a fighting chance.
I hope i will recognise the signs when she tells me she is ready, i worry i wont see them.
I am prepaired to do the very best by her she is my darling i would not see her suffering, but at the moment she is bright as a button.
 
You could also add a good cup of apple juice to every feed as (a) more calories and (b) irresistable temptation. As a last ditch, easy to digest calorie input, have you tried adding powdered baby milk formula or foal milk pellets? Would she eat a slice of bread every time someone walks past her? That's calorie rich too and normally forbidden coz of waistlines. Or make a syrup or marmalade sandwich with it? Anything to get the calories in!
 
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