Shire cross cob lost weight.

pistolpete

pistolpete

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Hi all this is my pony’s best buddy. I’m worried about her and am wondering what else it could be. She was 800kgs in weigh bridge two years ago. Looked too big. Weight tap said about 740. Fast forward to today weight tape reading 616 so possibly 660 or so. She’s on plenty of grazing and added hay and recently wormed. If she doesn’t start to pick up a bit soon the vet will be called. She’s as bright as a button and doesn’t seem that hungry. She can get hangry! She’s 20. Considering putting her on copra? Currently on low energy feed cos she’s always been such a porker!
 
Have a good dental technician look at her. My old boy did exactly the same. EDT found his teeth were starting to loosen, and he had cracked a tush from top to bottom. Referred for extractions, and he hasn't looked back! I now replace half his forage with soaked beet and chaffs, and he still has soft haylage. Even though he can eat stalky haylage, he can't chew well enough to digest it. Hope your boy isn't swiping all the hay!
 
Any vet called in to a older horse which is losing weight will likely suggest a Cushing’s test and a dental check up.

My vet dentist (an equine vet who only does dentistry) was musing on a recent visit how not so long ago many older horses just got thinner and thinner due to poor dental health until they popped their clogs. Either that or they got unexpected laminitis which finished them off.

Now that equine dentistry is much more advanced and Cushing’s can be tested for and managed many of our oldies last a lot longer 🙂.
 
One last question. Can you significantly improve weight gain in such a big horse with a once daily feed of copra and linseed? Currently on happy hoof cos she was always such a good doer. Dentist been contacted.
 
Highmileagecob said:
You might be better increasing her forage. She is possibly using a lot of energy at the moment, just to keep warm. Sugar beet and chaff?
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Yes if she was mine I’d want her having loads more good hay. They were in ad lib but now it’s colder they’re eating it all before we top up. So all of them would have to have more to give her more. It’s tricky in communal fields. Meanwhile mine had put on 20kgs! I want him to lose!She loves straw too!
 
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pistolpete said:
Yes if she was mine I’d want her having loads more good hay. They were in ad lib but now it’s colder they’re eating it all before we top up. So all of them would have to have more to give her more. It’s tricky in communal fields. Meanwhile mine had put on 20kgs! I want him to lose!She loves straw too!
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Ad lib forage, for sure, oat straw helps to bulk out hay, with permanent access to water for digesting it all.
Is she well rugged up? Don’t know where you are, but was minus 12 last night here, snow depth has totally frozen over any access to grass, brilliant sun now, but still minus 3
- some cocooning might not go amiss, save unnecessarily burning calories.
 
Exasperated said:
Ad lib forage, for sure, oat straw helps to bulk out hay, with permanent access to water for digesting it all.
Is she well rugged up? Don’t know where you are, but was minus 12 last night here, snow depth has totally frozen over any access to grass, brilliant sun now, but still minus 3
- some cocooning might not go amiss, save unnecessarily burning calories.
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She won’t wear rugs!
 
My shire x 26yrs old last spring lost quite a bit of weight after doing really well all winter . When his coat was changing.

He was already on grass nuts , veteran vitality , linseed and gras chaff . He also eats nearly a whole small bale of hay to himself a day .

I increased the feeds to 3 times a day and added senior pink powder . Within a month he was back to his usual weight .
 
Follysmum said:
My shire x 26yrs old last spring lost quite a bit of weight after doing really well all winter . When his coat was changing.

He was already on grass nuts , veteran vitality , linseed and gras chaff . He also eats nearly a whole small bale of hay to himself a day .

I increased the feeds to 3 times a day and added senior pink powder . Within a month he was back to his usual weight .
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Wow. That’s awesome. Thank you. She’s getting veteran vitality added in as of tomorrow. Also has a molassed chaff linseed and meadow cobs.
 
The skinny creatures on our yard have done v well on copra, linseed and chaff. Initially twice daily but currently once. The orange creature required copious amounts of copra to look anywhere near a normal weight. (But obviously he had PPID, was in full work and had his grass intake restricted)

If feeding large volumes the ideal would be to feed twice daily but if not possible once daily still worth doing. May need to either supplement calcium or feed alongside something high in calcium if feeding a lot as copra (& linseed I think?) deficient in it. I used to feed alfalfa pellets alongside (although that was mainly cos if I didn’t he wouldn’t eat the feed!)

Something that size is probably going to require multiple Stubbs scoops of copra and likely an entire litre jug of linseed a day if aiming to put weight on at a rough guess but if currently not on much feed probably best to start off modest and build up until achieving desired effect.

Definitely should still have vet & dentist to check for underlying reasons as well though.
 
Yes, one of mine years ago when he had liver issues. He was 19 and even after the liver enzymes returned to normal he didn't really recover his appetite. I changed from hay to haylage and increased his feeds significantly, he did pick up but his diet needed significant changes.
 
I find fast fibre is like dream weight gain food! But mine are ponies!

Older ones definitely need more food. My 17yo 12.2hh cob cross eats the same if not more than my younger 13.3hh and needs rugs now or even more food! Also well in herself, shiny coat, lots of energy, been wormed etc.
 
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