Soakable conditioning feed required - help!

[BubbleDog]

My thoroughbred is poorly at the moment and I am struggling to keep weight on him. His appetite is not great and I am looking for something that I can feed that I can make wet or soak that will add weight and condition, but that is palatable and easy on his digestion. I've tried simple systems and he doesn'tlike it. Has anyone got any other ideas?

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Allen and Page Calm and Condition or Fast Fibre.

What veterinary treatment is he receiving at present? Has your vet advised against any particular feed?

 

[AdorableAlice]

Veteran and Vitality and add linseed.

 

[Sandstone1]

Calm and condition has more calories than veteran vitality. Linseed is good. Speedibeet is good too. You could contact feed companies for advise.

 

[JillA]

Fast fibre and micronized linseed (oils are great for calories), unmollassed beet pulp and grass pellets - am I right in thinking he needs low sugar/starch (cereals)? I know people who have done well with copra but mine didn't get on with it

 

[lurcherlu]

Calm and condition , add linseed and some corn oil . Isn't ultra mash meant to be amazing too ??

 

[TGM]

You don't need just to consider those feeds that are marketed as 'soakable', you can soak all normal pelleted foods to make a mash too, if you find one that fits the criteria for your horse. It is difficult to make suggestions though without knowing what is wrong with the horse and what regime he is on (ie box rest?).

 

[Auslander]

Copra works for me - my lot are looking fabulous on it, despite all being old and infirm! I have to take them off it when the grass is growing, as they turn into big fat wobbly elephants!

 

[whizzer]

Readymash,I avoid the extra as it sent one of mine over the top(he's very sensitive!) the solution mash is great though,conditioning & very palatable. One of mine is on that & the other one is on copra,he seems to eat whatever is plonked in front of him so I had no issues with palatability with it.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Soaked grass nuts are useful for many horses, getting the balance between crumbly and cowpat seems to elude me and if I serve cowpat it gets tipped over in disgust.

 

[sportsmansB]

Boil linseed yourself and add a ladel full to whatever you normally feed
Cheap and palatable and full of fatness

 

[PolarSkye]

Copra works for me - my lot are looking fabulous on it, despite all being old and infirm! I have to take them off it when the grass is growing, as they turn into big fat wobbly elephants!

Another vote for this . . . it's wonderful stuff. Not only does it pack on the condition, but it's fabulous for skin and coat too - and it's non heating.

P

 

[wench]

Fast fibre does not have many calories in it, so if you want to put condition on, not a great way to go about it.

Think Baileys have just introduced a new soaking feed - saw it in the tackshop earlier this week.

 

[sonjafoers]

Solution Mash? Mine loved it when they were on it

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Copra or Equijewel, both soak well & I have had great results with Equijewel on a very very poor ISH

 

[russianhorse]

I've got my lad on the red ready mash and he's kept his weight right on. I also add alfa beet and micronised linseed too

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Soaked grass nuts are useful for many horses, getting the balance between crumbly and cowpat seems to elude me and if I serve cowpat it gets tipped over in disgust.

We use soaked grassnuts, if we need to build any-one up, dried grass chaff is very good for adjusting the consistency and the whole lot can be mixed with sugarbeet of one kind or another to add extra calories.

 

[bex11]

My ex racer is on Rowan Barbary Solution mash and alfa beet with conditioning chaff. Huge fan of equijewel and micronised linseed.

 

[amandaco2]

Is hd eating hay?
if not he needs something to replace it high fibre.....grass nuts, fast fibre
For conditioning I feed copra

 

[melissa1971]

My oldie gets speedi beet with linseed and is holding her weight fab this yr

 

[Scarlett]

Solution Mash? Mine loved it when they were on it

Ditto solution mash - I tried it for a while and not only did they LOVE it but all 3 of my horses piled on weight without any downsides.

 

[khalswitz]

Solution mash really affected my horse's hoof quality - not impressed. However liking Copra so far, and always had good results with alfa-beet too.

 

[JenHunt]

speedibeet, linseed and add linseed or soya oil for a few extra calories. Easy for them to eat when they are feeling fussy (for what ever reason)...
Fast fibre is actually very low calorie!
Ready mash extra is another good option though it is higher in starch.

 

[BubbleDog]

Thanks for all your suggestions. He already has Calm & Cond & Copra with his feed but as he can't eat hay or haylage very well its hard keeping the weight on as he is not eating the volume of forage that he should do. So really I was looking at trying to find a soakable pulpy hay replacer type feed but will look into some of the Rowen Barbary products as they sound like the sort of thing I am after. xx

 

[dibbin]

Try Havens Slobbermash. My sister's ISH is a poor doer, Slobbermash is the only thing that puts weight on him and keeps it there!

 

[Limit]

Topspec Fibre Plus are very good.

 

[HBB]

Thanks for all your suggestions. He already has Calm & Cond & Copra with his feed but as he can't eat hay or haylage very well its hard keeping the weight on as he is not eating the volume of forage that he should do. So really I was looking at trying to find a soakable pulpy hay replacer type feed but will look into some of the Rowen Barbary products as they sound like the sort of thing I am after. xx

As you are already feeding Copra and Calm & Condition, I would be thinking of also adding micronised linseed and soaked grass nuts.

 

[amandaco2]

Fast fibre and grass nuts as forage replacement

 

[PolarSkye]

As you are already feeding Copra and Calm & Condition, I would be thinking of also adding micronised linseed and soaked grass nuts.

This.

P

 

[khalswitz]

As you are already feeding Copra and Calm & Condition, I would be thinking of also adding micronised linseed and soaked grass nuts.

Or.... just more Copra and C&C????

Upping to three feeds a day, or even four, can make a huge difference...