Stressing about Pidge losing a bit of weight - help please?

Ok so he's in plenty of work and for example the other week we went over Cannock Chase for 3 hours on the Sunday with 40min lorry ride, Monday Somerford Park for a couple of hours and 2 hours lorry ride, then again to Somerford on the Saturday.
Soooooo Pidge has lost a bit more weight and for those that can remember a previous recent post he wasn't exactly carrying any excess weight! So I have upped his feed from 1 scoop Alfa A Oil, 1/2 scoop Topspec cool and condition cubes, 250g Topspec feed balancer morning and night to be a heaped scoop of Alfa A Oil and a full scoop of the cool and condition cubes.
Can't help but have that nagging thought in the back of my head that it may be Grass Sickness as I lost Higgs to this 8.5.05. and he lost weight for some time prior to the GS being diagnosed. We just put the weight loss down to coming out of winter
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Am I stressing unneccesarily?
 
lexiedhb

lexiedhb

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I would say so yes! Hes in hard work, the grass hasnt come through yet, and he's dropped a bit of weight.... you've upped his feed and as soon as the grass is back Im sure he'll put his weight back on!!

Dont fret pet!
 
thanks I know realistically it should just be the fact he's doing a lot of work as on Wednesday I hacked for 40mins in the morning followed by 30mins schooling as the farrier was here and I had the morning off and then hacked for an hour at night time too
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Am I doing too much with him? I know a slim and fit Pidge is better with his hock spavin but am I overworking him?
 
I wouldnt say overworking him no..... maybe ease off a touch, maybe just ride him once a day, for however long you want..... see if he gets his weight back that way! Am sure as soon as the spring grass is here he'll put it all back on, and you'll be worrying hes a porker!!
 
the two rides in one day was a one off
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I ended up knackered but he was still pinging around and raring to go
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thanks
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My big boy has done just the same: a few hard days hunting at the end of the season, the recent cold snap and slow emergence of Spring grass mean Henry is a bit ribby. I have been beefing up feeds with DH Build up Mix and upped his Sugar Beet: why don't you add some beet or linseed oil?

He's just starting to perk up now: I know there is nothing wrong with him as his coat is gleeming : he's just a bit of a racing snake at the mo! By Mid May you will wonder what you were stressing about but good to be concerned.
 
thanks Bugly, Pidge's coat is definately gleaming
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and it's not down to my grooming
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Can you add any oil and how much?
 
Tee hee...... Well Im sure he would let you know then if he wasnt happy in himself......sounds like hes lovin it lovin it lovin it!
 
Oh yes he is definately loving work at the moment
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I have to keep telling myself when I get down about his canter (still WIP after having a bad fitting saddle) that his walk and trot are 200% better than before and the canter will come - AND I have a fit healthy horse after his hock spavin was diagnosed last year
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I would only go for linseed oil for weight gain. NAF sell it so go buy their recommendations on the bottle. Sounds like your horse is uncomplicated, but if he's a bit fizzy just watch what you are putting in the way of oils / extra sugars (i.e beet).
 
Oh, you do worry about him!
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He was looking very well on Sunday.

If he has lost a little again, don't forget that he probably isn't getting much out of the haylage now (not that it was great in the first place!) and even though your grass is coming through, we need a bit more sun to get it full of goodness for them.
 
Thanks Bugly, will the oil give him any more fizz then? Have fed speedibeet when I first got Pidge as he was a tad underweight
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me worry about Pidge
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surely not
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he's still on ad lib haylage over night but we've dropped the amount in the field as they aren't eating it as they are gorging on the new grass coming through
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hmmmmmmmm
 
kind of stuck with a 3rd feed as I work FT and the yard is a good 20min drive away
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Does it not sound like much food then?
 
I'd go for Speedibeet - up to 3/4 scoop before soaking, split through 2 feeds. Obviously start with a couple handfuls (soaked) first and build up gradually. Cheap, and really does the job.
 
Wouldnt worry. The amount you were feeding him was nothing for a horse his size, so it is logical he is loosing weight with the work you are doing. Sue you will see it start to build up again.
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thanks Kat that makes me feel a bit better
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I did up his feed a while back but he was leaving some of it which is not like him, hence one of his nicknames is Pig
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However since upping to a heaped scoop of Alfa A Oil and a full scoop of cubes he has still been eating all of it so obviously needs it.
Thanks to everyone for their help, much appreciated as always
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