Suggestions for condition on a tricky horse?

druid

druid

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Tb, ex racer. 4 yo just retired and is four months into rehabbing a tendon injury. Turned out 7-4.

Needs to gain weight but has had a history of ulcers (treated with a month of gastrogard, scoped clear since). He also had an impaction/gas colic recently which we feel was due to him stressing about a change in routine and also the change in feeding from training to rehab.

He is feed ad lib steamed good quality grass hay, including a section of Lucerne am/pm.

He currently gets 1.5 scoops of dengie healthy tummy twice a day, a cup of flax oil twice a day and a pro rats measure of Naf general supplement (vits/mins).

He is finicky, won't eat up a massive feed. There is no way to feed more than twice unfortunately. He also will not eat sugar beet which is a pain.

All suggestions are welcome for weight gain. I'd like to stay as cereal free as possible or at least low starch due to the ulcer history.
 
Micronised linseed for the condition and powdered fenugreek for the fussy eating/lack of appetite

Really rate the winergy conditioning as a main feed for weight and condition without any fizz, it's oil and fibre based energy not derived from cereals.

Be careful with the sugar beet regarding ulcers - some horses will be ok with unmolassed sugar beet, but we found ours were better when we cut it out completely.
 
Id mix some linseed meal into soaked grassnuts/alfalfa pellets or soaked beetpulp and leave a tub trug full in his stable for him to pick at as need be as well as his daily small feeds :) Works a treat on my cereal intolerant oldie when he needs something extra :D Just fibre and oil :)
 
Charnwood mills are just up the road, I keep meaning to try their linseed.

He won't eat beet pulp, at all. I can try soaking alfalfa pellets or grass nuts though - he does eat his dengie wet so it shouldn't be an issue. I'd be open to trying the bucket of food left overnight but as he leaves a few bits in his bucket even with only 1.5 scoops per feed I'm not sure he'll take to it. Got to be worth a try though! His teeth are fine, btw just incase anyone asks!
 
I just left it as and aside :) you can add apple juice or mint cordial to it as well I use the mint cordial or dried mint if my oldie is fussy or not quite right as good for digestion :)
 
druid said:
Charnwood mills are just up the road, I keep meaning to try their linseed.

He won't eat beet pulp, at all. I can try soaking alfalfa pellets or grass nuts though - he does eat his dengie wet so it shouldn't be an issue. I'd be open to trying the bucket of food left overnight but as he leaves a few bits in his bucket even with only 1.5 scoops per feed I'm not sure he'll take to it. Got to be worth a try though! His teeth are fine, btw just incase anyone asks!
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Fig used to be a right booger for leaving bits of his feed - the fenugreek powder really peps up his appetite and has helped his coat/skin/general condition along too. Cheap as chips from progressive earth on ebay (and you get a free sweetie with your order!).
 
Just to second what nmt says, linseed is great for condition and fenugreek really helps to get them to eat up. Mine is terribly fussy too.

I also feed oats which I have found good for weight and appetising. I feed whole oats soaked andvthey don't heat mine up at all.
 
I would also try linseed

I mix it two thirds to one third of brewers yeast (Girthy pony plus itchy skin)

Also its worth looking at Copra which is a coconut based oil feed
 
Thanks guys, I'll have to look at all these ideas. I will try the linseed to start with and go from there.
 
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