Talking of Skinny - more feed advice please Zoom looks like a sack of.......

My lad went off Alfa-A oil......I've tried all sorts....Bailys no4 =very exciteable, Calm and Condition= no great change really- didn't appear to do much at all. I've settled (again) on Spillers slow release cubes- high fibre and oil- no cereal which has really helped with condition and he's not gone off his head either....I give him this with Molli veteran chaff...because he likes it:) and pink powder and loads of hay. He was fully clipped but its grown out and is in at night though. Mind you he is in his early 20's. Need to take some piccies of him really.

BTW.....she's not actually that bad you know;)
 
Have you tried adding mint or molasses [sp] to her feed to encourage her to eat it? Or those apple flavoured things you can get for fussy eaters (I'm sure I've seen things like this in Robinsons...... If not, nobody steal my idea!!!)
 
poor zoomy... think she just misses her friend and the grass. I would keep on as you are, can you try adding apple squash to the sugar beet or peppermint cordial to encourage her to eat some? feed it separate to her hard feed and leave it with her so she can pick at it all the time.

I'm sure once the grass comes through properly she'll come right. give her a hug from Ron and me.
 
Aw, he does look a bit tucked up doesn't he? Bless. Maybe you should try to feed more of the conditioning cubes- maybe try 1 1/2 twice daily, cut out the fibre cubes and try 2 cups of balancer and one outshine? That's what my skinny mare is on at the moment and she is starting to look really good.
 
Hi,

For the first time ever, my mare has really struggled with her weight this year.

After trying all sorts of feed, we have finally cracked it.

She now gets Spillers Conditioning Fibre and 16+

I really rate the Conditioning Fibre. She will be on it for the long term now, even though I have to order it in especially.

http://www.spillers-feeds.com/en-gb.../spillers-fibres/SPILLERS-Conditioning-Fibre/

I hope Zoom feels better soon x
 
A couple of years ago my connie X dropped quite a bit of weight (very unusual for her!) & my instructor recommended changing from the Pasture Mix I was feeding to Badminton Equipower base feed (in a blue bag) with the Triple A top up (added to the feed in really small amounts) (see web site for details). This is fed with plenty of forage, I feed Alpha A & lots of hay. I now have a small welsh, large WB & connie X all on Basefeed, Alpha A & Hay, (they don't need the Top Up) works really well, they all have wintered well & I find it a really simple feeding system that works.
 
I struggled with the weight on my boy a couple of winters ago-inspite of him being stabled. I rung Dodson and Horrell's helpline and he now has their "build up mix" along with Spillers "Happy Hoof", and touch wood, his weight remains good through the winter. I change it come spring to their Pasture mix, as he keeps his weight very well once the grass appears.
Maybe worth giving a couple of the feed companies a call, as the have nutriitionalists who can give you some advise whcih may well help you.
Congrats on your good news at Potters Bar,my boy had a major colic op there 15 years ago as a yearling. Have alot of regard for the place and the people. Good Luck.
 
amandaco2 said:
teeth and worming done?
not stressed by being totally alone.
Click to expand...

teeth done recently and excellent worming programme. Lives out with 21 others so would be suprised if she is lonely!

Thanks for all the advice. I have an action plan in place now!!

I will keep you updated :D
 
I think you are doing the right thing trying the Pink Powder and Outshine, have used both with great success. Plus the Spring grass coming, I'm sure that will help a lot too.

Hope she back to normal soon :)
 
Is she warm enough? Her clip looks fairly recent and her coat is a little starey, she may be feeling this chillier weather a bit?
 
As the weather has got cold again make sure she is warm enough to compensate. I have had to put my horses back into their M/W turnouts again.
 
Her clip was done in early december!! :eek: I have put her back in a HW with this cold weather. Thanks for the suggestions though :)
 
I tried: Blue Chip Pro, Alpha A Oil, Bailey's No. 4, Bailey's Outshine, and sugarbeet on the Dizz and it all had boball effect on her :( It was only the Spring grass that worked.

I put her on linseed chips earlier this year, but she became a prat both on the ground and under saddle. There were other factors to consider, but I took her off as the timing was too suspect and she's too big to be a prat like that.

Currently looking for something that is low starch and high calorie and is fed in small doses and that I can get from my local saddler... In the meantime, she's on sugarbeet, carrots, and Codlivine (which she loves!). Hates chaff type feeds, so I don't bother any more, just go for the sugarbeet, though considering fibrebeet(?).

Fingers crossed you find the right one.

As an aside: last year I stopped riding her due to other circs, and that was the time she put on weight (it conincided with the Spring/early Summer grass and good grazing). This time I'be been told to keep working her to try and get her appetitie back to where it should be :).
 
Haven't read all the replies, but have you tried her on Allen and Page weight gain? That did wonders when I had a skinny 4 yo. Or (slap my wrist if I'm wrong!) is she an older horse (from your previous posts - not from her looks! :eek: ) can you try her on allen and page old faithful? Our oldies loved that when we fed them it, and did really well on it too :)

In all fairness, I don't think she looks too bad, just a bit light, and hopefully the grass will come through any day now :)
 
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