The Poor Doer

[Max&Soosan]

Hi all

I’ve an ID who is 9 years old. He’s a big boy, 17.1hh approx and he’s fairly long. He’s always been a fussier eater and as a result is a general poor doer.
He’s been scoped, had every blood test under the sun. His tack is checked. His teeth are maintained. He is in perfect health aside from struggling with weight gain.
He was weighed last week and came in at 640kg and condition scored as a 3. Eventing fit. However…he’s a hunter. He hacks during the week and hunts on a Sunday. He always comes home looking tucked up around his flanks / backside. He is bright and generally of a good disposition, he loves his work, has tonnes of energy and will pull you over any hedge you point him at… however he could just do with looking a bit chunkier.
He’s out in the day on good grass and in at night with good quality forage. He has a choice of hay and haylage. Feed wise, he gets three feeds a day:
D&H Conditioning Mix
D&H Build and Glow
Gastro Supplement
Overnight (late) he gets a supplementary feed of Rowan Barbary Ready Mash Extra to plump his calorie intake up.

Im not looking for a miracle cure, however is there anyone out there who has experience with poor doers and anyone who has had success with a feed plan that got them to beef up?
Photo enclosed for some perspective.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Equijewel is great for putting condition on I have used it on various horses and it's always worked, another one is micronised linseed have fed it for years and I really rate it.

 

[AmyMay]

A real old fashioned feed, but have you tried simplifying things and feeding boiled barley?

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I fed a poor ex-chaser on soaked barley rings, they worked a treat.

 

[taffyem]

What about something like Soothe & Gain?

 

[Highmileagecob]

Have you considered a trial dose of NSAID, just in case he has some pain?

 

[ycbm]

Mine needs good levels of vitamin E, especially in winter. I feed him minimal hard food now he's getting enough vit E.
.

 

[TGM]

A condition score of 3 is an ideal weight (assuming out of a total of 5). I think his conformation makes him look more lean than he really is being long in the back and not very deep in the chest and with a high wither, we had a hunter very much like this that always looked lean but when you condition scored him he was actually fine. To be honest, as long as he is maintaining his weight on his current rations and feels well in himself I wouldn't worry too much. You don't want a hunter carrying excess weight anyway. (A lot of horses will look up tucked up after hunting anyway, which isn't surprising if you think they have been without forage for several hours and have been working really hard).

 

[Goldenstar]

Your horse looks fine a horse who is the correct weight to work hard ( hunt ) will often look tucked up after hunting because horses lose kilos of weight as they use water to run their body and to sweat .

You tell us about his hard feed but really with a horse like him I would be giving the best quality haylege I could get my hands on .
A poor doer hunting here would be getting add Lib rye haylege .

 

[ihatework]

You’ll get all sorts of advice for weight gain, but honestly your horse looks a perfect weight for his type and the work he is doing. Honestly, completely healthy. Doesn’t need any more weight on him.
If you want that slightly different top line appearance that will come by schooling/way he is ridden during the week

 

[Horseysheepy]

The hunting yard I groomed at (ok many years ago, so things have changed) would feed first cut haylage, rolled barley with proper sugar beet and a handful of salt. A large helping of molasses to those who lacked a bit of oomph.
Steamed hay to those who were easy keepers.
It's been 8 years since I lost my dear little hunting mare, but I heard a few people on the field swear by barley rings

 

[ycbm]

I agree his weight is actually fine for a hunter.

But for others who might read the thread, I had one TB who only put on weight when I withdrew all feed containing soya and another when I took out the sugar beet.
.

 

[Squeak]

A condition score of 3 is an ideal weight (assuming out of a total of 5). I think his conformation makes him look more lean than he really is being long in the back and not very deep in the chest and with a high wither, we had a hunter very much like this that always looked lean but when you condition scored him he was actually fine. To be honest, as long as he is maintaining his weight on his current rations and feels well in himself I wouldn't worry too much. You don't want a hunter carrying excess weight anyway. (A lot of horses will look up tucked up after hunting anyway, which isn't surprising if you think they have been without forage for several hours and have been working really hard).

Completely agree with all of this. I also think we’ve got too used to seeing overweight horses and so a horse that’s on the lean side of good looks far worse to us than a horse that is fat, when actually it’s far better for the horse health wise.

 

[Regandal]

When I got my old ID he was in full work hunting twice a week. Not an ounce of fat on him, he was fit and lean. Probably weighed the same as your boy. The groom used to feed the hunters barley rings if they were too poor.

 

[Clodagh]

I don’t think he is at all thin, he looks absolutely spot on. Stop worrying if you can.

 

[tyner]

You mention he is a fussy eater, is this still the case?
Have you ever tried probiotics/prebiotics?

 

[Max&Soosan]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. It’s very much appreciated.

 

[lynz88]

EquiJewel or linseed both worked really well for my "looks at food and loses weight" TB but what has really helped is Vit E and adding oily herbs. In fact, the oily herbs has made such a major difference it is unreal. He actually looks like a real horse now...

 

[Mimi2005]

EquiJewel or linseed both worked really well for my "looks at food and loses weight" TB but what has really helped is Vit E and adding oily herbs. In fact, the oily herbs has made such a major difference it is unreal. He actually looks like a real horse now...

EquiJewel or linseed both worked really well for my "looks at food and loses weight" TB but what has really helped is Vit E and adding oily herbs. In fact, the oily herbs has made such a major difference it is unreal. He actually looks like a real horse now...

May I ask what oily herbs you use and do you buy them oily or add oil to them?

 

[lynz88]

I buy thyme, oregano, and rosemary from wholefoods in bulk. I know others on here buy the D&H mix

 

[Mimi2005]

I buy thyme, oregano, and rosemary from wholefoods in bulk. I know others on here buy the D&H mix

Thank you and what oil do you add to them?

 

[lynz88]

I don't add any oil. Apparently these herbs are known as "oily" herbs ??

I also very very very highly recommend natural vit e as well. I remember after a few months of being on it my vet was astounded at the difference in attitude and how he looked (though there was a noticeable difference at about the 2 week mark of him being on it).

 

[Hackback]

Vitamin E was a game changer for my horse too. He always looked poor in winter and bloomed with the spring grass so obviously we always assumed it was the grass itself that he needed. However on the vitamin E he maintains his condition year round. I give him Nano-E - only started giving it to boost his immune system but it made such a difference to his general condition.