weight gain for big horse

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amandaco2

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my loan boy has lost some weight lately

he lives out on 30ish acres but there isnt really much grass left on it.

he is 17hh ISH.

he has dropped weight about 4-5 weeks ago.
he was about right before that but now his ribs are showing and he looks slightly hollowed around the hip.

he has two rugs on and has been wormed 2 weeks ago with equest.

i am getting a dentist out for him asap as im not sure how long age his teeth were done.(he needs sedating)

he is fed at the mo-
haylage in the field-not sure how much he actually gets but probably about 1 slice of the big bale.

once a day-
calm n condition(1 scoop)
sugar beet-one scoop(dry)
half cup of oil.
alfa a/molichaff-two handfuls

he has been on this for about 2 weeks.

(before that he was on----
alfa a/molichaff-on big handful
scoop of oats
some cooked cereal(his owner fed him on this)

he was ridden/schooled for an hour 3-4times a week(still living out but they werent getting haylage as there was still grass)


how long would you say to leave it before increasing the amounts?or would you add anything/change onto something else now?

he gets quiet excitable under saddle at times.his work has been reduced to twice weekly-walking hacks for 30-45mins to help build up his condition without stopping his work altogether as he can get abit naughty if left for a while with no work.

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Most of the outdoor horses at my yard are starting to drop weight now so it isn't just yours.

Can you bring him in overnight, or even just for a few hours in the day? giving them a break from the weather & some undisturbed eating time can make a huge difference.

If you can try feeding him twice a day, he'll probably get more out of two slightly smaller feeds than one big one.
 
mayb hes dropped muscle and not just condition as you say is over his hips(backend) i wouldn't up his hard feed but would deffo feed more than once aday and prob wud up hyldge (same amount just twice a day hard feed)
 
he has lost weight from his rib cage too,they are visable now.
his bottom is and shoulders are still quite muscular.
the yard is 15mins away from the field and in the week while im working i dont feel safe eough to hack him along the road(unlit and bendy) in the dark.
will try to get him fed twice a day though,i just want to nip the weight loss in the bud as he can be hard to get weight back onto again!
 
My boy (also 17hh ISH!) lost condition (due to illness last winter) and if its getting bad I would do both the exercise and the feed to halt the trend.

Could you lunge him in a Pessoa, it really helped him, even a couple of times a week would be a benefit to his overall musculature. And I put my boy on NAF pink powder (pre/probiotic, not expensive) and Blue Chip original (expensive but can replace some of the other hard feed) and this winter he has come through brilliantly, already getting dapples and he's a bay! So blue chip cheaper than vet bill.....am really pleased with the results
 
I have a 17.3hh ISH x WB who came to me last feb like a hat rack, he does drop weight very easily.

Ive fed him on Topspec since I got him, and even though he has been out of work since August last year, he is still holding condition well this winter, AND I have cut his hard feed RIGHT down.

The key I think is adlib haylege, mine live out, and as long as they have haylege, they hold their weight fine.

All Beau gets now is half a scoop alfa oil, half a scoop Topspec CC cubes, Topspec Leisure Time feed balancer, third of a scoop of soaked speedibeet, ONCE a day, that is hardly anything for such a big horse in winter, and he looks like this (pics taken less than 2 weeks ago):

Image15-5.jpg


DSC01715.jpg


I know he doesnt have much muscle, but that is because he is out of work, however when you compare it to when I got him, its a big improvemnt!

If your boy isnt getting enough hay, then perhaps put more piles out?

This was Beau when we got him, when his previous owner was giving him hard feed, but not enough hay:

11022007706-1.jpg



Im lucky that my boys are the bosses so get their fair share, however we have recently started putting the bales out in 2 places, so everyone gets plenty, there are 9 of them in the field.
 
he gets a slice of the large bale haylage per day(roughly) fed by yard owner into piles to all the horses.
Im not sure if they would be willing to put anymore out as i think the horses are leaving some.
 
i had a 16.3 shire gelding who i rescued he was under weight when i got him feeding once a day is not enought for a horse that size in regular work hes abig horse a horse over 16hh needs 28lb of feed a day he needs 2-2.5 percent of his own bodyweight i would ring up the feed manu to get them to sort you a diet sheet out also try a make sure he has all the food inc hay unlimited if possible when regained weight slowly reduce the intake hes always going to need a lot of food due to his size make sure he haspleanty of grazing in spring time as grass alone should fatten him up be care not to heat him up last thing you need is a horse gone nuts
 
Sounds to me as if he could do with comming in - he won't have so much competition for his hay, and you can give him as much as he needs then.
 
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