Weight Gain

[Vicster1]

Hi,

I'm sure there have been plenty of similar posts, but was hoping for some ideas on what to feed my gelding from people who've actually had success, as opposed to feed companies who are obviously going to push their brands at you.

He used to be on the simple system, which was working ok, but over the past few months, he's dropped loads of weight and now looks terrible. I think a lot of it is his temperament (very nervy/stressy in stable) and also because there's so much food in the simple system diet that it's just going through him (he eats it all as opposed to picking at it).

I've recently tried Calm & condition, but that hasn't made any difference.

So (if you're still reading!), basically I want something that will put the weight on without blowing his already stressed out brain (may be worth adding that he's fine to ride - it's just a stable stressy thing!)

Thanks!!

 

[MillionDollar]

Best thing you can ever feed to put on weight and condition (and VERY quickly) is boiled barley, sugarbeet and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. It works absolute wonders.

 

[air78]

Try Balanced Horse Feeds Show Mix; It works!

 

[Maesfen]

Clare's recipe is good and works. Also you could try Super barley Rings, I think Burgess & Sneyd make them, they are brilliant and can be fed dry or as a mash which is what most horses seem to prefer. They have linseed in too so are very good for coats!
Bailey's Number 1 is also good but must be fed with sugar beet and chaff, not on its own; also their Stud Cubes are very good for weight gain and I've never had any trouble with fizzyness from any of those feeds. You could substitute micronised flaked barley for the boiled barley but horses do seem to love BB in a mash (and it smells nice too!) If you're going to feed straights, a balancer wouldn't be a bad idea like Blue Chip (my preference) or Top Spec.

 

[nelliefinellie]

I've just changed my mare from C & C to top spec conditioning flakes with immediate improvement - though of course might be the spring grass coming through....

 

[sarahmagic]

I used to feed my TB mare Baileys Top Line Cubes (not sure if they're still called this) for weight gain along with Alfa A, sugar beet and linseed oil. She was a very fussy eater and this was the only feed she semmed to enjoy eating that also put weight on! It didn't send her nuts either.

 

[Shilasdair]

If your horse is a TB, the best thing you can do for weight gain is turn him out 24/7.
I know it sounds odd, but TB's seem to stress weight off if they can't move when they want.
Honest....mine's 18, lives out all year (winter too) on hay, plus 2 handfuls of pasture mix and some Speedibeet.
And she's er....voluptuous!
S

 

[Vicster1]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

He's a TB/Selle Francais. Much as I'd like him to live out 24/7 sometimes, it's not an option where I am at the moment. Am waiting for rain to make the grass grow though!!
He's on Blue Chip as that worked when he was much younger and also on KwikBeet and has linseed too !! If he stopped stressing, I'm sure that would help as think he worries a lot of it away.

 

[sandr]

Black Sunflower seeds, mine gets 3 mugs a day, works a treat!!

 

[bracken1]

a cheap way that works is feed him equivite body builder. excellent results on mine

 

[flyingfeet]

Can he not go out on the spring grass and gorge himself?

I have a weight gain problem - but its the reverse, mine have all got rather rotund!