Weight gain

[Ellie123456]

I have a 17.2 tb who arrived thin and I have been feeding him up for 6 months he stopped gaining weight about 2 months ago and hasn’t really got fatter since he isn’t super thin I just want a bit more coverage on his ribs he is on

ad lib hay
2.5 kg of Saracen re-Leve
1.kg of Equi jewel
A grass chop

worked up to date teeth checked and now ulcer free

and weight gain supplements or ideas ?

 

[AmyMay]

Is it true ad-lib, in that he has access 24/7?

 

[Ellie123456]

Yep always hay left in the morning and always has unlimited access

 

[AmyMay]

Have you had a worm count done?

 

[Ellie123456]

Yes and he was wormed with vet guidance and recently provided a clear count

 

[milliepops]

Mine is getting similar, its taken me a while to figure out the best way to get him to eat up and he was wormy when he arrived.
I figured it's just going to take a while. Other people see the progress more than I do. I'm 6 months in now and he's starting to get some muscle which is what's going to make him look better, I doubt he'll ever be that well covered.

 

[Ellie123456]

Mine is getting similar, its taken me a while to figure out the best way to get him to eat up and he was wormy when he arrived.
I figured it's just going to take a while. Other people see the progress more than I do. I'm 6 months in now and he's starting to get some muscle which is what's going to make him look better, I doubt he'll ever be that well covered.

I hope he does it makes me so upset for him even tho I’m trying my very best

 

[milliepops]

Grass, though, I'm thinking that will make the difference. Mine has ad lib haylage but he's only intermittently interested in it, he'll eat grass all day so I think when they get more in the spring that will help.

 

[milliepops]

Have you condition scored yours? I have done mine and that helped me to be objective. On the 9 point score mine was a 2 when he arrived and I'd put him at the top of a 4 now, he's on the way and I feel happy with his progress really.

 

[Ellie123456]

Have you condition scored yours? I have done mine and that helped me to be objective. On the 9 point score mine was a 2 when he arrived and I'd put him at the top of a 4 now, he's on the way and I feel happy with his progress really.

I’d say he’s a 3/4 but I feel like now I see no change I sometimes take his rug off and think he looks ok then the next day I’m not as sure sometimes I think I just obsessively stare but he has severe muscle loss from lack of exercise for 5 years and a bad diet and this doesn’t help at all

 

[milliepops]

If he's lost his topline then you just have to be patient. No amount of feed is going to magically fix it. General good nutrition and gentle work will be the combination you need.

 

[Nudibranch]

For skinny TBs I found unmolassed sugar beet, micronised linseed and plain oats to be very effective. Boring to some people, no fancy names involved but they work well.
Can you switch wholly or partly to haylege?

 

[holeymoley]

Linseed mash?

 

[Ellie123456]

If he's lost his topline then you just have to be patient. No amount of feed is going to magically fix it. General good nutrition and gentle work will be the combination you need.

Linseed mash?

im not really in a position to add anything else to his feed it already feels big and what he’s on is the best he’s ever been just stopped making progress

 

[ycbm]

My TB does much better at grass than kept in. He is on the alert when locked up and uses up his energy. When I bought him it was December and he was out with no rug on and well covered. Two years in a row he's dropped weight when brought in, on ad lib haylage and 3kg hard food. I've recently changed him onto grass nuts from Top Spec Cool Condition cubes and he seems to be doing better on those.

.

 

[ycbm]

im not really in a position to add anything else to his feed it already feels big and what he’s on is the best he’s ever been just stopped making progress

Drop the chaff, its bulky. Then you can add something else, but I'd be going with Nudibranch's suggestion, much cheaper too.

 

[TGM]

Research has shown that horses will eat more forage if they have access to different types. So if you are currently feeding hay, you could try offering a net of haylage as well, or leaving a tub of grass chaff or soaked grass nuts in the stable overnight. It is possible that the reason he has stopped gaining is because the grass has now dropped off and his only forage source is now hay, and he is not eating enough of it even though offered ad lib.

You may also need to reassess your idea of good condition - we have become used to seeing show animals who are actually fat being heralded as examples of good condition, so much that we often think an animal with a healthy condition score is a bit then when actually they are far healthier than the gleaming, fat-covered show ring specimens!

 

[Red-1]

I have had huge success with NAF Thrive. Most tack shops don't stock it, but you can order online.

It is a powder so won't add extra bulk. I have found that when you feed it, they get a huuuuge appetite for hay, feed, anything! I have never had one that did not pick up when on it, plus they have all become 'happy' as opposed to sharp.

Be careful though, when it first came out, I worked for a vet. He had a few cases of lami from horses packing weight on too quickly. I usually start with half a dose and work it up to the full dose, plus once they have emptied a (big) tub that have the appetite so I wean them off it again. Usually the appetite stays and the horse stays fat!

 

[milliepops]

You may also need to reassess your idea of good condition - we have become used to seeing show animals who are actually fat being heralded as examples of good condition, so much that we often think an animal with a healthy condition score is a bit then when actually they are far healthier than the gleaming, fat-covered show ring specimens!

That's why I asked if the OP had condition scored, it really helped me to be objective about mine, because my other horse on the yard is a welsh cob who is a very different type, I'm used to keeping her at a good weight but she looks very different to him even at the same score.

 

[SEL]

My draft really, really drops over winter despite tonnes of hay and good feed. The one year I managed to keep weight on him his feet went splat as soon as the grass came through. I now accept ribby on the basis he can be my spring grass lawn mower. Grass is great for condition and winter will be over (please) in no time at all

How well can you feel ribs? If you've got a lack of muscle then I think TBs can look worse than they are.

 

[Ellie123456]

My draft really, really drops over winter despite tonnes of hay and good feed. The one year I managed to keep weight on him his feet went splat as soon as the grass came through. I now accept ribby on the basis he can be my spring grass lawn mower. Grass is great for condition and winter will be over (please) in no time at all

How well can you feel ribs? If you've got a lack of muscle then I think TBs can look worse than they are.

The ribs are only just visible you can’t put your fingers in between his muscle doesn’t help as he looks like his spine is showing where muscle would be I also think he needs abdominal muscles to lift the ribs up I’m hoping spring grads will help

 

[Ellie123456]

I have had huge success with NAF Thrive. Most tack shops don't stock it, but you can order online.

It is a powder so won't add extra bulk. I have found that when you feed it, they get a huuuuge appetite for hay, feed, anything! I have never had one that did not pick up when on it, plus they have all become 'happy' as opposed to sharp.

Be careful though, when it first came out, I worked for a vet. He had a few cases of lami from horses packing weight on too quickly. I usually start with half a dose and work it up to the full dose, plus once they have emptied a (big) tub that have the appetite so I wean them off it again. Usually the appetite stays and the horse stays fat!

I’ve been looking at this as ive heard Tbs have trouble absorbing the calories as their digestive system works so fast and naf thrive is supposed to do this and I need a supplement anyway to keep the ulcers away !

 

[Ellie123456]

For skinny TBs I found unmolassed sugar beet, micronised linseed and plain oats to be very effective. Boring to some people, no fancy names involved but they work well.
Can you switch wholly or partly to haylege?

He has one tooth at the back we struggling with so I can partly buy we only have access to the big bales and I feel it will go off quick

 

[Carrottom]

How many feeds a day does he have? I have found with some tbs gain weight better with 3 or better still 4 feeds a day.

 

[Ellie123456]

How many feeds a day does he have? I have found with some tbs gain weight better with 3 or better still 4 feeds a day.

I started on 3 a few days ago so yet to see results but t im hoping it will help