Weight loss over back end (older horse)

[Crazy_cat_lady]

H has dropped a lot of weight off his back end the last few days, he's done this during winter on occasion now he's gotten older. Is there anything I can do to boost him back up that doesn't cost the earth as I don't have the money to pour into expensive supplements that last a couple of weeks. He's 23 now and is a 15.2hh Welsh D.

He's lost a couple of his front teeth, and hasn't been eating as much hay lately, but I tried him on haylage over the summer, due to hay shortages and he hated it.

He's ridden at weekends, hacking only.

He has cushings and I suspect the water faecal syndrome mentioned in another thread. He had a cushings test in October and is on one and a half tablets a day and has been for the last few years.

He's fed:

-3 sections of hay, but probably eats between 1.5 and 2 a night, he used to eat it all
In each feed (fed twice daily) he gets:

-1 scoop hifi lite
-1/2 scoop pasture cubes
-1/4 scoop oats
-superflex
-rig calm
-coolstance

Is there anything relatively inexpensive that I can do to help bulk him up a bit? I was wondering about changing the pasture cubes to 15 plus cubes.

He's prone to being hysterical so nothing that sends him nuts.

I don't have loads of money for vet investigations, I know the cushings is probably a large contributing factor but he's looking "old and moth eaten". His coat is however, shiny where he's clipped. He did look very cushings with the regrowth.

I presume some of the veteran supplements could outweigh the need for superflex however I'm reluctant to ditch it as it seems beneficial.

I was wondering about something to supplement his hay as he's losing out by not eating as much hay, though last winter he dropped off and was eating all his hay

 

[AmyMay]

Alpha A oil is fantastic for putting on condition.

 

[ester]

I'd consider giving him something as a hay replacer he can have overnght too if he is struggling with it tooth wise. - Frank struggles a bit with alfalfa as it can be pretty stalky.
We are very lucky that we have a hay man who finds his softest hay (and now haylage) to help the situation too.
I'd probably add micronised linseed too.

 

[Snow Falcon]

Micronised linseed

What about fast fibre to replace some of the hay?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I would say he is loosing his back end as he isn't using it properly or not using it enough!! Could be in discomfort or simply he isn't doing enough work to keep his muscle mass.

 

[meleeka]

Micronised Linseed should help. Mine’s having Alfa Beet too which is putting weight back on. I would also swap the Hifi Lite for something more conditioning. The combined sugar and starch should he 10% or under for cushings but there’s a few that should add a bit of condition.

My old girl can only eat soft meadow hay, so haylage is out.

 

[Laurac13]

Agree alpha A oil or add a glug of veg oil to his feeds x

 

[Britestar]

Grass nuts. My oldie finds Alfa A oil to spikey to eat with his dodgy teeth.
He is also cushings, and he gets grass nuts, condition cubes and gain opticare balancer. Plus short chopped hay and haylage.

He's never looked so good!

 

[splashgirl45]

i used fast fibre to supplement the hay and found it worked well for my cushings mare

 

[onemoretime]

My old pony of 30 years soon put on condition when we changed her over to Soothe & Gain by Allen & Page.

 

[Puzzled]

Oil is great for weight gain. Try grass nuts or fast fibre as a hay replacer.

 

[ester]

Most grass nuts are a bit of a risk for a metabolic horse, the %sugar starch is too high (hay cobs and meadow magic are exceptions to this) (same goes for most grass chaffs)

 

[exracehorse]

My retirement boy is 27. Dropped fetlocks and Cushings. Under his rug he’s not carrying an ounce of fat. And back dipped. He definitely looks his age. I struggle as he has zero appetite. Only wants grass. Which is not great this time of year. He probably eats a pad of hay at night. Only eats cheap pony nut cubes. Believe me .. I’ve tried every feed under the sun.

 

[sbloom]

I would say he is loosing his back end as he isn't using it properly or not using it enough!! Could be in discomfort or simply he isn't doing enough work to keep his muscle mass.

I agree, I'd have thought weight loss would be apparent all over and not just looking poor on the back end.

 

[Melody Grey]

I would say he is loosing his back end as he isn't using it properly or not using it enough!! Could be in discomfort or simply he isn't doing enough work to keep his muscle mass.

This was my first thought too. Could the horse be arthritic and need some pain management? I’d discuss with the vet- could be as simple as a bute a day, some physio and steady work?

 

[Cowpony]

Is he on vitamin E? That can make a world of difference to them holding muscle. But they do need to do some work to build it back.