weight loss

[baleofhay]

Four year old mare losing weight rapidly Advice please. She is a very fussy eater who often leaves a feed half way through. Currently on chaff, calm and condition and red mills feed balancer. Prone to be a little excitable so don't want anything to make her fizzy. 16.1 selle francais x warmblood. Any ideas??? Been wormed teeth back etc checked fit and healthy in all other ways.

 

[rachier]

Bailey No 4 Top Line Cubes (3/4 stubbs scoop)
Showshine Mollichaff (1/2 stubbs scoop)
Alfa beet (1/4 Stubbs Scoop)
Top Spec (As directed on bag

Above twice a day (hes a 16.3hh L-M/W) TB

Works for my TB who goes loop the loop on mixes and is a fussy feeder, hes actually got a nice covering of muscle for once in winter!!

 

[catherinep]

Ad lib hay/hage, sugar beet (v palitable so may make eating a bit easier), chop up some carrots etc....and keep her warm as you can so not using energy/weight to keep warm.

Mine found Calm and Condition a bit tasteless so maybe look at Alfa oil and some tasty mix and succulents?

Mine don't take to starchy stuff well (barley etc) but have found Alfa Oil v good and beet doesn't seem to fire them up too much.

Good luck,

Catherine

 

[TGM]

Does she live in or out? First job is to make sure she gets good quality haylage or hay adlib - ie available at all times, preferably in the field as well, and if stabled overnight there should be enough hay/haylage that some is left in the morning. This is the best way to get weight on a fizzy horse, and is cheaper than lots of hard feed.

Is there any particular time she leaves her feed? A lot of horses leave their breakfast because they are keen to go out in the field. If that is the case reduce the morning feed and give the biggest feed in the evening. Can you feed three times a day? There are lots of feeds you can give her, but best to concentrate on fibre and oil, rather than cereal-based foods if you are worried about fizziness.

Suggestions would be:

Balancer and AlfaBeet with some oil added (or Outshine instead of the oil)
Balancer and Alfa A Oil (and perhaps some sugar beet)
Alfa A Oil (or other oil-enhanced chaff) with the recommended amount of conditioning cubes (if you feed the recommended amount then you shouldn't need the balancer)

If she doesn't seem to eat a lot of hay/haylage overnight then you could try leaving a big tub of Readigrass (or similar grass type feed) in the stable to supplement the hay. Apparently, studies have shown that horses will eat more if offered more than one type of forage.

 

[baleofhay]

She is in a lot because fields so wet but ridden every day if she does not go out. Just decided to try three feeds a day for the first time today. Thanks for advice

 

[herbert]

Have just got a pony fat on nothing but ad lib haylage and high fibre nuts and this was a THIN pony. She has taken about 3 months to get weight on but now she looks fantastic and she never gets fizzy.

 

[vickers22]

alfa beet and baileys spearmint outshine-my vvv fussy horse gobbles this all up

 

[Nats_uk]

My horse is terrible for losing weight in the winter but can be sharp and spooky so I avoid heating foods.

His dinner consists of:
1 stubb scoop Baileys no 4
1/4 stubb scoop Baileys Outshine
1 stubb scoop Alfa A Oil
1 stubb scoop Alfa Beet

Since he has gone on alfa beet, he has stopped losing weight and is keeping a nice weight and condition.

He also gets haylege, hay and a large bucket of readigrass (yes winter is an expensive time of year for me!)

 

[H-J]

Mine is full TB and is a proper TB! He feels the cold and doesnt carry much weight ever!

In each feed - He has 2 scoops of Alfa A, cup of Baileys outshine and 2 scoops of pasture mix.

He also has a haynet of soaked hay (3sections) and a haynet of Haylege. And a bucket of redigrass when he comes in. He has 5hrs (ish) turnout a day in the winter.

 

[baleofhay]

Thanks to every one that replied . Very helpful of all of you