What to feed an underweight 4yo?

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awolstencroft

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Hi everyone,

My friend and I have purchased a 4yo from a gypsy farm just as it arrived back from Appleby...

There is a lot of work that will need to go into her in the first few weeks, feed being one of them. What is quick at putting weight on but wont make her 'fizzy'??

She is from the field and very minimally handled. like I say she arrived back from Appleby 2 days ago so likely exhausted as very underweight so we don't want her becoming too difficult too quickly as we try to establish some ground rules!

Thanks!
 
Worming is the first priority, or a count so you know what is required but it is likely to need doing, then just let her have adlib forage and reasonable grass with just a token feed of something fibre based, speedibeet, fast fibre or grassnuts with a vit/ min supplement or balancer plus some oil or linseed.

Keep the feeds very small to enable her to get used to having them and her tummy to adjust, at this time of year don't try and rush to get the weight on it will come on gradually and be far better for her than piling feed into her and struggling to handle her or finding she piles the weight on as many cobs will then ends up having to be dieted to get it back down, she is likely to look totally different within a month or two with a correct worming plan and some general tlc.

As she is a mare there is also the possibility she could be in foal so it may be worth getting her checked at some point, many will have run out with colts or stallions in the herd.
 
she was wormed 2 days ago, not sure what with so got the vet coming out this afternoon and going to ask for a worm count to double check...

She will have to stay in for a few weeks away from the others until she is treated fully so grass at least for now is not an option... also due to there not being many horses in regularly the yard owner wont open any hayledge bales so she is limited to the small hay bales. This is why I wanted to start feeding her regularly too. She has a salt lick in her stable and have got balancers/supplements etc for my other horse which she will be given with a feed. Of course we will build feed up gradually and so we should have time to get some basic ground work done :)

also no obvious signs of being in foal... can vets check via blood test? if not then it will be a waiting game!
 
If she is very underweight, then weight should go on slowly. Ad lib hay with a good forage balancer is all she should need initially.

As long as there isn't anything medically wrong with her, she will pick up quickly enough on hay only.
 
Exactly as Be Positive said. Take it slowly but she needs bulk, not oomph.

If she can't be turned out yet, now is an ideal time to graze her in hand and get to know her that way. Use a strong headcollar and a lungeline, always wear gloves if not a hat and take her somewhere safe to graze some verges; I'd be surprised if she's not already used to traffic if a genuine gypsy cob. Always be slightly in front of beside her, never behind her as that way you have more control and be prepared for her to kick up her heels a bit as she won't be used to being in. I've done this many times with poor animals and it's amazing how it cheers them up to be allowed out to see some sights and get some grass into them naturally which keeps their gut moving.
 
I said that myself first - bulk not oomf... She can have turn out in the arena so can do ground work exercises in there for a few days until I know how she is going to be. She was lead back from Appleby on the back of a living wagon so traffic should not be an issue at all I wouldn't think! I had in hand grazing in mind too but wasn't sure on where it would be possible to take her as the only strip near us is on the lane leading straight to a main road...
 
Keep a close eye on her if she has been wormed. Worming a horse with a heavy (or unknown) worm burden can result in colic or even a perforated bowel.

Weight does need to go on slowly like everyone else has suggested - Dr Green will help with that :)
 
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