What to feed for energy, not weight gain?

[Scheherezade]

My horse is a condition score 4, and is slowly losing weight (has gone down half a saddle size, hooray!).

ATM he lives out 24/7 in a large field that is well grazed, and given a handful of alfa A after he is ridden, purely to mix in the supplements he needs (vets orders) which is about 5 days a week.

He's tb X welsh D, and is very behind the leg, especially in canter. Is there anything I can feed him, or a change in his management to encourage him to be a bit more 'sprightly'? Spurs do help, but as he is young I'd rather not.

Ideas (politely phrased, and not spiteful or plain mean!) would be really appreciated

 

[trendybraincell]

Its quite a difficult balance as there really is no such thing. Perhaps give one of the big feed companies a ring, they are often very helpful and full of useful advice.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

If you want him to lose weight it is not a good idea to feed anything more than you are feeding now. Food=calories=energy. Energy/calories not used for movement/keeping warm is used for putting on weight. Unfortunately horses are programmed to put weight on easily at this time of the year in order to store energy for next winter, when times are expected to be hard (genetically speaking). As your horse loses weight he should become more sprightly. Good luck!

 

[bitlessbill]

I give mine a handfull of oats in his healthy hooves and it has made an improvement to his usual ploddiness!

 

[thatsmygirl]

I was gona say the same just simply oats. Won't put weight on But might just give a little bit off energy

 

[YorksG]

Oats will put weight on, all cereals are high in starch, which is high in calories. As he gets thinner he should get more usable energy. The other thing to do is to make sure he is ridden 'from the leg' at all times.

 

[martlin]

you could try this:
http://www.equistro.co.uk/ProdCat/Prod8perf.asp

or one from Equiform Nutrition called Excel Jump Off for daily feed - it does work