Worried about weight loss - advice please

Archiesmummy

Archiesmummy

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Archie is well enought in himself, although I have been concerned as suddenly he has dropped weight.

I have been paranoid about lammy this year, though he has never suffered before so wanting to keep his weight down I dropped his hard feed some weeks ago.

I think this and a combination of some cold nights with him unrugged has taken its toll and he has noticeably dropped weight. His teeth are fine, appetite fine, he eats ad lib hay but I know he is yearning for some decent grass. So I bought him a show mix today, non heating but should give him back some condition. What do you think? It was recommended by the feed shop. I thought a balancer but that was what they come up with.

So today I gave him a feed of the show mix, with some speedibeet and his usual ad lib hay, which to be honest I think he is sick of. His paddock has some grass in but not brilliant and any chance he gets he tries to snatch the lovely stuff, along the track, the other side of the fence ... anywhere he can. He can't be hungry, just missing its lushousness, I think.

I love my boy so much but just lately I seem to being doing nothing but wrong trying to do right.
 
Tell me about it! I have done the same thing as you. I spent all winter trying to put weight on and then in anticipation of spring I carefully changed over to a low calorie feed. She then lost too much weight as the grass hadnt come through, so I added a mix. She looked great but then the grass came through! I have dropped the mix and just feeding chaff and supplement and she looks great.

Your grass should be here soon so perhaps just offer her small feeds of the mix you have just bought until used up. In the mean time, I would perhaps add some haylage to the hay if she is bored of it? It will pick her up a bit more than the hay and then when the grass does eventually grow for you, you can drop the haylage and keep the hay and then, if the feed is all used up, just offer her some chaff with a vit/min supplement in or a balancer.

It wont hurt that your horse has lost weight at then end of winter/beginning of spring. This is natural and they will soon pick up. This is what I need to remember in future! I also need to remember that she may become slightly overweight towards the end of summer going into winter. Apparently the body detoxifies itself at this point and this helps the metobolic process.

I found this on the net

In nature, there is a natural cycle of body condition whereby animals put on condition and fat in times of plenty - usually over late Spring and Summer - and burn it off during times of hardship - usually over late Autumn and Winter. I believe this serves a function not widely recognised in that many toxins both acquired and generated in the body through inefficient metabolic processes are stored in the adipose tissue of the body (ie in the fat). During times of hardship when animals "live off their fat" and lose condition, the body will naturally detoxify the stored toxins as they are released when the adipose tissue is broken down. These toxins will then be excreted. This cycle of storing and release of toxins helps spread the load on the liver as well providing for the energetic requirements of the individual.

:-)
 
It is always a juggling act isn't it??!

If you are worried about lami then I'd stay off the show mix and give him some Alen & Paige Fast Fibre, perhaps some micronised linseed, oil if he'll eat it added to his feed. Stay off anything sugary or starchy. Or you could try some grass nuts - the Simple System's blue grass nuts are made from grass of less nutritional value so he'll get a nice high fibre grassy meal without the dangers of real grass. I am using their red grass nuts on my TB who has dropped a lot, but he isn't a lami chap. Depending on what else he gets, you could add some Pink Powder too, fab stuff.

Good luck with it. x
 
I agree that Show Mix isn't ideal if you are worried about laminitis as the majority have quite a significant cereal content, so therefore quite high levels of starch. The Speedibeet is good as high calorie and low sugar/starch. You could feed this alongside something like Alfa A Oil which is again high calorie and low sugar/starch, and perhaps a vit/min supplement, Pink Powder or one of the other balancers such as Top Spec.
 
I wouldn't be overly concerned about him dropping weight if you are particularly worried about lami but then that depends to what extent. Do you have any photos?

I personally wouldn't be happy about feeding a mix to a laminitic. They tend to be full of sugar above anything!! I can really recomend topspec anti-lam. I know several horses that are on it and look fab but without putting on too much condition.

is he up to date with worming? sudden weightloss and loss of sparkle can be a sign of tapeworm... may be worth a double dose?
 
Totally agree re NOT feeding show mix. a lot of horses have dropped off as the grass is late this year, once it comes through he will put on weight.
A balancer such as low cal (Baileys) or Top spec with the addition of speedibeet would be far more appropriate if you are worried about Laminitis.

It is such a classic but understandable mistake, these ponies then go on to get laminitis and a single bag of mix could easily trigger it.
 
Is the horse actually thin or has it just dropped weight? It is actually healthier for horses to lose some weight in winter, as long as they are not obviously underweight.

Other than that, if the horse IS thin then-

Is it possible the horse has worms?- Have you sampled or wormed recently? (tapeworm wont show up on worm count though)

I would ditch the show mix, cereals and sugar should be avoided in a horse where laminitis is a risk. If he is a cob type (photos in your sig) he certainly shouldnt need a cereal mix. feed high fibre feeds instead and carry on with ad lib hay.

You dont say how old the horse is?
 
I am completely baffled as to why your feed merchants would recommend a show mix to a horse at risk of laminitis :( As others have pointed out the sugar and starch content could be enough to tip him over the edge :( If I were you I'd just leave him and wait for the grass to come through - it won't be long before you'll be concerned about his weight gain and wanting to slim him down again - It's nature's way for horses to drop off a bit of weight before the spring grass comes through :)

Do you have any photos of him?
Kate x
 
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