Youngster losing weight. Oil?

[southerncomfort]

I have a rising 5 year old Fell pony.

I've been cracking on with his training/backing and the workload, though very light, has coincided with a drop in weight.

Usually with a native I'd up the hay before anything else but he'll only eat a certain amount of hay and leave the rest.

So, I started adding some Honeychop Lite and Healthy to his low calorie balancer but he tends to leave some each time.

Next I tried adding some speedibeet and splitting his feed in to two, so he's having something morning and night.

He LOVES the speedibeet and fairly licks the bowl clean. However, he's still not gaining weight.

He's gone down a gullet size and I may need a smaller girth.

If we had grass coming through I wouldn't give it a second thought but it's a dust bowl out there!

Obviously with him being a native and in the process of being backed, I don't want to be giving him huge bowls of food or conditioning feeds, so I'm thinking about adding some oil.

Am I right in thinking that because its slow release energy it shouldn't blow his brains?

TIA

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Linseed meal and you could add some readigrass or alfalfa to his Speedibeet

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

After reading the red worm thread and it sowing seeds of doubt about wormer efficacy...do you think he may be carrying a larger than good for him worm burden?
I would feed “non lite” versions of feed if increasing hay amounts doesn’t work...new grass will help too. Are you able to post pictures?

 

[southerncomfort]

Linseed meal and you could add some readigrass or alfalfa to his Speedibeet

Thanks CC. Readigrass is a good call. Or soaked grass nuts?

 

[southerncomfort]

After reading the red worm thread and it sowing seeds of doubt about wormer efficacy...do you think he may be carrying a larger than good for him worm burden?
I would feed “non lite” versions of feed if increasing hay amounts doesn’t work...new grass will help too. Are you able to post pictures?

Shouldn't be but wouldn't hurt to get a worm count done, although I would say he has a gloriously shiny coat and no pot belly or anything like that.

I can't get a decent photo of him. My phone camera seems to struggle with black ponies! Also he still has tons of belly fluff which makes him look rounder than he actually is. I shall keep trying though!

 

[JackFrost]

Oil won't cause heating, and I have known it be recommended by vets for weight gain in working horses.
BUT - when the grass starts coming up, which depending where you are may be happening already, you should soon see him put on weight, so having him a bit underweight now is good. Personally, I would not be trying to get weight on him at this time of year.
One gullet size and a smaller girth does not sound excessive. At his age he may be changing shape a lot, including gullets and not always wider, so could also be a factor.
Do worm counts, including tapeworm test (or treat for it).

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I'd rule out any worm issue 1st.
Then (and am controversial) if no Dr Green coming through, I'd use a feed intended for veterans, which I've used to great success with young native ponies as will help. (eg, thr likes of Pure feeds or Dodson & Horrell)

Can you also hand graze verges and places where you cant turn him out?
It's not unusual for young natives to drop off in work and as soon as we have rain the grass will come in x

 

[southerncomfort]

Oil won't cause heating, and I have known it be recommended by vets for weight gain in working horses.
BUT - when the grass starts coming up, which depending where you are may be happening already, you should soon see him put on weight, so having him a bit underweight now is good. Personally, I would not be trying to get weight on him at this time of year.
One gullet size and a smaller girth does not sound excessive. At his age he may be changing shape a lot, including gullets and not always wider, so could also be a factor.
Do worm counts, including tapeworm test (or treat for it).

Thanks JJ. I think you're right and I always do prefer to keep them on the lean side TBH.

 

[southerncomfort]

I'd rule out any worm issue 1st.
Then (and am controversial) if no Dr Green coming through, I'd use a feed intended for veterans, which I've used to great success with young native ponies as will help. (eg, thr likes of Pure feeds or Dodson & Horrell)

Can you also hand graze verges and places where you cant turn him out?
It's not unusual for young natives to drop off in work and as soon as we have rain the grass will come in x

Thanks TFF. That's really interesting re veteran feeds.

I think you're right though and funnily enough I let him graze the verges yesterday (I'm teaching him the word 'snack' so that he knows when he's allowed to do it!).

I think I just need to hold my nerve and wait for the grass.

 

[Lois Lame]

I totally agree with this from JunoJones:

Oil won't be heating...

BUT - when the grass starts coming up, which depending where you are may be happening already, you should soon see him put on weight, so having him a bit underweight now is good. Personally, I would not be trying to get weight on him at this time of year.