Posted 2010-05-09 12:48 PM (#119936) Subject: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
New User
Posts: 3
Location: MI
Hi my name is Shy.
my horse's name is Ace. he is having some weight issues since i have had him. we have fed him extra hay and i cut back alot on riding him. he has had his teeth floated hes been wormed. we took him to the vet and the vet said that he is doesnt have any underlining issues. He gets a half a bale of hay a day and a half to a whole scoop of grain. All of my other horses are healthy and are in great shape but he seems the be the only one thats having problems. Please help me.
Posted 2010-05-09 5:25 PM (#119941 - in reply to #119936) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 824 Location: Kansas
You have several options...you can start adding oil to his feed, gradually working up to about a cup per feeding. Did you mention how many times a day they get fed? Mine get fed morning and night; a friend with a similar problem fed 3-4 times a day while she was getting weight back on her horse. I have also used beet pulp with good success; my mare thought it was candy. Same friend used a Platinum Performance feed supplement. This is not an ad, I have no experience with that product but would be happy to ask her the name if you are interested. Might also check into ulcers as a possibility and use ulcerguard or similar product. Sounds like you just have a hard keeper.
Posted 2010-05-12 9:41 AM (#120045 - in reply to #119936) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 447 Location: cedar rapids iowa
How old? Breed? Size? Quality of hay is also important. This all matters.
Alot of horses that are wormed regulary still have worms and need a more strict schedule. You are not giving him much grain for an under weight horse. Why a half to a full scoop? sounds inconmsistant my healthy horses get a full scoop and they are small horses with light work.
Posted 2010-05-14 10:05 AM (#120139 - in reply to #119941) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326 Location: Gallatin, TN
Originally written by terri s on 2010-05-09 5:25 PM
You have several options...you can start adding oil to his feed, ....
If you chose to add oil stay away from corn oil. The amount of starch and carbohydrates in the oil may be good for adding weight but they can be bad for the hooves. I had a young horse who was hard to put weight on that responded well to Purina Equine Senior feed.
Posted 2010-05-15 12:23 AM (#120181 - in reply to #119936) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
I feed my two horses that are off the track ( hard keepers )
Rice bran pellets daily, Equine senior (the dry -without molasses). I feed Rye hay. Has kept weight on them really nicely. Even in the winter.
Posted 2010-05-16 8:14 AM (#120218 - in reply to #119936) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
Regular
Posts: 99 Location: New Mexico
I'd try a product called DAC oil. I have seen in my horses and others amazing results. I gave some to a friend to put weight on a horse that she was selling for someone else, the owner died. The horse was about 150lbs underweight, she had a buyer but they were concerned about the weight. My friend kept the horse another month and the buyer came back and the horse put about half that weight back on. The sale went through. DAC oil is a mixture of Flax seed oil, rice oil, wheat germ oil, soybean oil, and corn oil. I also use it on our show steers to get that finish on them, it also gives their hair an extra shine, and its thicker. You just feed an ounce twice day as a top dressing.
Posted 2010-05-25 11:32 AM (#120537 - in reply to #119936) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
Assuming there isn't a underlying medical problem oils are great way to increase calorie intake. You can only feed a horse so much grain( and not all grains are the same) before there are problem( colic,founder to name a few) but by adding oils to their diet you can get more fat and calories into them safely. I produce and sell soybean oil and have many customers that love the shiny coats,improved hoof condition plus it puts on weight ( depending on how much you add) Make sure your hay isn't stemmy ( its harder for them to digest and use) Soybean oil is my first choice ( its has been preferred in many studies) but there are other options as you can buy other oils that are generally a combination of coconut,corn and/or soybean oils.Then you have to consider that some horses just aren't going to fat. Depending on the breed, some are leaner and some just tend to be plump even if they are starved. I have three arabians and all three have different body types. Unless this horse is clearly underweight and not just leaner, it does take time to add weight. Increase the caloric intake with oils but give it a a month or so and adjust accordingly.
Posted 2010-06-08 12:01 AM (#120981 - in reply to #119936) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 681 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
At NM rider's suggestion, I put my new TWH mare on DAC oil last year right after I acquired her.. I'd say she was at least 300+ lbs underweight.. With the oil additive, good regular feeding, and good quality hay, she bounced back and had most of her weight back on by last summer. Her poor, dry, shelley hooves started to grow out and her red bay coat gleamed iridescent in the sun.. She is no longer on it, but still looks good now.
Posted 2010-06-09 10:27 AM (#121015 - in reply to #119936) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 342 Location: Ohio
I gave my 25yr old saddlebred hard keeper a product called "Ration Plus." It's in a bottle and you give 2cc's or roughly a tablespoon a day. It contains an acidopholous bacteria to aid in digestion. I have him a 1lb:1lb mix of senior pelleted and 11% sweet feed wet and soaked in warm water in the morning. Combined with 1 small scoop of wet and soaked beet pulp, 11 % sweet feed and senior feed mixture (3/4 big scoop of 1lb senior feed:3 lbs sweet feed mixture)in the evening, it really put weight on him fast. I did up his hay to about 6-8 flakes a day depending on the size of he flake (3-4 in the morning and night). Until I got round bales and it was free eatin for all the horses on those.
This was in the winter, so something as aggressive may not be necessary and a simple weight gainer powder may work for you.
Posted 2010-06-29 6:11 PM (#121723 - in reply to #119936) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
New User
Posts: 3
Location: MI
Thank you So Much! The problem was that he is still a hard keeper butwhen i was at my moms house the horse wasnt getting enough food really. so i put out a roundbale and have been feeding him that lately and he has gained alot!!! I So Happy!!! That little boy is gonna be ridden alot more now! ahahahahah he wont know whats coming!..
Posted 2010-06-30 1:47 PM (#121757 - in reply to #119936) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
make sure increase his calories accordingly to your riding. if he was under weight and has a hard time gaining,then heavy riding will make it tough. I do recommend a oil supplement with some grain ( or pelleted feed) Its safer to feed than just more grain/feed.
Posted 2010-08-20 11:37 AM (#123849 - in reply to #119936) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
Member
Posts: 5
Two Words. BEET PULP. Give your horse 1 scoop Beet Pulp with 2 scoops sweet feed. Be sure and moisten the beet pulp by adding a little water. Now, if your horse isn't used to eating that much, start with less pulp and less feed. Say like 1/2 scoop bp and 1 scoop sweet feed. I've put about 50 lbs on my mare in a very short amount of time with this combination. Calf Manna is also good, but expensive. I've had better results with Beet Pulp.
Posted 2010-10-16 2:29 PM (#125842 - in reply to #119936) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
Member
Posts: 30
Hi Little Miss,
I had a old thoroughbred who needed WeightBuilder (by Farnham I think) plus Purina Senior. Worked very very well. The WeightBuilder contains flax and pure calories without the bad carbohydrates. It made him well rounded and made his coat glisten too. Best of luck! JR's Pal
Posted 2010-11-08 1:39 AM (#126779 - in reply to #126151) Subject: RE: Underweight Horse. Any advice?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
I know this may sound stupid but....Is your horse turned out with other horses? Some horses just can't keep weight on if they are turned out with others. If a horse is low on the totem pole, he isn't going to gain the weight.Even just one other horse could be the problem. I had to separate my two because of this. I leave hay out for the "skinny' one all day and she looks great now.
Underweight Horse. Any advice?
This is what I use on my mules and it works great. 
