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I need help with some horse questions, can you help me.

I need advice on good horse feeds! My OTTB is Underweight!?

  • Reposting, since i only got one valid answer.. the rest were probably responses from kids!) So i asked a question the other day about what to feed my horse that needs to gain weight and i got great responses that varied from feeding beat pulp, to adding oil, to feeding rice bran. ive been doing my research and I am a little hesitant to feed rice bran as it can mess up the calcium/phosphorous ratio your horse needs. Im leaning towards the beet pulp, but i have another question. She is 14 y.o OTTB 16.1hh My vet likes her weight, but my trainer says she is on the thin side and needs to gain about 100lbs. I agree more with her, since my horse started the conditioning program after the vet visited and vets usually like the Thoroughbreds a little more lean. My horse was in a regular conditioning program. She has been off for like 2-3 weeks since she got a hoof abscess. (yay for TB's. ;P jk lol ) anyway she will be back on her program soon. So my trainer reccomended to increase her hay. That hasnt really given me any results and its not efficient for me to let her have free choice hay. Im going to try to let her go graze in the other pasture as often as i can as well, weather permitting. In the meantime she needs a little extra help. I would like to put her on a grain that wont make her hot. So i was thinking Equine Senior or Triple Crown Senior (if its avaliable in my area). Will this alone increase her wieght at all?.. significantly? or is it just supplementing for hay since its a complete feed. Is it just adding vitamans? If this alone will get her back up into tip top shape then awesome! If it probably wont, should i start adding beet pulp right away? (i do know feeds need to be increased gradually and that beet pulp needs to be soaked) PS. She is dewormed regularly and she just had her teeth done about 2 mo ago. If this makes a difference, she was and is being started over fences. She will be in moderate-hard work once i gradually get her back into her program. That consists usually of 1-2 heavy rides, (intense flat work, or over fences) and 3 light rides or lunges per week. Thanks in advance!! The more detailed response the better! I really need some advice, so any questions you have ask away!!

  • Answer:

    I can honestly say that I have two OTTB's that I feed rice bran to with very good results. However, I also add 30g of Dolomite (calcium) to their daily feeds. However if you are hesitant, try adding a soy product. Here in Australia it's called Equisoy and is a supplement that is added to daily feeds. With mine I feed them a good basic diet as you will want to stay away from sweet or heating feeds. The diet for mine is as follows: 1 scoop Calm Performer 2 scoops lucerne (alfalfa) / oaten chaff 3/4 scoop rice pollard. 30g dolomite Also a good quality hay like clover/rye will do wonders. For my hard keeper mare, I add the Equisoy or you can also get a product called Equijewel... a little of this goes a long way and can really boost their weight. I fed Speedi Beet to my old mare before she passed as this was also very gentle on her system and aided with digestion (good for the oldies). ADD - For the wonderful TB feet try some founderguard, it's pricey but it works. Also to save yourself a fortune, slap on some Stockholm tar. It works wonders and will treat thrush, seedy toe and cracks to name just a few things. It's a lot cheaper than other items on the market that swear they work so you shell out a fortune for very little result.

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I can honestly say that I have two OTTB's that I feed rice bran to with very good results. However, I also add 30g of Dolomite (calcium) to their daily feeds. However if you are hesitant, try adding a soy product. Here in Australia it's called Equisoy and is a supplement that is added to daily feeds. With mine I feed them a good basic diet as you will want to stay away from sweet or heating feeds. The diet for mine is as follows: 1 scoop Calm Performer 2 scoops lucerne (alfalfa) / oaten chaff 3/4 scoop rice pollard. 30g dolomite Also a good quality hay like clover/rye will do wonders. For my hard keeper mare, I add the Equisoy or you can also get a product called Equijewel... a little of this goes a long way and can really boost their weight. I fed Speedi Beet to my old mare before she passed as this was also very gentle on her system and aided with digestion (good for the oldies). ADD - For the wonderful TB feet try some founderguard, it's pricey but it works. Also to save yourself a fortune, slap on some Stockholm tar. It works wonders and will treat thrush, seedy toe and cracks to name just a few things. It's a lot cheaper than other items on the market that swear they work so you shell out a fortune for very little result.

OTTB

Good idea! In my opinion natural grazing is the best way for her to put on some weight, so let her graze on grass as much as possible, and do you feed her Alfalfa? Its a really great way for them to put on a bit of weight, and you can gradually increase or decrease the amounts easily... Also, of course any supplements are really great, but even giving her some senior grain mix or senior oat mix with her hay can help really well! The oats can also provide her with more energy if she seems a but slugish, which can help her be more alert toward you and help with her training.. Good luck! :)

Mady

Canola Oil is a fatty and safe substance. I work at a boarding facility and every horse gets a squirt or two of Canola oil in the winter times when they drop weight. It's also very easy to find in your local grocery stores. It's very safe and nutritious. You can add as much as you think your horse needs in his grain. Brown Equine Senior contains molasses which will help bring up that weight also. But Canola oil is cheaper to just add into his current grains. It also promotes a healthy, shiny coat ^.^

Haley Rose

Good idea! In my opinion natural grazing is the best way for her to put on some weight, so let her graze on grass as much as possible, and do you feed her Alfalfa? Its a really great way for them to put on a bit of weight, and you can gradually increase or decrease the amounts easily... Also, of course any supplements are really great, but even giving her some senior grain mix or senior oat mix with her hay can help really well! The oats can also provide her with more energy if she seems a but slugish, which can help her be more alert toward you and help with her training.. Good luck! :)

Mady

Canola Oil is a fatty and safe substance. I work at a boarding facility and every horse gets a squirt or two of Canola oil in the winter times when they drop weight. It's also very easy to find in your local grocery stores. It's very safe and nutritious. You can add as much as you think your horse needs in his grain. Brown Equine Senior contains molasses which will help bring up that weight also. But Canola oil is cheaper to just add into his current grains. It also promotes a healthy, shiny coat ^.^

Haley Rose

Just add a scoop of peanuts to one meal each day. She'll get heavier and your pocketbook will get lighter.

Nelson

free-choice hay is always better for the horse. they were made to be eating all the time (forge all the time. grass, or hay) I have had a good experience with Tribute Kalm Ultra. http://www.tributehorsefeeds.com/full-tribute-product-line.html http://www.tributehorsefeeds.com/images/stories/ProductRefSheets/t91212%20for%20web.pdf It worked wonders on my TB mare. I would also recommend adding some corn oil to her grain. I haven't used rice bran, my mare wouldn't touch it (then again..she is the most pickiest eater I've ever met.) Timothy/alfalfa mix hay has worked for me. I don't really like giving horse pure alfalfa, but that's just a personally preference. good luck getting weight on your horse! aren't TBs fun? haha jk

Hunt for Rhythm

I also have a TB who has similar problems. He's the same height too. I have been giving him soaked alf alfa in addition to his normal grain and supplements. It has been working pretty well.

Tessa

If you can, find a place in your area where you can board her for a few weeks that has very long grass; we had our horses on pasture for a few months and they gained at least 50 lbs each

Sydney

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