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Author
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Topic: SKINNY HORSEY!!!!!!
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ehorse
Junior Member
Member # 1772
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posted March 04, 2004 03:38 PM
Hey everybody!
My percheron thoroughbred gelding, Mistral used to be pretty fat. Now around his withers and down abit, he has lumpy skin and you can feel his ribs. I've tried upgrading the quality and amount of his hay up to five flakes! I've also added his grain up to about 3/4 a pound. I give him pellets and i was wondering if I should give him sweet feed? I also now give him 2 carrots and some apples. What else could I do to fatten him up?? ![[Horse On 2]](graemlins/horseon2.gif) ![[Help!]](graemlins/help.gif)
I'll try to get some pics if sum1 tells me how to post pics up here!! lol
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All types of Riding...
One thing in common...
A love for horses!!!!!!
I just sold my pony Rumor Has It. Have a good time in Maryland RUDY!!!!
www.geocities.com/ehorse/rudy.html
MOre pictures:
www.community.webshots/user/ehorse
Posts: 29 | From: Pennsylvania | Registered: Feb 2004
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Lou3
Member
Member # 926
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posted March 04, 2004 03:41 PM
i would get him checked by a vet, also check your worming plan, a worm load is a common cause of weight loss.
Lou
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gypsey gold doesnt gleam or clink, but stomps its feet and nickers in the night.
Posts: 1551 | From: UK | Registered: Oct 2003
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Blistering Winds
Member
Member # 843
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posted March 04, 2004 03:43 PM
Well, you give your horse MUCH less grain than I give mine, and mine is much smaller than your's.
You SHOULD be able to feel the ribs on a horse. You should NOT however, be able to SEE the ribs.
How hard does your horse work?
5 flakes of hay a DAY? Or a feeding? Doesn't seem like a lot for a draft horse. Sounds like not enough.
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Horses should not be treated as people. They should be respected for who they are and what they are capable of doing!
Born Free Now Expensive
Posts: 4337 | From: Texas | Registered: Oct 2003
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Dawn
Member
Member # 14
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posted March 04, 2004 05:31 PM
Unless you have either huge bales or huge flakes, that's not much hay. My little pony eats more hay than that in a day.
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Heard in the midst of a handwriting exam ~ "And to think, we could've been bio-chem majors."
Posts: 6885 | From: Tennessee | Registered: Nov 2002
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belle4
Member
Member # 864
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posted March 04, 2004 05:34 PM
Is 3/4 pounds of grain his total intake or did you increase his grain by 3/4 pound?
Posts: 1075 | From: michigan | Registered: Oct 2003
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ehorse
Junior Member
Member # 1772
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posted March 04, 2004 05:44 PM
sorry everyboy, im not specific!
i increased his feed by 3/4 with a total of about 1 and 1/2 more or less twice a day. And he get 5 pounds twice a day. his ribs arent extremely protuding but you can definetly see them. And i have checked that his teeth have been floated, but he eats everything anyway. I should have remembered the worming, maye if i have time ill post what he is gettin this time. ![[Red Horse]](graemlins/redhorse.gif)
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All types of Riding...
One thing in common...
A love for horses!!!!!!
I just sold my pony Rumor Has It. Have a good time in Maryland RUDY!!!!
www.geocities.com/ehorse/rudy.html
MOre pictures:
www.community.webshots/user/ehorse
Posts: 29 | From: Pennsylvania | Registered: Feb 2004
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carriecrowe
Member
Member # 1310
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posted March 04, 2004 05:56 PM
i know people that put veggie oil in their horses food as a fattener. Have you tried that? I agree 5 flakes of hay is WAY to little for a draftie.
Posts: 137 | From: batesville ar | Registered: Jan 2004
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Blistering Winds
Member
Member # 843
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posted March 04, 2004 06:46 PM
How much exercise does he get? Does he get worked hard at all?
If so, you might increase his grain AND hay. More hay than grain.
I feed my Appendix 6-7lbs of grain a day and he is ridden in a good 1 hour work-out every other day, to every day, depending on my schedule.
He gets anywhere from 2-3 flakes each feeding, increased on really cold nights.
As a draft, he should get more hay than mine definitly, and if you work him hard, definitly more hay and maybe more grain.
Hay should be 1% minimum of body weight. So if he's 1200-1500 lbs, he should get at least 12-15 lbs of hay a day. That is just to keep good gut motility. Usually can keep basic weight up if not working, but it depends on the horse as well.
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Horses should not be treated as people. They should be respected for who they are and what they are capable of doing!
Born Free Now Expensive
Posts: 4337 | From: Texas | Registered: Oct 2003
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Twitch
Member
Member # 1616
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posted March 04, 2004 07:45 PM
Try alfalfa pellets. And yes you should take him to a vet.
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Animals in Memory
Georgie Porgie- You always made me feel better when I was sad.
Fritz- I might not have paid so much attention to you after we got George but I love you and George got jealous.
Kodi Bear- My fluffy little keshound, I love you with all my heart.
Posts: 313 | From: Missouri | Registered: Feb 2004
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morgan21
Member
Member # 1742
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posted March 05, 2004 06:27 AM
Isn't a flake suppose to be like 5 lbs? That means he only gets like 2 flakes a day? My Yearling gets 20-25 lbs a day and that is equal to about 4-6 flakes. The horses at our barn, and we have a few drafts get a lot more than 5 lbs twice a day. One of our throughbred draft crosses get 35-40 lbs a day which is 7-8 flakes depending on how much each flake weighs.
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Here is my horsey...
http://community.webshots.com/user/morgan21110
Posts: 226 | From: michigan | Registered: Feb 2004
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Miss.Thunder
Member
Member # 1503
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posted March 05, 2004 06:47 AM
If you can feel your horse's ribs, chances are it's at a good weight. It's when you can't feel their ribs that they are too heavy.
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Proud Owner Of The 1960's Satelite Dish.
Posts: 227 | From: Canada | Registered: Jan 2004
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Miss.Thunder
Member
Member # 1503
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posted March 05, 2004 06:51 AM
Oops, didn't see the part that you can see his ribs too. If I were you, increase the hay, but leave the grain alone. Buy a round roll of hay if you can (which is equal to like 10 bails or something) and he can have all the hay he wants until he's full (which rarely happens ![[Wink]](wink.gif) LOL). This should help him gain weight.
My horses get 1 flake of hay in the morning, 2 each when put out, 2 at lunch, and 3 at night. SO that's... 8 flakes a day.. if a flake is 5lbs (which I've never heard of, but OK) that means they get 40lbs of hay a day each. Wow, my horses are pigs! ![[Eek!]](eek.gif) LOL
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Proud Owner Of The 1960's Satelite Dish.
Posts: 227 | From: Canada | Registered: Jan 2004
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ehorse
Junior Member
Member # 1772
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posted March 05, 2004 12:10 PM
Once again, I'm stupid!
Sry i meant five flakes of hay twice a day, and he is only ridden about 2 to 3 times a week. He is a trail horse but still gets plenty of exercise out in the pasture. And will sweet feed do alot? Or any supplements to fatten him? Sorry everybody about my stupidity once again! Just remind me if i should explain anything else! ![[Pony]](graemlins/pony.gif)
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All types of Riding...
One thing in common...
A love for horses!!!!!!
I just sold my pony Rumor Has It. Have a good time in Maryland RUDY!!!!
www.geocities.com/ehorse/rudy.html
MOre pictures:
www.community.webshots/user/ehorse
Posts: 29 | From: Pennsylvania | Registered: Feb 2004
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Blistering Winds
Member
Member # 843
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posted March 05, 2004 04:41 PM
Sweet feed will add more carbs and some fat into his diet. If he's using them then great, but if he's not, then it can possibly cause problems.
Hay is the better and safer of the two to put weight on a horse. If you are exercising him hard enough, then up the feed a bit.
As for the weight per flake, it depends on the baler, the type of hay, etc. My alfalfa weighs probably 5lbs per flake, but my coastal is closer to 2-3 lbs per flake last time I weighed them.
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Horses should not be treated as people. They should be respected for who they are and what they are capable of doing!
Born Free Now Expensive
Posts: 4337 | From: Texas | Registered: Oct 2003
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Julia Isabella
Member
Member # 1668
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posted March 05, 2004 09:39 PM
hi,
yes we usually use a veggie or sunflower oil in our feeds. because it's fat that they can actually use, not just fat that doesn't and stays there.
it works well.
makes the coat shinney too, all their tail and manes aswell.
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I would rather see a man suffer than a horse...
Posts: 61 | From: Australia | Registered: Feb 2004
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Nikki_star59
Junior Member
Member # 1434
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posted March 07, 2004 04:22 PM
Hi Julia!
How much veggie oil do u use per feed, per horse?
Posts: 21 | From: Australia | Registered: Jan 2004
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ejforrest
Member
Member # 1414
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posted March 27, 2004 09:52 AM
1.5% to 3% of there body wieght a horse should eat each day.
Half of there diet should be forage, such as hay or grass.
Up to 8% to 10% fat(corn/veg oil or soy oil) in a horse diet is well tolerated. Underweight horses can be fed up to 2 cups daily.
Beet pulp is another good weight builder, it is fiber which is the most important ingedient of the horses diet. (grass and hay is fiber)
Fiber should make up to 50% of the horses diet.
Increaing grain can cause digestive upset such as colic, founder, tying up, and diarrhea.
Most vets recommend a deworming program of every two months with ivermectin as the main drug base.
Have the teeth check, teeth problems can cause weight loss.
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ej
Posts: 278 | From: michigan | Registered: Jan 2004
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spyro1
Member
Member # 647
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posted March 27, 2004 11:42 AM
ej, I disagree with half of their diet should be forage. I think way more than half of the diet should be hay, forage. I, also think that this hrose is getting a good amount of hay, with a normal bale (at least down here) approx 12-14 flakes per bale, then this boy is going through approx one bale per day. You may want to switch grains to a complete feed like Equine Senior, puts weight on nicely, has added vitamins and minerals, and extra fibre. What type of hay do you feed him??
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Only those who risk going too far, will ever know how far they can go.
Posts: 2755 | From: Sunny South Florida | Registered: Aug 2003
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Scooter
Junior Member
Member # 2024
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posted March 27, 2004 03:06 PM
I agree with Spyro, but also you can feed all that hay ,if it does'nt have any nutrition in it, Its just a filler hay(going in 1 end and coming out the other)
Posts: 19 | From: Colorado | Registered: Mar 2004
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horseyluvr
Junior Member
Member # 2044
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posted March 27, 2004 06:26 PM
Veggie oil, Strategy & more hay!
Posts: 29 | From: mississippi | Registered: Mar 2004
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FrostedPaintsNApps
Member
Member # 2048
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posted March 27, 2004 07:55 PM
I have Chyenne, yearling paint who is a very very hard keeper because of past injuries. I give her 1 pound of sweet mix(purina), With a couple hand fulls of Weight Gainer(farnam), 3 or 4 hand fulls of Equipride multi supplements, and at least 4 ounces of corn oil. I just started this at the beginning of the week and I can already tell a significant difference with her weight, energy, and coat. With all these ingredients mixed together. Its not too rich for her but its helps her alot.
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Frosted Paints & Appaloosas
Fox Ridge Ranch
Horse Pictures
Posts: 146 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Mar 2004
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Idrivetrotters
Member
Member # 1490
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posted March 29, 2004 04:26 AM
Remember Drafts have a slow metabolism and the thoroughbred with a high metabolism depending upon the body structrue a mix should have a medium metabolism.
Now I race, and I have standards with are technically a "warmblooded" horse. My racing stock are all in excellent weight and I have a problem of GAINING weight during the racing season! I use FARR Better feeds Legacy. It is 13% protein with probiotics, beet pulp, and fat premixed. I only mix in electrolites with my feed. Now hay, I feed very good quality hay, usually alf/tim with alf cubes in their feed.
If you can't find a commercial scale, you can use the weight tape to find a good estimate on how much your horse weighs. I'm very cautious about over feeding hay, not only is it wasteful if they don't eat it and you have to throw it away in the morning but you can colic a horse with hay if they are not cooled out properly.
My horses get breakfast at 5am but no hay, then they get jogged or trained. They get a flake of hay only after they are bathed and walked until dry (they do pick on the grass while walking) then they get a flake. After lunch they get another flake, dinner is at 5 another flake and 9 pm water check and flake. My horses grain ratio is varied upon each horse and their work load.
You also have to remember that grains varies depending upon the quality and heaviness of the oats used. I use sweet feed and have excellent results. I have a hard time with pellets and racing horses eating enough.
Plus what is this horses workload? Remember "heavy" exercise is considered racetraining, eventing, endurance. Most jumpers, dressage horses, and western pleasure horses are considered "light" work. Usually people overfeed their horses not underfeed. Try the worming, and if a quality feed and quality hay is not improving than get blood drawn on the horse and find out a profile to see what is wrong.
Posts: 479 | From: Florida | Registered: Jan 2004
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AshsStorm
Junior Member
Member # 1406
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posted May 09, 2004 12:39 PM
I would check to see if he cribs/windsucks.. I knew a horse that was emaciated and it was partially because he was a cribber.. you might be able to tell if he is by checking his teeth for waring...
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I Love Stormy!!!
Posts: 12 | From: North Carolina | Registered: Jan 2004
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Cathie
Member
Member # 353
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posted May 09, 2004 07:26 PM
I 2nd the beet pulp. I give it to mine and they all gained the weight they needed. They still get it and less grain.
Posts: 43 | From: Lynn Haven Fla | Registered: Jun 2003
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Toby&Arie
Member
Member # 969
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posted May 09, 2004 08:14 PM
I agree with giving him beet pulp as well. All of ours get beet pulp in addition to grain and as much as eight flakes of hay a day provided they will eat it all. A lot of the horses our barn buys come in very skinny. After six weeks you can notice a remarkable difference; they plump up a lot, their coats are in much better condition and they are much healthier and happier then they first were. Beet pulp works wonders with putting weight on them.
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"You know you are going really fast when you are galloping the same way as the wind is blowing, yet there is wind in your ears."
Posts: 381 | From: NYC | Registered: Nov 2003
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