[Appylvr]

Here's my mare's teeth And she lived a few years after these pics...

[AtomicTop]

Your horse sounds exactly like one of mine. 25 years old and ineffective teeth. My little guy has trouble with weight. My vet told me to take him off the hay, as it can't be ground down efficiently and therefore has no nutritional value. My pony has been put on Copra (coconut meal) and a pellett feed, This gets soaked and becomes a bit of a broth . It can get digested despite the lack of effective chewing. My pony has definitely put on weight despite it being winter here. Don't give up!

[lilrider]

Originally Posted by banat

It's great news if your horse is able to eat some grass

Oh yes she is having no problem eating grass, which the vet said would probably be the case. Her front teeth are fine its her molars. Because the grass is shorter it needs less chewing so she has been quickly picking up weight as the grass gets more lush. We have a front and back pasture as well which will help because I can switch them back and forth... after I fix fence that is. Stupid deer ran right through the fence.

Originally Posted by AtomicTop

Your horse sounds exactly like one of mine. 25 years old and ineffective teeth. My little guy has trouble with weight. My vet told me to take him off the hay, as it can't be ground down efficiently and therefore has no nutritional value. My pony has been put on Copra (coconut meal) and a pellett feed, This gets soaked and becomes a bit of a broth . It can get digested despite the lack of effective chewing. My pony has definitely put on weight despite it being winter here. Don't give up!

Oh I won't give up yet. I'm the one who spent $3000 on a 26 year old horse when he was sick and the Purdue vets (he spent a week in isolation stall at Purdue University) thought I was crazy. I won't give up on her until its really over. That being said if it gets to where she is seriously not able to keep weight on and is just not enjoying a good quality of life, I will put her down

The vet suggested blanketing in the winter to which I said um... she is teh last horse I would suggest blanketing in the winter. She is NEVER cold in the winter she grows a massively long thick winter coat lol.

[AtomicTop]

The vet suggested blanketing in the winter to which I said um... she is teh last horse I would suggest blanketing in the winter. She is NEVER cold in the winter she grows a massively long thick winter coat lol. _

You'll know best if your horse needs rugging or not. I have one pony as hairy as a grizzly and she doesn't need rugging. But my toothless_pony gets rugged, as being cold and shivering will eat up lots of valuable energy. I'd rather err on the safe side and always rug him during the night time. Good luck with your guy!________________

[gluey33]

you may want to reconsider the blanket. Although she may not actually be cold she will still be using energyto keep warm. If shes fat and sassy its not a problem but if your struggling to keep the weight up then it will help.

[AtomicTop]

Originally Posted by gluey33

you may want to reconsider the blanket. Although she may not actually be cold she will still be using energyto keep warm. If shes fat and sassy its not a problem but if your struggling to keep the weight up then it will help.

Yes, I agree

[kyryah]

Originally Posted by gluey33

you may want to reconsider the blanket. Although she may not actually be cold she will still be using energy to keep warm. If shes fat and sassy its not a problem but if your struggling to keep the weight up then it will help.

I agree too. By rugging, you help conserve her energy and fat reserves. It really has nothing to do with her actual hair coat, but more with a lessening of her expediture of energy into keeping warm.

Most people, even with younger, healthy horses, will notice a lessening of feed intake with a blanket on in the winter

What type of oil are you considering? (If I missed that statement, I apologize.) Beet pulp and a little cocoasoya works wonders, and is way better than corn oil. I am not truly knocking corn oil, as I have used it, but if you can get the cocoasoya, please do.

Kristina

[StormChaser]

My 2 cents for what their worth.

My 20 something gelding is on a Ration Balancer with beet pulp and alfalfa pellets and BOSS because he was having similar issues. He used to be on senior feed, but the down fall is having to feed SO much of it... it gets real expensive real fast plus it has extra sugars and such that they don't need. Well, mine didn't need. He's more of a pasture puff than anything. Also, my gelding wouldn't want to eat all of it so I was never sure if he was getting all his vitamins and minerals. With the RB I know he's getting all of it. He looks like a really shiny healthy teenager now so I'm happy.

[PeggySue]

Lilrider the Kent Feeds are fixed formula and locked analysis the pride can be soaked to a mush adn the horse's LOVE it they also have a ration balancer that I am REALLY liking prob better then all the others I have tried!!

PLUS it is cheaper then Purina the only draw back tothe Dyansty line is that they all contain corn but if you are using Purina Senior that is not a worry because you are not as worried about the NSC

[oldhorsehome]

Here's what I do for my old guys:

Acco senior, according to the directions, 2x daily
Rice Bran, 1C morning, 2C evening
BOSS, 1C morning, 2C evening
Alfalfa cubes, soaked, 2x daily
Various supplements

Cover the alfalfa cubes with water and dump over the other stuff. Takes about an hour for my 28 yr. old. He eats the cubes last because they are nice and soft by then

They both act like they are grazing all day, but the balls of grass tell me otherwise.