[I_Luv_Ponies]

My mare is at leas 100 pounds under wieght and it's starting to worry me.
SHe has metobolic syndrom so I can't just heap on grain, I already give her 3/4 scoop. Is there any ways I can get her to gain wieght without foundering her?

[hil529]

heres a list of smart paks weight builders ..
Weight - SmartPakEquine

also check with your local feed/tack stores .. they may have some suggestions .. and i would suggest that you contact a vet. with your horses condition it might be best to get some vet advise as well


hope i helped and good luck <33

[skysthelimit]

you only give her a 3/4 scoop of grain a day? Is it like a sweet feed? In all honesty, a lot of people will tell you she probably doesn't need sweet feed at all> Have you thought of switching her to a beet pulp based diet? What exactly is she eating?

[JBandRio]

Originally Posted by I_Luv_Ponies

SHe has metobolic syndrom

Do you mean she is insulin resistant?

There are lots of ways to add calories without adding sugars. It would help to know what you are feeding her now.

[jumpthemoon]

Can you get Alfalfa Pellets where you are at? That would be an easy way to get weight on.

[Sue B]

If she is metabolic, you should not use a standard weight builder product as they generally contain fat from corn or other veggie oils. I work with lots of metabolic horses and these are the things that we use to get weight on:

No grain based feeds as they tend to upset the digestive track and prevent weight gain by keeping the horse in chronic digestive upset.

Safe things that add calories:
Rice bran
Forage cubes or pellets
Beet pulp (non-molasses or soaked and rinsed
Free choice hay
Flax seed
Black oil sunflower seeds
Yea-Sacc (a prebiotic that keeps the gut normalized and helps with digestion

The objective should be to keep the diet as focused on forages as possible and eliminate any grains. If you feed you need a feed, there are a few out there that are beet pulp based or forage pellet based with no grains. These have low NSC and are generally helpful in weight gain without risking founder in the metabolic horse.

The other issue that I see a lot of is not so much that these horses are underweight, but that they lack muscle. This is often a result of a lack of proteins and amino acids in the diet. Flax, BOSS and Rice bran help with this issue. In some cases, such as Cushings, it becomes impossible to keep weight/muscle on because of the high corisole levels that breakdown protein structures.

[ejforrest]

Suggestions on diet for horse with metabolic syndrome:
*"Hays fed to insulin resistant horses should contain no more than 10% sugar and starch combined. The only way to know for sure what hay contains is through laboratory analysis.
*It is not necessarily a good thing to restrict the intake of hay. When good hay is being fed, it should be at a rate of about 15-20 pounds per day for a 1,000 pound horse.
*Grains and fruit treats of any kind should not be fed. That includes everything from oats to apples,
*While horses suffering from metabolic syndrome usually do well on a hay only diet, beet pulp is an excellent addition to the diet because it actually is more digestible than hay and has a caloric value that is roughly equivalant to plain oats.
*The proper intake of minerals is highly important. The intake of each individual mineral should be set at a minimum of 150% of current National Research Council(NRC)minimums. The extra intake of minerals is needed to help combat the problem rather than just maintain a proper balance.
*Long term diets that are high in fat can worsen insulin resistance in some breeds and ponies.
*Adequate-but not excessive protein is advisable. Grass hays containing 7.5% protein consumed at the rate of 2% of body weight per day will meet crude protein requirements.
*Free choice access to grass should be avoided to cut down on the possiblity of ingesting too much sugar."

[I_Luv_Ponies]

I'll try to get some BOSS later today.