1. “It is difficult to keep his weight on…”,
2. “He seems to lose weight in the winter but I am concerned he is getting worse.”…
3. ” We moved them less than a week ago and when we got there they had lost a significant amount of weight
4. “I have a Friesian filly who will be 2 years old in the spring and I am having a very hard time keeping weight on her.”…
5. “Our gelding has suddenly lost weight and has black and loose manure. What could be wrong? “…
6. “just bought a mare this past weekend and she is about 75 lbs under …”
7. “I would like to know a good horse feed for a 25 year old horse who is coming out of the winter really thin….”
8. ” Her very roundness has dropped and she’s not really round now and the underbelly is FLAT and she has “love handle’s” on both sides.”…
9. “Can I give my rescued horse a 2 on the Hennike scale, sand clear or wait till he gains more weight”…
10.“I have a 16 year old gelding that has been losing some weight…”
11. “Can you recommend something that will help a horse gain weight?”
12. “just bought a mare this past weekend and she is about 75 lbs under …”
1. “It is difficult to keep his weight on…”,
We have a 19 year old Thoroughbred gelding. It is difficult to keep his weight on, someone recommended we add oats to his diet. I picked up a bag of “stemmed, crimped oats”. This is a 15 HH horse and only weighs around 950 lbs. How much oats should we feed “Amigo”, and do we add it to the sweet feed we are giving? Thanks
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
Regarding your thin horse that needs to gain weight, oats are a high energy feed that may help put weight on him . If you are already feeding a good quality sweet feed, these usually have oats within the mix. If you are feeding 3 lbs of sweet feed a day, I would add 1 lb. of oats to that the first week, 2 lbs the second week, and then 3 pounds the third week and from then on. This would give him 6 lbs of grain a day. I assume you are feeding hay to him as well.
Another alternative to putting weight on him would be to add corn oil to his sweet feed. One cup of corn oil (8 oz.) added to 3 lbs of sweet feed would be a little safer than increasing his oats and would also add a shine to his coat. If you are feeding 3 lbs of sweet feed twice a day, a full cup of corn oil at each feeding would be worthwhile. Remember, do not increase his grain (oats or sweet feed) feeding too rapidly. A slow, gradual increase will help prevent founder, and colic problems.
Another alternative is to use a rice bran supplement that you can get at the feed store. This is a high fat, high energy feed that is well tolerated by the horse and will often help them gain weight safely. Good Luck.
2. “He seems to lose weight in the winter but I am concerned he is getting worse.”…
My daughter has a 15 yr old Thoroughbred Quarter Horse we are taking care of. He seems to lose weight in the winter but I am concerned he is getting worse. What steps (since we are new to this) should we take in order to get him back in shape? Should he be ridden right now or wait?
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
You should consult with your veterinarian on the appropriate diet for the horse first and foremost. Also included in this should be a deworming program to ensure good intestinal health and minimal parasite load. Any time you have weight loss you should be concerned. Blanketing him in a cold climate will help him conserve energy and direct it to other necessary functions. You should not be riding him until you are sure he is healthy by addressing the above issues. Good luck.
3. ” We moved them less than a week ago and when we got there they had lost a significant amount of weight. Our 4 year old mare has rain rot and a severe cold.”…
We bought two horses a little over a month ago. We boarded them with the same fellow we purchased them from. I had them vet checked a week after we bought them and he sounded them. We moved them less than a week ago and when we got there they had lost a significant amount of weight. Our 4 year old mare has rain rot and a severe cold. She is eating well but is coughing sneezing and has a horrible runny green thick nose, she also has cold in her eyes as well. We have stalled her for the last 4 days and are feeding them twice a day. I try to exercise her as much as possible. But she doesn’t seem to be getting better. Our vet came out this last Monday and checked her. Took some blood samples and cultures of her nose. The blood came back good but the cultures will not be back until Friday. Any advice on what else we can do to get our newest family member back on her feet? She is eating and drinking well.
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
The new environment may have exposed the horses to a new form of cold virus that they are not used to. If the Vet is awaiting the culture results he/she will be able to prescribe the treatment necessary to best recover form the upper respiratory infection. It sounds as if your mare that is sick may not have a very strong immune system. A good vitamin, mineral supplement might be helpful in getting her over the problems that she has a little quicker. I would suggest that you clear it with your Veterinarian. Other than that, I would follow your Veterinarians suggestions on the course of treatment. Good luck
4. “I have a Friesian filly who will be 2 years old in the spring and I am having a very hard time keeping weight on her.”…
She had a stressful autumn and I attributed the weight loss to that but she is still hollow around her hip and wither. I am feeding her with my other 3 horses who are fat and sassy.
I bought her in July from BC and we picked her up the day before we moved to Saskatchewan. She had only been in a trailer once and the whole trip ended up being approx 16 hours. We did break it up over 2 days. Then we moved her and one of my other horses with us to a less than satisfactory facility. We did the best we could there but they were not happy. They were there for about 4 months (there was nothing else available in the area) until we bought a place of our own. In the meantime I was noticing some minor weight loss but it was getting to be the end of summer and the pasture was not as good as it looked so we bought small square bales of 30% alfalfa with Timothy and Brome mixed. We had to take her back to BC in Oct and that was a 32 hr round trip but we broke it up over 4 days. By the time we got home I was very concerned and consulted a friend of mine who is a professional barrel racer. She recommended feeding her a supplement feed in pellet form as well as a stabilized rice bran. So that is what I did. The feed supplement is called “Safe Choice” by Nutrena and the rice bran is called Satin Finish she gets 2 cups of the pellets and 1 of the rice bran. Shortly after we got back from BC we found our new home and we got the horses out there as soon as we could. I have been feeding her 1/2 a bale a day pretty much free choice I always see her eating at the feeder. I give her the additional feed by herself in the barn but leave it open so she is free to go get hay as soon as she wants. I usually wait and make sure she eats it all and that none of the other horses bug her. I have notice some weight gain but I am stiill not completely satisfied with her condition. I am not sure how much she weighs. She is in the pasture with the other horses ages 19,12, and 2 (coming three in the spring). She is only in the barn when the weather really bad. I am doing ground work with her but nothing that is overly hard, she hasn’t broken a sweat so far. She runs in the pasture with the others when they feel good. She is very mild mannered and all of the horses seem to get along very well. On occasion I see them chasing each other away from the feed but they generally settle down fairly quickly.
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer
How lucky you are to have a Friesian, they are so beautiful. I will give you a few things to think about for her weight loss. It sounds like she was getting chased away from the feed (not anymore?). The older horses will always be the bosses (especially if any of them are mares), and always get first dibs. To be absolutely sure she’s getting what you are feeding her, you need to separate her. Just watching her isn’t enough – she sill has the anxiety that the others may come over and bully her. A stall or separate pen with 4 barrier sides is the way to go. Parasites will definitely take all her feed energy, and she should be dewormed on a regular basis. If she has not been dewormed for a long time, I recommend you only give a 1/2 dose each for the first 2 doses. Consult with a veterinarian for recommended products, according to your area of the country and season. With all the stress of moving so much, ulcers also must be considered. Stress causes ulcers in horses, and is a major cause of weight loss and poor general health. Also, it would be a good idea to have a blood test done on her, to make sure she is healthy inside. Even though she is young, she may have some underlying condition that will prevent her from being at her best.
While this list is by no means comprehensive, it is a place to start. I really feel that you should be seeking the advice of your local veterinarian, not of a layman horse-person. While those people can be very knowledgeable and may have experience to draw from, opinions and personal stories are no substitute for sound medical knowledge and professional licensure. You have too much invested in your filly to not do right by her and see her flourish. Good luck.
5. “Our gelding has suddenly lost weight and has black and loose manure. What could be wrong? “…
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
I would be concerned with these symptoms. The black manure is indicative of possibly bleeding somewhere in the anterior portion of the intestinal tract. The fact that it is loose is also not normal and cause for concern. I would suggest that you have him checked out by your Veterinarian. Good Luck.
6. “Just bought a mare this past weekend and she is about 75 lbs under …”
Hi Bill,
I just bought a mare this past weekend and she is about 75 lbs under weight, is there anything special I should be feeding her to get her to gain that weight back?
Dr Bill Schurg’s Answer:
Jennifer:
If you have a good handle on your horse’s weight you should be sure you are feeding enough total feed daily. For example if this horse weighs 1000 pounds, you should feed between 15 and 20 pounds of total feed each day. This would be both hay and grain. Depending on the quality of the hay you have available that will dictate the level of grain or supplement feeding needed. You may find that adding 10-20% more hay each day along with 2-4 pounds of a grain source may be quite adequate to see weigh gain during the next 45-60 days. The addition of a vegetable oil or flaxseed oil (1/4 to 1 cup) per day may be useful as well. There are many fat supplements which have greater calories in them which could be top dressed onto your feed as well. Many horse owners find using such high fat supplements the easiest way to add calories with the least amount of trouble.
7. “I would like to know a good horse feed for a 25 year old horse who is coming out of the winter really thin….”
He’s been losing weight but not to this extent. He is currently on Nutrena’s Senior with alfalfa/grass hay. I am feeding the Nutrena to him daily as much as he wants. Also, would like to know of a good wormer and how many days to give it to him. Am hearing lots of things.
Dr Bill Schurg’s Answer
These older horses need even more care as you notice any drop in condition and weight. You may find that using Nutrena Feeds Safe Choice along with your alfalfa and grass would be a better choice than the Sr. Feed. Also, if you haven’t had a recent veterinary check to evaluate teeth and parasites that too may be useful. You may need to add a high fat supplement such as Amplifiy (Purina) or Nu-Weight (Select the Best) to your horses diet. Using products like rice bran, beet pulp and soaked flaxseed may be another means of providing added calories with little sugar that may help. Essentially the Safe Choice product uses many of these high fat, high calorie and low sugar products. There are many ways to get greater caloric density to your horse, but start by making sure that the health care issues are understood and then modify the diet. It may take 45-90 days to see improvements in your horse provided optimum digestion of nutrients occurs. Best of luck.
8. ” Her very roundness has dropped and she’s not really round now and the underbelly is FLAT and she has “love handle’s” on both sides.”…
I’m terribly worried but my vet says if she’s eating and doesn’t seem in distress just keep watching her. But, I know this isn’t normal. She is 12 and a bit heavy but,her barrel/stomach area has changed strangely in the past week. Her very roundness has dropped and she’s not really round now and the underbelly is FLAT and she has like “love handle’s” on both sides. This is all after her vacinations a week ago this past Friday. She had reactions. She has always had reactions to the shots – causing her very limited ability to walk/bend her head & neck – all that reaction has subsided but then this ‘stomach’ situation came up. Has anyone seen something like this before – my vet hasn’t. Please, I’m crazy over this – Thanks very much! Marilyn
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Marilyn:
Some horses have an over-active immune response to vaccines. These responses can be seen as swelling at the site of injection, soreness, hives, or in your horse’s case, swelling or edema. Edema tends to follow gravity and therefore “pools” at the bottom of the belly, as you are seeing. Sometimes this is painful to the touch, but usually not harmful. This swelling should go away in a few days, and then she should get back to normal. Increased exercise should help it go away faster. If it persists for more than a week, have her examined.
9. “Can I give my rescued horse a 2 on the Hennike scale, sand clear or wait till he gains more weight”…
I have had him one week and see a lot of sand in his poop.
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Diets for severely underweight or undernourished horses should be carefully planned out with the aid of your veterinarian. He or she will design a deworming and nutritional plan for that horse, which should be followed as closely as possible. Psyllium, given to aid sand clearance, is given to horses that live in sandy/silt types of soil, as horses in that environment are constantly foraging and are apt to ingest sand. Start him off at 1 cup (or the label dose) daily. You can always increase it later. Sometimes horses become uncomfortable when passing out sand, therefore I do not recommend starting them out at higher doses.
10. “I have a 16 year old gelding that has been losing some weight…”
I have a 16 year old gelding that has been losing some weight and his bowels look kind of like hay that didn’t digest all the way. He also has water in it sometimes. He has been a very quiet horse so I have not noticed any change except in his weight. He gets around 40 lbs of hay and some senior feed. It has been winter here so no riding time. I have owned him 3 years and he is still acting like himself. He was last wormed the end of November. He looks kind of ribby but his belly looks full. Was going to take him to my vet next week but i’m really worried about him.
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
Hi Sue. From your description of the situation with your horse I would suspect that your horse may have a mild case of colitis. The colon is the area in the intestinal tract that is responsible for digestion of hay. When it is not working properly you will see loose stool and undigested stalks of hay. Any number of things could be causing the mild colitis, and a Veterinarian would probably want to do some blood work and maybe a fecal exam in order to determine a cause and possible treatment. I would suggest that you do not put off having your Vet look at your horse.
11. “Can you recommend something that will help a horse gain weight?”
Can you recommend something that is safe and will help a horse gain weight. My horse is about 150lb under weight she was this way when I bought her. Other horses ran her off from her feed. Thank you for your help.
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
Hi Cynthia. If your horse is thinner than you would like her you want to be cautious about increasing her feed very drastically to get a weight gain. Horses are very sensitive to rapid changes in their diet. A slow increase of grain in her diet will help you add that extra weight. Oats, corn, and other grains which are found in sweet feeds are high energy feeds, and they will put weight on a horse more rapidly than hay. Another possibility would be the use of rice bran. This has become a popular supplement for horse diets as a way to put added pounds on your horse. Rice bran is high in fats, and therefore can put pounds on fairly rapidly. Remember, any change in your horse’s diet should be done gradually. If you are not exactly sure how much to add, go over your feeding program with your regular Veterinarian, and they will be able to suggest the best course to follow.
12. “Just bought a mare this past weekend and she is about 75 lbs under …”
I just bought a mare this past weekend and she is about 75lbs under weight, is there anything special I should be feeding her to get her to gain that weight back?
Dr.Bill Schurg’s Answer:
If you have a good handle on your horse’s weight you should be sure you are feeding enough total feed daily. For example if this horse weighs 1000 pounds, you should feed between 15 and 20 pounds of total feed each day. This would be both hay and grain. Depending on the quality of the hay you have available that will dictate the level of grain or supplement feeding needed. You may find that adding 10-20% more hay each day along with 2-4 pounds of a grain source may be quite adequate to see weigh gain during the next 45-60 days. The addition of a vegetable oil or flaxseed oil (1/4 to 1 cup) per day may be useful as well. There are many fat supplements which have greater calories in them which could be top dressed onto your feed as well. Many horse owners find using such high fat supplements the easiest way to add calories with the least amount of trouble.
