losing weight!

[sazzle10]

I have noticed that cheyanne has lost quite a bit of weight lately. I know that it is winter and that he is probably bound to because he goes im alot more (his own choice) He can go out to the feild when he likes. He has a full haynet all the time and he gets a fair few hanfuls of cool mix, (he gets a bit hyper otherwise) and some treats. What else could i give him to keep the weight on him? thanks! sazzle :D

[Jay.o]

maybe you could try a rug ?
i have never had this problem before so not the person to ask really but i thought that maybe a rug may help keep the weight on him.

[ros]

The things that tend to make horses lose weight are less food, more work, being cold, worms, and body working less efficiently (say if they're ill or old).

It sounds as though Cheyanne is getting enough feed. Is he getting old? Is he rugged at all? Have you had a worm count done recently (don't mean to imply that you don't worm regularly but sometimes other people can mess things up for you if he's out with other horses whose owners aren't as careful).

I wasn't 100% sure from the way you worded your post whether he has access to feed when he's in as well as when he's out. Just wondering why he would be bound to lose weight if he goes in a lot more?

[sazzle10]

Hey! thanks! We have an arrangement where cheyanne can go in a shelterd ''stable'' when he likes undercover, waterproof etc and he can also go out in2 the field when he wants which is just a few metres away! He has been inside alot lately **** of the cold weather so he hasnt been eating so much grass! He wears a rug in this weather, so i dont think thats the problem, he's 16, should he be losing weight at this age? (if ya know *** i mean, is it common?) umm its about time to worm him so i will do that tommorow! I think/hope its just coz he aint gettin as much grass! thanks anyway!

[ros]

Hi

16 isn't all that old, but all horses differ. Is there any way you can put some hay in the shelter? (Maybe not a good idea if he has to share with others, but if he's on his own it would be easy.)

[liz--y]

what breed is he?

maybe you could try feeding something like calm and condition.

[sazzle10]

He's and icelandic, what is calm and condition, can u get it from normal horse stores?!?!

[ros]

I suspect if you asked Wally about what to feed Icelandics she'd say fibre, fibre and more fibre!

Since Icelandics are tough little creatures designed to live on fresh air in the toughest conditions, it does seem a little odd for yours to be losing weight like this - unless he was very overweight before? If everything else is OK, sufficient hay *should* keep him going quite nicely. Teeth OK?

[nat17]

i might not be the best person to answer (me with a good do-oer) but i would suggest mixing the cool mix with something like Alfa A. My friend has an older horse and hers has alfa senior (or 16+ or alfa easy) with Alfa A. And when i had ed (18yo) i was feeding him the same but with suger beet for him to gain weight.

[Cochise]

When was the last time he was wormed? You dont want to be feeding the lil worms in his belly and not him!!

[jenna_horse]

Heya, I have a Welsh D who has recently also started to lose weight, we have had her on 'Bailey's No.4 - Conditioning Cubes' and replaced her hay with 'Hi-fi Sport'. She has come back incredibly well and now looks tip-top again. Try these, they may help your pony to keep some weight on.
Jenna xx

[floppy]

icelandics dont really have to eat anything in addition to hay..you can give them some minerals and supplements and cool mix but they arent ''desgined'' for hard feeds...In winter in iceland they have to fend for themselves looking for grass....they dont see any extra food int heemans of grain and pellets and musli etc. :)

Rugs they also dont really need unless you absolutely feel neccessary..we only put rugs on the horses after riding when the temperatures are below zero. Or if they just dont dry off.

as for feeding you need to feed extra hay to make up for the daily grazing on grass that they dont get.

[packhorse11]

Hi Sazzle,
Weight loss -as has been said before, could be caused by:
Insufficient good quality hay
worms
Teeth with sharp edges
cold -
it has been very very cold here in the South West - so any fat he had on him would have been used up to keep warm over the cold spell - that is why you are now noticing it I expect.

At same time as checking worm count:
Maybe you should think about having his teeth checked, if his teeth have sharp edges or points at the back it may be causing rubs on his cheek or if they are on the inside the rubs could be on his mouth.

If you have ever had a sore in your mouth you know how much it hurts - so he may be struggling to eat.
They should have their teeth checked at least every 6 months - especially older horses.

Find a good and qualified dentist or ask your vet about it. Ask around for a good dentist though - some cause problems by making the mouth sore too !!!! Make sure they are qualified either here or a US qualification.

The grass in Autumn and Winter has NO nutrition - so they will always lose weight in Winter if they dont replace the grass by eating enough hay.

After you have had the teeth checked, then try giving him a bit of one of those cereal meal feeds in with his other feed - I assume his other feed.
If he is not working much, then cool mix can be quite energy giving so why not try some horse and pony nuts (the bog standard variety ) and add the cereal mix to that - Spillers do one and so do Baileys and so do other companies - it is very easy to eat and is not going to make him fizzy - which cool mix can in some horses.

Worm and Teeth first - then
check the Hay is GOOD quality - maybe it isnt?
then add some cereal mix to feed

If hay not good quality - he cant get enough nutrition from it so wont put weight on however much he eats!!

That is my opinion anyway - I have no doubt other people will say other things.

P