Good doer thats losing weight

Bobbin

Bobbin

Back in the saddle yeehaa
Feb 16, 2006
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After spending the summer trying to shift all of Brys excess weight I think I am now going to be faced with the problem that she is losing to much.

She's only been back in her smaller girth a week and she's already up to 4 holes one side and 3 the other when she's tucked up. I've just upped her hay to 2 nets a night and she gets 2 feeds of 1 scoop of high fi lite with soya oil and apple cidar vinegar.

What can I give her that will help maintain her weight but I don't want anymore energy, I'm guessing speedibeet. How much though?

I'm so confused though, she is a good doer but she's not do-ering so good at the mo.

xx
 
Herbie's mummy said:
Has she got wormsd or ANY thing like that?
Just a thought.....it may not just be a feed problem?
xxx
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I shouldn't think she has worms, we follow a strict worming programme at the yard and has recently had a pancure 5 day course.
 
Is she definitely warm enough? The weight can really melt off them in the sort of weather we've been having if they get cold.
 
Red is the same. Us at the yard seem to think that it's because of how good the grass was in the Summer that the winter grass isn't nearly as good, therefore the difference is more than other years that we've had so they're going to lose weight quicker.

I've recently introduced speedibeet into Red feed.

Do you know the christmas puddings pot that you can get? They are about 3 inch diameter at the bottom and maybe 5 or 6 at the top (they're red btw lol) well he has one full scoop of speedibeet in each feed and another scoop with just the juice (that's mainly to make his feed less dry not to maintain weight but ah well thought i'd tell you anyway :p)
 
i would weight tape her. this will tell you whether or not she is at an ideal weight or not - these can be obtained from feed companies or major retailers such as robinsons (google them). it could be that she is at a good weight, but may seem to be lacking condition as she looks so much slimmer, or because she lacks topline (muscles too, not just fat).
i suggest that you feed good quality ad-lib hay alongside a fibre-based feed, such as dengie alfa-lite (low in sugar, starch and molasses but high in fibre) (about 1-2 kg each day, ask the dengie nutritionists online for more detalied advice) which is the equivelent of about 2 1/2 - 5 big scoops daily 9seems a lot but it is evry light, and will make your horse's digestive system more efficient as it takes longer to eat and digest).
to balance this feed you could add a balancer or vit & min supplement these will provide your horse with all the vits & mins she needs to stay as healthy as possible - high quality balancers include blue chip original/lami-light and baileys lo-cal, and useful vit & min supplements include global herbs globalvite and NAF pink powder.
balancers are usually fed at 10g/100kg bodyweight, and vit & min supplements at 10g/100kg bodyweight - so if your mare weighs 500kg (check with the weight tape), she will need 500g of balancer or 50g of a supplement (though check the instructions on the bag/tub).
speedibeet can be added if necessary, but as you would be feeding a balancer/supplement, you can alter the amounts of alfa-lite or speedibeet as necessary throughout the year (though gradually).
good luck - if you are still in any doubt or confused, please PM me or contact a nutritionist.
 
I hope she's warm enough, I have her in a m/w rambo wug during the day and a m/w amigo stable rug at night.
She's always warm when I take the rugs off and to be honest the weather has been incrediblly mild so far.

So one scoop of speedibeet in each feed should be enough?

Is there anything else that anyone recommends?

Puzzle - Thanks. I am so wary of alpha A it's unreal, I have a horse with lots of energy as it is and can't be doing with any more. I am a wimp I know xx
 
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also, horses need fibre to keep warm; forage should be fed plentifully, preferably ad-lib. make sure she is warm by checking her ear; if they feel warm, she is warm - they should not feel hot not cool.
 
Martini's an extremely good doer- she can live off just hay but gets hi-fi lite for supplements. Speedibeet made her balloon and I only gave her a small mug-ful once per day at the start of the winter before they came in at night, so it could be the answer. Give it a try, it's only about a fiver for a bag :)
 
hey hun - you are not being a wimp - try and find a sane person out there who, after a hard days winter slog at work, looks forward to very joy of mucking out and coat-scrubbing winter horse owning often birings!
1 scoop of speedibeet per feed should be fine: ypu can always adjust the amount according to how she takes it, and this goes for the alfa-a too.
xx
 
Speedibeet seems to be doing the trick with coops.

He gets 1. 5 pints (I have a pint jug as my speedibeet jug :rolleyes: ) in each feed.

Just a question and thinking from my share horse's point of view are you pleased that she has dropped - do you think that she needs to drop a little more?

I wish I would drop weight with a little bit of cold:D

Horses' metabolism and feeding are really beginning to fascinate me rather than baffle me.

Definately worth keeping an eye on or, indeed, make the most of the weight loss considering your spring/summertime probs with HRH.
 
I see your point Dee, I am pleased she has dropped but she does alot of work and I am just concious that she has lost this much weight so fast that she just may continue. I've had plenty of compliments saying how much weight she's lost ect and how trim she's looking but she's meant to have a little bit of meat on her bones as she's a m/w horse.

I just don't want to get to the stage where she's dropped and I can't get it back on. I know this probably won't happen but when I bought her in the spring she was a bit boney and loads of people kept telling me she needed to gain weight.
 
Are you sure you're not just used to seeing her tubby;)

I'm not suprised she's loosing weight if she's in work - her dinner at the moment would suit an over-weight native on grass during the summer - it's not a lot.

Have you tried Alfa-A? Most horses aren't bothered by it at all. And it's great for keeping weight on. Alfa-Oil is even better. It would be worth a try - if she doesn't get on with it it'll only be a few days until she's back to normal.

Speedibeet would be worth trying as well. One large round scoop mixed into her hi-fi would be a good place to start.

Next step up would be a conditioning mix. I find Bailieys No 4 Conditioning cubes work well and don't fizz up most horses. Again, try it and see.
 
Whats her condition score now?
If she is about right I would start adding some speedy beet to her feed, I would start out with 1 cup (dry) soaked down for each feed (you should measure before soaking because 1 scoop of soaked will have different nutrient levels depending on how diluted it has been made up), keep an eye on her weight and up it every few days until you think she stabalises, then be prepared to drop it down a notch again :D

Another feed I like which helps with weight but gives absolutely no fizz is Baileys number 1, its a cooked cereal meal and even Bo could cope with a fair ammount of it and it had no effect on his brain :D

Also, bear in mind, horses are designed to loose weight over winter, I aim for mine to be a bit ribby come spring - that way they can afford to tuck into all that nice spring grass :D

The most important thing is the forage, upping her net from 1 to 2 was a good idea, but if she is eating it all go get some bigger nets for her ;) she also need to have adequote during the day, so if there is not enough grass in the field then perhaps buying a big round bale (between all the horses/owners) so they can have adlib out there too :D

J x
 
i also think that if she was loosing weight because of lack of food, she would become lazy and sluggish to ride and bry seemed to be feeling 'well' at the weekend and i thought she looked great. id up the hay but not rush to add to the feed yet, but monitor it :)
 
I don't have a huge problem with her I am just aware how quickly she has lost her tummy. A livery who has been away for 2 weeks commented on her weight lost this morning.

I just want to be prepared if she doesn't sustain what weight she is now.

xx
 
I am just aware how quickly she has lost her tummy.
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Has she acctually lost condition (overall fat deposits bum/neck/ribs/shoulder etc) or just her tummy?
If its just her tummy, that reacent course of Panacure could have shifted out a bunch of worms, lessening the belly?
or the grass could have just turned, we had the first proper frost here over the weekend, lots of the goodness will now be going off the grass, so belly decreases :p
Now you have a saddle that fits, and she is working more and through from her bum those tummy muscles are tightening up - giving the appearance of a smaller belly :D

If you are happy with her current weight just sit tight but condition score and weigh tape regularly and write the results down so you can monitor it and only adjust her feed if you find there is consistant change (little one week fluctuations don't worry about)

J x
 
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