My horse issues

[feathermaid]

When I had Ben, my senior running QH, 19 yrs old when he came to me, I fed him the same as my other younger gelding. Ben was extremely athletic and high-strung and everyone who met him thought he couldn't have been older than 10 although he acted 2 (that was just his personality). But he dropped a considerable amount of weight and I tried everything over the course of the next year (including alfalfa and weight supplements) and the only thing that even made a lick of difference was senior feed. I labored over researching the best kind (sorry I can't remember what it was) and he did excellent on that until after I moved to a different barn...

The lady there "who knew everything" thought he was too high-strung to get any sort of grain or pelleted feed so she changed to only hay and alfalfa cubes without my knowledge, and he rapidly lost his form again. We left that barn, but it took months to get him filled out again with a complete senior feed --which he remained on for the rest of his days.

I don't know a lot about all the different types of feed and supplements, but I believe that there's a reason they make senior feed for older horses.

*edit* Because of Ben's high metabolism I never kept him blanketed (unless I needed him to stay clean for an event) because he would sweat too much underneath. I just let him grow a winter coat, but all horses are different so use your best judgement.

 

[MotherOfPeepPeeps]

I had a senior QH mare who got hard to keep weight on, especially in the winter.

I started adding black oil sunflower seeds to her feed and the results were amazing! She maintained weight in the winter on senior feed, but actually gained weight with added sunflower seeds. You can feed them whole and get them from the bird feed section of most farm stores pretty cheap.

 

[chickens really]

I had a senior QH mare who got hard to keep weight on, especially in the winter.

I started adding black oil sunflower seeds to her feed and the results were amazing! She maintained weight in the winter on senior feed, but actually gained weight with added sunflower seeds. You can feed them whole and get them from the bird feed section of most farm stores pretty cheap.

Huh? I definitely never heard of feeding horses sunflowers seeds....Not something I'd feed.

 

[MotherOfPeepPeeps]

Huh? I definitely never heard of feeding horses sunflowers seeds....Not something I'd feed.

They are 17% protein, 44% fat, 24%
NDT...2500 calories per lb.

Google "black oil sunflower seeds for horses". Lot's of performance horse people feed it. It's also great for weight gain.

 

[chickens really]

They are 17% protein, 44% fat, 24%
NDT...2500 calories per lb.

Google "black oil sunflower seeds for horses". Lot's of performance horse people feed it. It's also great for weight gain.

..Just asked my trainer and she didn't hear of it and the lady I bought my Preformance Appaloosa from said she stays away from stuff like that..

 

[chickens really]

Definitely I would ask the vet and everyone does what they believe to be the right thing..
I just hope he gains weight and your worries are gone. Big hugs to your special fella..

 

[GldnValleyHens]

Definitely they are. Kupid is my heart and saved me through a troubled time. He is like magic to me..
My very best friend...

Awww, what a cute name. My Memphis ( the TB) is my heart too. He’s my friend, my darling and my baby all in one. Will’s worth his weight in gold too

 

[GldnValleyHens]

You are fighting a losing battle trying to get weight on a senior in the winter (if we're talking freezing weather). You have done all the normal steps up to this point. How bad was his mouth? He could still be having soreness issues while it heals. Does he eat by himself ? 5# of alfalfa that he can eat at his leisure can go a long way. I would ditch the corn as the pellets are both higher in calories and nutritionally balanced. Wet them to make them easier to chew. I would not add a weight builder as they are mostly just expensive dried fat. 1/2c oil per meal is easily tolerated . Adding roasted soybean or alfalfa is never a bad idea to up the protein to help build muscle. Have you considered ulcers? What did you deworm with? Consider doing a Power Pak.

He had a few hooks and tartar build up. He wasn’t dropping feed, but his teeth were a bit of a mess. He’s a sloppy eater but only because he tips over the buckets and swings his head around like a goon. Dewormed with Bimectin this fall, helps with the bots too. Not sure about ulcers, he doesn’t portray any signs of discomfort in that area.
I was leery about this cracked corn thing to start with, but a fellow horsey friend was convinced that it is awesome. I wanted to try it, because I was looking for an inexpensive feed to mix with my grain, and I know it helps the chicken flock on those cold winter nights.
I’m going to try putting him on a senior feed, probably Purina, with the oil.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

The sunflower seeds sound interesting. I’d be worried about the hulls though.....

 

[chickens really]

The sunflower seeds sound interesting. I’d be worried about the hulls though.....

Definitely me too ..Horse possibly has teeth issues so hulls are sharp.