Feeding up an underweight pony? Help?

[what was i thinking]

your pony is fat compared to the one i got from a trailride place at a county park

i feed free choice hay, senior feed or a high protein feed, a little corn or beet pulp. make sure she gets grained on her own so you know she is eating it. the problem with mine was it getting pushed out. it was about 500 lbs underweight. i have never seen a pelvic bone sticking out the top of a horse before. (they were still using it for trail rides everyday!!!!) mine is looking much better now.
good luck sounds like you are going to have a wonderful pony

 

[farmerlor]

Good looking girl! She's not dangerously underweight. I wouldn't do anything extraordinary for her except to make sure she had all the good hay she could eat and get some senior or pregnant mare feed into her daily. We had a Belgian once who was in pretty poor condition. In the end it was just good grazing on spring grass that helped him out.

 

[mountaintopchicken]

Oh what a sweet little face she has!

I have no feeding wisdom for you - we have horses, but my husband is the horse guy and he organizes that.

Just wanted to say she's a cute little bugger.

 

[ArabiansR2Cool]

Free choice hay, Purina Strategy, probios, and 2-4 oz per day of Cool Calories will do wonders

There was a really skinny horse that came to the barn where I work, and this is what he was fed.

Of course, worming with either Quest Plus or Equimax would the be first thing regardless of when she was wormed last. I would also have the vet out to check her teeth and float them if needed.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
She was wormed just last weekend

She'll be due for another worming soon enough though, so this is our chance to put her on a schedule.

 

[bwebb7]

remember to rotate wormers between ivomec/strongid
She has such a sweet baby face! she looks like she'll always look like a baby

 

[jeanniejayne]

She look s to be in fairly good shape to me. He coat is healthy and shiny, though she is thin. She looks very happy, too! She will put on weight. I would do it with a good-quality hay, as a pony is so prone to founder from high-powered feed. Once the grass starts this Spring she will be fat in no time! Good luck. She is really pretty -- a lovely sweet face and expression.

 

[reallemons1]

She is really a cutie, sweet face and looks healthy. I would just make sure she has been wormed, has had her vaccines, and that her teeth good and feet cared for. I would just give her regular feed (maybe 12% protein and 4 to 6 % fat) and hay and allow her to gain weight slowly.

 

[Bec]

I have an older horse that recently lost and need the weight put back on. I started adding Rice Bran Oil to his feed once a day and in just a month, the difference is amazing! He has put on a fair amount of weight. I would 2nd the advice to have the teeth looked at and floated. Sometimes all they need is good grain, hay and love. I would definitely recommend the Rice Bran Oil though, I have seen the difference on my own horse. He still has a ways to go, but I started to see a difference in just 3 weeks. He gets about 6 ounces added to his feed every night.

She is beautiful and I LOVE the expression on her face! Get her fed, wormed, floated and loved and she will be just fine!!

 

[PQ]

We feed a horse we rescued Animax also been told you can try total enhancer supplement. It is for nursing or pregnet animals to help with lost nutrence. It worked great for our horse. You'll know if it needs teeth floated they will start foaming and lose food supplements out of there mouth while trying to eat them.
On a note for hoof care.
You should never take so much off a horses hoof at once it is very dangerous for the horse. I know i is scary to look at them with such over grown hoofs but te damage it can cause by doing it a once could be by far worse on your horse.
We do wish you all th best with your rescue what a wonderful thing you are doing! Congrats on your new life friend! May you have many years of happy days. Rescues are always the most wonderul horses! They know you have saved them and will always be your buddy!