need some advice on a hard hard hard keeper horse

[TherryChicken]

Ok, right now we are working on getting money together for the vet, but are having a hard time as so many things are coming up that ends up lowering the money. We'll anyway, I have a 30 year old mare that is skin and bones! Feeding her seperate doesn't do much either, however she is fed safe and sound which has 6% fat and alfalfa pellets (can't do cubes cause she can't chew them up well and she will just work around the hay, but actually eats the pellets). I buy beat pulp pellets when I can for when she is fed seperate, o she can just have it, but I donkt always have enough money. Could someone please help me? I have a picture, I have already had the cops called on me because of her, they've already done investigation a few times and see no neglect or abuse other then her just being skinny and closed the case. I'm afraid that our vet will tell us she will need to be put down because she just can't hold any weight on. Any advice please? He teeth were just floated not long ago, but will be asking our ferrier to float again. He will be coming out soon.

 

[TherryChicken]

Btw we pay over 200$ in feed and pellets a month and they have costal hay 24-7, but they are getting low now and will need more soon.

 

[HudokFarm]

I have a 27-year-old hard keeper. I almost had animal control called the first time he dropped weight, but when I had the vet out he said that he could tell I was obviously feeding him as his coat and hair condition was amazing. He has great teeth and when I first was playing around with feeds I discovered that he does MUCH better on a whole feed (I think they call it texturized?) rather than pelleted. I also feed him straight alfalfa hay. He also is very sensitive to bugs so I am trying to see if apple cider vinegar works or not. I've been feeding it to him now for ~2 weeks and he seems a bit better. Just a few thoughts I had based on my guy. So is yours harder to keep up weight-wise in the summer or winter? Does she run around a lot or expend a lot of energy? Is she a picky eater? I am lucky in that mine will eat anything I throw at him.

 

[ozarkmomma]

My DD had a senior arabian mare who was a hard keeper. She bought supplements for digestion from smart paks that worked wonders. they include probiotics and enzymes so your horse actually uses the nutrition from the feed.

http://www.smartpakequine.com/smartgain-4-4505p.aspx

Also, a good senior feed helps along with beet pulp and calf manna for added calories.

 

[TherryChicken]

Hi, thank yal both, to all yalls answers,she is hard to keep weight on 24-7 doesn't matter the season. When its extremely hot she will slow down a bit though. No, she is not active, you have to clap and swing your arms at her and tell her to get going just to get her trotting. She is lazy and with her age it doesn't supprise me. There are very few days she will trott up and meet us for feed but other days we have to shoo her or wait for her to get to the feed buckets before pooring feed. She is also a VERY picky eatter, she won't eat senior feed and if she can smell any weight gain powder in her food even the tiniest bit, she won't eat at all.

 

[TherryChicken]

Btw when we adopted her she was 23 years and pregnant along with 400 pounds under weight. She looked amazing whn pregnant after we built muscle by walking her 45 min every other day and with all the feed and alflfa she got. But after she foaled, she lost weight, do to personal issues. We moved he and her colt smewhere else and she gained a lot, but now she is just horrible again. The ONLY way she will eat alfalfa hay is if they just get that and no feed. Otherwise she will eat the feed ad not alfalfa. With thecubes, they arejust too tough for her to chew and has started to work around it too just like the hay even if I get blisters from braking them apart and crumbling them. However the pellets, she digs straight into.

 

[ozarkmomma]

You can soak the cubes to soften them up. It's worth trying the supplement for a month and see if it helps. They have a money back guarantee if you try it for 2 months and don't get results.

 

[TherryChicken]

Ok I'm sorry, could you tell me thewhole supplament I should try? I'm a little confused. Thanks so much!

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

You can also try adding corn oil to her feed. Start in small amounts and see if she'll eat the feed. Then gradually increase the amount of oil. Also, I've heard black oil sunflower seeds work well for putting on weight, but I've never used it myself.

 

[kimb]

I recommend a low carb, high fat feed with no sugar additives (no molassas etc.).

Rice Bran (comes in pellets) works really well (IMO much better than beet pulp and a little goes a long ways (1 cup 2x a day up to a pound a day).

I would soak anything you feed her at her age to make it mushy. I'm sure she's missing teeth. Also check for cracked, broken, loose teeth anything that may cause discomfort when eating. Additionally I'd feed any hay stretcher (alfalfa pellets are good, as would be a timothy/alfalfa mix) a couple times a day if you can. Also soaked (not sopping wet) just soggy and mushy. Alfalfa cubes you should soak before feeding (they take about an hour+ to break down (faster in warm water but in the hot weather you don't want to feed hot foods).

additionally has she been dewormed recently?

The older ones aren't easy - I have 2 20yo hard keepers one that's always been difficult, the other is diabetic and can't have the sugary grasses or he founders. Good luck - I hope something works for her that doesn't break the bank