Need some help fattening up a rescue horse...(a little long)

[texasreb]

Rose,

Feeding methods and animal care in general are "hot topics" on any forum. Look at all the closed and entirely removed threads on this forum! Some of the people with the best information are "high-spirited" and some aren't. I value their knowledge and experience and ability to research, so I don't care if their passion comes off as rudeness or abruptness. My feelings don't get hurt that easily, esp. on a forum.

I take their advice, and do my own research to confirm or refute it. It's my hope that everyone on every forum does the same.

 

[bestponymilo]

Honestly, I'd go with the simpler is better choice.

Cut out everything, except one high quality, high fat complete feed. Keep her on this for a few weeks, if no improvement, add oil (slowly work up to 1/2 cup twice a day). Several small grain meals a day, free choice hay.

Get her teeth checked (food does no good if she can't chew it properly) and get a fecal done.

The only supplement I'd have her on for now is a probiotic.

As for oil, my all time favorite is rice bran oil. It lays the fat on better, don't ask me why. It just seems to cover ribs better then any other type of oil. I swear by it for scrawny TBs.

 

[bestponymilo]

Sorry--HIM, not her! For some reason I had mare stuck in my head

 

[UnttouchableRose]

Quote:
I'm not saying that for one specific person I have just seen MANY people slammed and criticized and run off from that forum over feeding ordeals and I hate to see that. The only point I was making.

I myself don't take it but with a grain of salt myself otherwise I still wouldn't be here.

More people have been rude to me than nice and I still hang around but that's just part of being new or not posting much IME.

 

[sred98]

Thought I would give an update...We ended up keeping him on the BOSS, Senior Feed, Rice Bran, and Fat Cat, along with free choice hay and grazing. We started adding the corn oil to his feed, and he loved it. He is starting to get some light padding over his ribs, which is nice!

You can still see the outline of the ribs, but it isn't just skin stretched over them. I also upped his thyroid medicine to 1 1/2 scoops. Once I upped his medicine, his attitude improved a lot. Now, he is starting to show his personality and is actually running around and playing.

His weight is really coming in and you can tell he is feeling much better. I was away for several days, and DH was feeding him and when I came back I could really see the difference. It's hard when you see them everyday. Some days you think that they might look better, then some days not.

Taking a few days away really helped me see that he is getting better day by day.

Thanks for all of the advice! He is definitely looking and feeling better! DH was freaked out about giving him whole sunflower seeds. LOL! He wanted to shell them first and I had to convince him they ate them whole. Of course, I did that by handing them to the piggie horse we have, who chomped down the whole handful before DH could say anything! LOL! Once he saw that they loved them and it was putting weight on, they are a favorite treat for him to give now.

Thanks again for everything! This is a great board. We are new to horses and everyone was very patient and helpful. We have a lot of friends that help us with the horse basics, but we are in a rural area, and a lot of the people here have working ranch horses, and they don't really go buy expensive supplements or BOSS for their horses. Most of them feed creep feed.

The vet was somewhat of a help, but I think she could have suggested the corn oil and/or BOSS. Those are simple, reasonably priced supplements that, I think, have made a huge difference in the horse. We are looking for another vet. She wouldn't come out and redo the thyroid test, so I adjusted his medication myself. (I am a nurse) It seems to be working well.

Thanks!

Shelly and Shiner

 

[texasreb]

Good news! Thanks for the update.

Now, where are the before and after pictures