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Post by tiff1024 on Jan 22, 2009 0:19:37 GMT -5
I know everyone is tired of these questions but I have a little twist. I don't know if some of you remember but I bought a horse off Canter that someone had also posted about on here back in July 07. Her name is Nice N Heavenly (Holly). Last winter she got really skinny but I didn't concern about it as much because when I bought her she hadn't been let down yet.
Well i started getting concerned when spring rolled in and she was still skinny so I talked to the vet and he put her on ranitidine and I changed her feed to Triple Crown Senior. Now you are probably wondering why I chose senior but this horse is missing about HALF HER TONGUE. It basically stops where the bit sits in her mouth. Her previous owner advised me not to feed her dry pelleted feed because they were concerned she may choke.
So she gained weight and looked great this summer into fall. But now she is getting ribby again. She also gets about 2 cups of rice bran pellets.
In summer she is on night turnout with plenty of grass. In winter she is in a dry run with about 3 pads of timothy/orchardgrass hay twice a day. Well she doesn't really eat up her hay that well. And its good quality hay, my other tb eats all of hers. I was thinking of adding some alfalfa cubes but I don't know that she could eat them very easily.
Any suggestions?
oh and she is pretty hot-natured. and she had her teeth floated in the spring. and she is wormed regularly.
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Post by BoyleHeightsKid on Jan 22, 2009 0:56:05 GMT -5
I would Powerpac her and if you start her on the alfalfa cubes, I would soak them. If she chokes on pellets than the cubes would definately pose a problem if left dry.
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Post by TeachU2Ride on Jan 22, 2009 9:37:54 GMT -5
Ouch! Poor thing! Horses obviously don't chew with their tongues, but one that is damaged can certainly make it uncomfortable/difficult for them to eat.
I'd be soaking all her hay in a large tub... a hay soup, if you will. I did this after my Han had tongue surgery and he loved it... warm water in a 50 gal. tub from Tractor Supply - too big to tip and plenty big enough to really soak 2-3 flakes at a time. I also soaked alfalfa cubes for him.
I'd also suggest increasing the amount of Senior she's getting to keep her from losing more weight. You can always decrease it again when necessary. My guys are totally healthy and they eat 3x as much concentrate in the winters as they do in the summers.
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Post by RacetrackRejects on Jan 22, 2009 12:08:50 GMT -5
I would maybe also try buying chafe. The hay will be in smaller sections and she might be able to manipulate it better than trying to situate the long strands of hay. Just be careful buying chafe as some of is loaded with molasses- no damage really, but some people dont' like feeding that amount as it makes some horses a bit goofy.
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Post by animaldoc on Jan 22, 2009 15:34:36 GMT -5
You can up the senior amount and soak it - it becomes like a mash and she should be able to eat it.
You can also add some corn oil - up to 1/2c per day (divided is good) to put some weight on.
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Post by johnnysauntie on Jan 22, 2009 16:04:53 GMT -5
This is interesting to me too. Jag is warmly blanketed and has a cozy stall. He's fed Safe Choice and good hay. But he's getting ribby - and ribbier. I've been feeding him a big bucket of beetpulp at night for the last few months. I started adding some alfalfa cubes to the pulp a month and a half ago, and recently started adding some Equine Senior (about a half scoop) to the mix as well.
But I'm having the vet out to see him, because he's getting ribbier, despite all the chow and his light level of work. And he has a haybelly. I don't think he's wormy, but I need to get to the bottom of this.
I'll get a pic and post it soon.
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Post by TeachU2Ride on Jan 22, 2009 16:32:26 GMT -5
This is interesting to me too. Jag is warmly blanketed and has a cozy stall. He's fed Safe Choice and good hay. But he's getting ribby - and ribbier. I've been feeding him a big bucket of beetpulp at night for the last few months. I started adding some alfalfa cubes to the pulp a month and a half ago, and recently started adding some Equine Senior (about a half scoop) to the mix as well. But I'm having the vet out to see him, because he's getting ribbier, despite all the chow and his light level of work. And he has a haybelly. I don't think he's wormy, but I need to get to the bottom of this. I'll get a pic and post it soon. I've read on several other sites stories from people whose horses did NOT do well on SafeChoice, or other products which were based on soybeans. Just a thought... |
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Post by RacetrackRejects on Jan 22, 2009 16:40:36 GMT -5
Yep, I have heard the same as Teach with SafeChoice.
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Post by BoyleHeightsKid on Jan 22, 2009 18:11:00 GMT -5
I'm also having a problem with Boy losing weight since at the new place and he's on SafeChoice also, but he's also supplemented with Buckeye Ultimate Finish for the extra fat because there's not enough in the SC for him. He's not ribby or anything (yet), just not looking his extra beefy self. He's getting plenty of hay and alfalfa cubes on top of everything so the SC might be the culprit.
Going to look into switching him to the TC Complete...
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Post by alisonph on Jan 22, 2009 22:42:25 GMT -5
Definitely try alfalfa cubes.
I can't give advice on mixed feeds, as we do forages and oats, but lots of folks have a ton of knowledge on different feeds.
Also, it seems when they reach a certain age, the weight fluctuation isn't as great. As mine reach 9 and 11, they are very stable with weight. God knows we we all become easy keepers as we age..................
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Post by tiff1024 on Jan 22, 2009 22:59:57 GMT -5
Thank you for the replies. I think I am going to try the cubes, soaked of course. She seems to eat her grain just fine. I would say she is currently eating around 7 lbs. of the senior per day in two feedings. I also was thinking somewhat around the lines of alison that some of it may be age related as well (and temperament). She is a nervous type horse sometimes I just think she worries it off.
I guess my next question would be rather to buy straight alfalfa cubes or a mixed cube?
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Post by johnnysauntie on Jan 23, 2009 9:27:33 GMT -5
Tiff - re alfalfa cubes - I soak mine, putting them in the bucket when I arrive at the barn, and feeding them when I leave. They disintegrate and it looks like I'm feeding Jag a bucket full of pesto but he loves it, (and seeing that green goo covered nose is funny).
Teach et al re Safe Choice - I'll look into that immediately. He was fat and shiny on Strategy, but in the last 2 months has dropped a lot of weight.
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Post by racenomore on Jan 23, 2009 9:31:59 GMT -5
What about beet pulp? That helped keep weight on my guy.
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Post by bluebluesea on Feb 6, 2009 12:47:28 GMT -5
I would stay away from corn oil, some horses have problems with it - canola typically works much better.
You sould also be able to find pelleted hay (i do Timothy for my horse who doesn't get any hay at all). You can soak them easier than the cubes.
My horse also gets whey protein mixed in with his TC Senior (made into a mash) and ground flax seed and oil. He's got special dietary considerations and is only 10, but this has worked well for him.
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