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  Bye-Bye Jiggle
Posts: 1691
   
Location: Where ever there's sunshine! | I'm stuck with processed feed for now. My 4year old is on cool balance 2 x a day at a scoop and a half a day ( I'll check the weight when I get home) he's recovering from a leg wound that left him unrideable for 3 months. He's lost all muscle and is a little under weight. He gets clover/rye hay during the night and is on pasture (such as it it) during the day. Vet suggested to add alfalfa cubes instead of upping his feed. So I did. Just curious what y'all think. I figured I would need to ip his feed and/or add a fat but vet said add alfalfa instead. Like I said just curious. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1092
Location: OK | A lot of people do that for topline and muscle. You can also later try a muscle builder, but those products usually work better when you are working the horse. It doesn't really build much if he's on stall rest.
I think the alfalfa will work great. You're working him again now right? Maybe do the alfalfa for a couple weeks then add a muscle builder with some creatine and carnitine in it, like Muscle Up. That will help him come on a little faster with work.
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
 
| My guys have never looked better and I feel like I'm not feeding them as much. I swapped out my bagged feed for very high quality (25%) alfalfa last spring-summer. They all look fantastic. They also feel fantastic without being hot or silly. Replacing their bagged feed means I swapped out their 5-6 pounds of grain product for 5-6 pounds of alfalfa, leaving their orchard/timothy mix hay at the same feed level. So the balances remain much better than switching to all alfalfa and the 'hotness' doesn't happen. They all look like they've been working over the winter, and I don't remember the last time I rode. Maybe one day in early Jan? |
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | I use alfalfa pellets and that has helped greatly. I don't have to soak them or anything. I give about a 1/2 scoop a day. |
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | I remember you saying he got hurt, didn't know it was that bad. Hope he is healing up good for you.
I have a mare that I have always struggled to get a decent topline on her vs. getting her too hot. I had to give her some time off for a stifle injury so I put her on straight alfalfa pellets and grass hay, I also added flax for some fat. The difference in her topline is amazing! She looks great and I haven't worked her since the end of September when she got hurt. I don't think she will be hot either because I have jumped on her bareback with a halter and she rides off just fine. Very happy with my alfalfa pellets!
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Bye-Bye Jiggle
Posts: 1691
Location: Where ever there's sunshine! | Barnmom - 2014-02-11 12:49 PM
I remember you saying he got hurt, didn't know it was that bad. Hope he is healing up good for you.
I have a mare that I have always struggled to get a decent topline on her vs. getting her too hot. I had to give her some time off for a stifle injury so I put her on straight alfalfa pellets and grass hay, I also added flax for some fat. The difference in her topline is amazing! She looks great and I haven't worked her since the end of September when she got hurt. I don't think she will be hot either because I have jumped on her bareback with a halter and she rides off just fine. Very happy with my alfalfa pellets!
He wasn't paying attention and came up on our fence. He tried to jump it but wound up straddling it. The fence gave under him so that he wasn't hurt. He stood there totally clueless but calm. My dad watched it happen and before he could get to him another horse started whoopin on him. He drug himself through the fence and tore all of the hide off of the front of his right hock and nicked a tendon. Luckily we were there and able to get cold water on it and a vet to it immediately and kept it from getting any dirt on it in the meantime. It is healing up beautifully and he's been released to ride. The skin has grown back over the tendons and now it's just a matter of letting the outer layer heal and keeping him moving so it doesn't become too tight from scar tissue. It was a freak thing. He has been a wonderful patient and everyone including the vet has ooh'd and ahh'd over him and how we'll he handles everything, especially sense he's a "race horse" lol |
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Bye-Bye Jiggle
Posts: 1691
Location: Where ever there's sunshine! | Thank y'all! I over think and over read to the point that I know even less than when I started. |
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Anytime I have one get sick or injured and lose weight, my go to is beet pellets, alfalfa pellets, some Amplify and whatever grain I feel will be best for them. Right now Safechoice Perform. I soak this am and pm. The weight gain is unreal. I also do THE Muscle Mass. The vitamins, minerals and amino acids sure can't hurt. |
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Alfalfa for weight gain