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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 937
  
| Updated with his one month pictures.
I bought a ten year old gelding that is pretty underweight as a project. What is the best feed, hay, supplement to get his weight back up? We have a 12 percent protein textured feed that we get from the local mill, doesn't have molasses. I believe it is 6% fat. I was thinking of feeding free choice hay, alfalfa pellets, and rice bran along with that. Any suggestions would be appreciated!!
Edited by sourkiss378 2015-04-27 12:31 PM
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
 
Location: Kansas | when my gelding was underweight, I fed gleam & gain 60, then forco as well. Also ultium because it was higher fat/low starch. |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | I think you're on the right track, I would have said rice bran and alfalfa! Also, deworm (for new horses I like to do a "modified" power pak. I tube of safegard and follow up with another tube in a week-10 days) |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | I have a hard time keeping weight on one of mine so I treated him for ulcers and then changed his feed to Ultium, with added Amplify, some alfalfa hay, and Equisure and boy did he pack on the weight. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | If you think he might have ulcers I would treat him for that first.I like GastroPLUS but you can use what you like. But if not then I would use THE Muscle Mass. Has helped a whole bunch with my horses. Was pleased at the changes within the first month. Also have you tried feeding him some beet pulp? This also helps add weight. |
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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | I think you're right on the mark. The best bang for the buck I have found has been alfalfa cubes or pellets or top notch alfalfa hay. But I think it takes an all around approach like you're doing. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 937
| I won't be picking him up until this Friday but I am getting his teeth done next week and his feet done this weekend. I will talk to my vet about getting him some medicine for Ulcers just in case. I've tried the amplify in the past and had pretty good results so I may try that again. Thanks for all of the suggestions ladies!! Pray for me & him both please. Its going to be a long hard road! |
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 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | You could also add a little oil for added calories without much bulk. I have had great results with just cheap corn oil but you can also get flax oil and other oils that are probably better for them but I haven't had any negative effects from just corn oil and for the price you can't go wrong. I use it just long enough to get the weight on that I like and then I take them off of it. Once I get the weight up it is pretty easy to maintain with alfalfa. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 937
| The poor guy is much more underweight than I orginally thought he would be when I picked him up this past Friday. As of now I have him on a 12% protein 3.5% fat textured feed. He is getting rice bran and standlee shredded alfalfa/timonthy mix and a farriers formula hoof supplement. He is also getting free choice hay and the grass is starting to show up in the pasture now & has been wormed.
My question is when can I safely put him on omperazole to treat for ulcers? Also I have been thinking that I would eventually like to put him on T.H.E. Muscle Mass with special blends to cut down on supplements and have an all in one. When would be a safe time to add this to his feed?
Thanks everyone! |
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Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | Omeprazole ASAP! I don't care when you add the supplement. Just a piece of advice you can take or leave, take pics if you don't see improvement in 2 weeks, I think you should head to the vet for blood work and or fecal. |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | maybe a ration balancer? But in my opinion......3% fat in your feed just isn't going to cut it.. You need a feed with a higher fat content than that if you want to see results. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 937
| LMS - 2015-03-26 2:45 PM Omeprazole ASAP! I don't care when you add the supplement. Just a piece of advice you can take or leave, take pics if you don't see improvement in 2 weeks, I think you should head to the vet for blood work and or fecal.
Since he is so underweight the omeprazole won't cause any complications will it? This Saturday he is scheduled at my vet for vaccinations and to get his teeth floated. I will go ahead and have him do blood work or a fecal while I'm there. Thanks for the suggestion! |
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Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | Hoofs:
The extra fat is coming from the rice bran.
I'm wondering if you shouldn't wait for the vets opinion on starting ANYTHING new, I had assumed you had his teeth done already and have been feeding him heavier for 5-10 days, if that were the case then yes to the omeprazole ASAP, but if you're going really soon, wait for the vets thoughts, it wouldn't hurt.....
Is he eating all of his food? |
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 Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | I bought a mare that was on death's door she was so skinny and we have her on a 12% feed, alfalfa cubes soaked and rye, oats and clover grass periodically and she is putting serious weight on. We did have some rice bran thrown in to begin with, but had to stop it because she was gaining so fast that I didn't want to over do it. I'd use THE too, but we haven't put her on it yet because she is doing fantastic on her own. |
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | He isnt emaciated is he? Where would he be on the body scale? Just a word of caution,,,,IF he is bonafide starved, you have to be very very carefull adding food back into his diet. They can/will go into organ failure because their body just cant process feed efficiently anymore. Small meals often is key if this is the case and build up slowly. They tend to do well at first and the crash about the 10th day. I would have the vet evaluate him immediately and let him advise you. Typically one of the first things is a blood builder like Lixotinic or red cell, small meals often, bloodwork and build from there. |
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 Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but please make sure that the mill you are getting your feed from is ionophore free. |
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Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | I can't see the picture and I really wanted to.... |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 937
| I just got him this past friday on 3/20. I don't want to overload his system at all. I'm not sure what body scale he would be considered. I can't post pictures from my work computer but can text them to somebody if they want to post them for me.
This is his pedigree.
http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/victorysgotalotahope
Edited by sourkiss378 2015-03-26 3:34 PM
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Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | sourkiss378 - 2015-03-26 3:33 PM I just got him this past friday on 3/20. I don't want to overload his system at all. I'm not sure what body scale he would be considered. I can't post pictures from my work computer but can text them to somebody if they want to post them for me.
I'll try.
Jennifer.lacombe@hcahealthcare.com
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Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | sourkiss378 - 2015-03-26 3:33 PM I just got him this past friday on 3/20. I don't want to overload his system at all. I'm not sure what body scale he would be considered. I can't post pictures from my work computer but can text them to somebody if they want to post them for me.
This is his pedigree.
http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/victorysgotalotahope
It's a nice pedi. I'm not a Holland Ease fan, but lot's of people really like them and my experience with them is limited so....
I think the trick, if there are no underlying reasons for the condition that he is in, is just slow and steady. Watch him close. You can add THE in anytime. That's why we backed up on our mare. She was putting it on fast and, truthfully, that was the problem....they didn't feed her anything. So, we just watch her and don't let her over do it. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 937
| LRQHS - 2015-03-26 3:34 PM sourkiss378 - 2015-03-26 3:33 PM I just got him this past friday on 3/20. I don't want to overload his system at all. I'm not sure what body scale he would be considered. I can't post pictures from my work computer but can text them to somebody if they want to post them for me. I'll try.
Jennifer.lacombe@hcahealthcare.com
Ok I sent the pictures! Thanks |
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Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | I think our mare was a tad bit worse. He looks like a great find and should really flourish.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 937
| Thank you Jennifer that is really sweet of you to say! & thank you for posting the pictures. I hope your mare is doing great!! |
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Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | sourkiss378 - 2015-03-26 3:44 PM Thank you Jennifer that is really sweet of you to say! & thank you for posting the pictures. I hope your mare is doing great!!
No problem. Glad you got him. Hard to believe one bred like him was allowed to get so bad off, isn't it? |
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 Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | Please try Maximum Performance vit/min. I have had zero ulcer problems I have had and everything I have fed it to has flourised. It's inexpensive too. Start him out at 10 oz a day for 5 days then back him off to 5 oz. We need to get his immune system working too. After you think he's healthy enough, definitely hit him with Merck Prodigy, and then give him a booster of the same 2 weeks later.
Edited by Herbie 2015-03-26 3:55 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 937
| Herbie - 2015-03-26 3:54 PM Please try Maximum Performance vit/min. I have had zero ulcer problems I have had and everything I have fed it to has flourised. It's inexpensive too. Start him out at 10 oz a day for 5 days then back him off to 5 oz. We need to get his immune system working too. After you think he's healthy enough, definitely hit him with Merck Prodigy, and then give him a booster of the same 2 weeks later.
Where do you get this at? |
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Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | sourkiss378 - 2015-03-26 3:58 PM Herbie - 2015-03-26 3:54 PM Please try Maximum Performance vit/min. I have had zero ulcer problems I have had and everything I have fed it to has flourised. It's inexpensive too. Start him out at 10 oz a day for 5 days then back him off to 5 oz. We need to get his immune system working too. After you think he's healthy enough, definitely hit him with Merck Prodigy, and then give him a booster of the same 2 weeks later. Where do you get this at?
http://www.mphorse.com/
The vaccination you can order from Valley Vet.
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Wow this is a nice horse, I dont understand why in the He** someone would do this to such a nice horse. He made some pretty good money on the track and this guy has a nice speed index.
Glad that you have him now, how did you find him? |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Just wanted to add give he plenty of good hay for now and dont over do it with supplements, if he were mine I would be feeding him the best hay I could get my hands on. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1898
| Best quality alfalfa hay. You want his gut to get working again before you start adding a whole lot of grain to his diet. His insulin is probably out of whack and malnourished horses have a sensitivity to some minerals in high amounts that you find in grains.
Her is a great article on what happens in a starving horse as well as how to re-feed.
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/refeeding-starved-horses?id=&sk=&d...
You may also want to hit him with a power pack of de-wormer. I bet he is full of yucky parasites. Have his teeth looked as well. |
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 Independent Cuss
Posts: 3978
Location: Dearing, GA | Once you've had him on feed for about a month, and treated for any ulcers, I would totally add Forco. You should check out some before and after photos of horses on Forco. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Glad you found him, can't wait to see the after pictures! |
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | cyount2009 - 2015-03-26 6:05 PM Best quality alfalfa hay. You want his gut to get working again before you start adding a whole lot of grain to his diet. His insulin is probably out of whack and malnourished horses have a sensitivity to some minerals in high amounts that you find in grains. Her is a great article on what happens in a starving horse as well as how to re-feed. http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/refeeding-starved-horses?id=&s... You may also want to hit him with a power pack of de-wormer. I bet he is full of yucky parasites. Have his teeth looked as well.
agree.. Id hold off on alot of supplements |
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | Southtxponygirl - 2015-03-26 4:31 PM Just wanted to add give he plenty of good hay for now and dont over do it with supplements, if he were mine I would be feeding him the best hay I could get my hands on.
Huge ditto to this.
I also agree with LRQS and was thinking the exact same thing. It's hard to wrap your head around such a nice horse to end up in the shape he's in. I'm so glad you saved him. |
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I would really think THE muscle mass would do wonders. We got an old gelding back of my husbands that was in his early 20's and he looked every bit this bad. We let a family member borrow him for his kids. Won't ever do that again. I wish I had known about Forco back then, but we had him on probiotics, THE a mush of alfalfa & beet pellets soaked, had his teeth done and eventually dewormed him. This was him a year or so before he finally passed away at 28. He was super sway backed from years of ranch work, but THE filled him in really well.
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Wow, it never gets any less heartbreaking to see a poor horse treated so badly. I bet he will be eternally grateful that you are now his caretaker. Good luck in your journey!! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 937
| Thank you everyone for your kind words. He is such a sweet soul and I'm glad to have him!
Right now he is on a good free choice hay and I'm slowly introducing the alfalfa/timothy mix so I don't overload him. I am not feeding a lot of the grain right now just as much hay as he can eat and the only supplement I have him on is the horse shoers secret because his feet are absolutely terrible. I am going to speak to T.H.E. about getting him started in about a month on the Muscle Mass once hes got his system going a little better.
Thanks everyone for the help, I really appreciate it! I will post pictures in a month and keep you guys updated!  |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | sourkiss378 - 2015-03-27 7:39 AM Thank you everyone for your kind words. He is such a sweet soul and I'm glad to have him!
Right now he is on a good free choice hay and I'm slowly introducing the alfalfa/timothy mix so I don't overload him. I am not feeding a lot of the grain right now just as much hay as he can eat and the only supplement I have him on is the horse shoers secret because his feet are absolutely terrible. I am going to speak to T.H.E. about getting him started in about a month on the Muscle Mass once hes got his system going a little better.
Thanks everyone for the help, I really appreciate it! I will post pictures in a month and keep you guys updated!
Good deal  cant wait to see him when he gets most of his weight put back on. |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | Poor guy!! Thank goodness you have him now. How did he end up that way?!?! He's bred way too nice for someone to do this too him :( |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | Can't wait to see him flourish. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 937
| Trying to load his one month pictures. They aren't the best quality but it was super windy and he was still a little wet from his bath and not wanting to stand still.
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Looking good, cant wait to see him a couple of months from now. Keep up the good work |
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