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Expert
Posts: 2685
   
| I have considered getting an amino acid supplement for 2 of my horses. Here's why: the 5yo has always had an embarrassing topline. The horse is broke-broke and can do all of the exercises to build topline like a pro (for months) and still look like she's a 10yo TB (no pun intended). I have come to the conclusion its just HER. However, its HIDEOUS. The only time I ever saw the horse even close to flat-ish over her back was when she was eating like a feeder calf (2lbs renew, MM, free choice Bermuda, 20lbs alfalfa a day) and being ridden like rocky balboa. She has had several months off due to an injury and her back/withers look terrible. I thought about adding an amino acid sup to her diet because from what I have read you can give a horse as much protein as you want but if they don't have enough lysine, methionine and threonine (the "limited" amino acids) they cant use the proteins efficiently to build muscle where it needs to go.
The other horse is a 10yo TB mare that I have only had a month or so that is just a broodmare but has absolutely no topline at all. She was not fed well at all before I got her. She has gained about 100lbs in the past month that she has been here but I don't see the topline coming due to age and breed.
Y'all share your experiences!
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 941
Location: Kansas | If a horse is getting enough quality calories and still losing muscle, I would consult an equine vet and rule out EPM. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| In all honesty - skip the AA supplement.
Get her checked by a vet to make sure she can actually absorb what you are feeding her. Blood work can do this. If something is off in the hind gut, your horse won't absorb the nutrients it actually needs - regardless of how much you are shoving in them.
Once you have the gastric "ok" from the vet - up your calories overall - feeding alfalfa and beet pulp is a great, cost effective way.
I'd look at overall supplements before giving AA. Remember, changing a diet and supplementing will take time to see results as well.
Good luck!
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
| The things that I have found to add topline to a pasture butt (as in a horse not regularly ridden), as well as any horse being ridden regularly (which should help with topline, if ridden correctly), are:
Alfalfa, the best quality you can find
Beet pulp shreds
Rice bran
Vegetable oil (I moved away from corn years ago, but users choice)
Weight Builder
Had an old school, very experienced horse person tell me years ago tell me the recipe for adding weight safely and fast: fat and fiber.
I've had my 'get fat fast' diet work over and over again bringing back broodies after nursing, bringing back sick horses, and now a starved 3yo. Two months and they are round again with great toplines.
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Too busy outside!
Posts: 5417
| lonely va barrelxr - 2014-11-30 9:56 AM The things that I have found to add topline to a pasture butt (as in a horse not regularly ridden), as well as any horse being ridden regularly (which should help with topline, if ridden correctly), are: Alfalfa, the best quality you can find Beet pulp shreds Rice bran Vegetable oil (I moved away from corn years ago, but users choice) Weight Builder Had an old school, very experienced horse person tell me years ago tell me the recipe for adding weight safely and fast: fat and fiber. I've had my 'get fat fast' diet work over and over again bringing back broodies after nursing, bringing back sick horses, and now a starved 3yo. Two months and they are round again with great toplines.
I agree with these! |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| Thank you everyone!
I have tried had blood pulled on her 3X in 4 years including decals to try to see if somethin in that area might be the cause. Every time it all came back normal. I considered that hair analysis I have heard so much about?
Thank The Lord she isnt consistently losing muscle, just doesn't hardly have any unless I'm feeding her like a feeder calf and riding like we are training for the Olympics. She has been like this from day 1. So it's not new, but I have finally put my foot down to fix it. When I was riding and hauling a bunch before she got hurt is obviously when she looked the best. She was eating a ton of alfalfa and stayed in her stall a lot though.
Thank you for all of the suggestions. When I start riding again I'll put her back on alfalfa for sure. I was thinking about getting the "cocosoya oil" ("98% fat) and adding an oz to her diet along with everyone else's. The deal with her is volume. She WILL NOT eat grain of any kind or alfalfa cubes or beat pulp in volume. She will eat about 2qts and be full of whatever so the rest has to be in her forage or a very concentrated diet. She's always been this way. Picky butt.
Thanks again from everyone!! |
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Expert
Posts: 1815
| Both of my horse's topline improved dramatically when I started feeding Purina Enrich Plus at a rate of 1# two times a day, plus a # of standlee alfalfa pellets. Formerly I was feeding Purina Healthy Edge, and they looked like had good weight, but lacked topline |
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 I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
| My 28 year old mare lost her topline summer before last in the drought and heat. Had not been able to get her to regain it.
Finally she is looking good again. I had to separate her from the rest of the horses as she is a eat a little bit all day kind of horse instead of gobble it up until it gone type eater. Also have switched my horses to Tribute Kalm n Ez GC. She takes all day to finish her pellets and never cleans up her hay, yet she has finally regained her topline. I decided to switch after seeing that the feed had pre and probiotics as well as digestive enzymes coupe with glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. So far, so good. |
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Expert
Posts: 3514
| Equine Restart by Techmix. |
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Veteran
Posts: 264
| Is it just her topline? Not ribby at all? Could you post pics.
Edited by turnedout 2014-11-30 4:33 PM
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| turnedout - 2014-11-30 4:32 PM
Is it just her topline? Not ribby at all? Could you post pics.
Sure. Nope. Not ribby. Just topline. Give me a sec. I'll have to resize them. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| We had an older lose his topline and the thing that helped the most was coco soya oil. Love it. I was feeding him alfalfa pellets, rice bran and flax plus free choice grass hay. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| RoaniePonie11 - 2014-11-30 5:22 PM
turnedout - 2014-11-30 4:32 PM
Is it just her topline? Not ribby at all? Could you post pics.
Sure. Nope. Not ribby. Just topline. Give me a sec. I'll have to resize them.
Ok, pictures are added. Some of them are when she is looking the best her topline has gotten and some are not so hot. I know its not an OMG looking thing but when you run your hand over her back, I bet her spine sticks up 1" she also has the pockets on either side of her withers. She has been like this her whole life. The bald faced colt in the pictures is bred like her and has withers but as you can see his back is relatively flat over his spine and has always been like that. He is 2 years younger than her.
Edited by RoaniePonie11 2014-11-30 6:03 PM
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| GLP - 2014-11-30 5:57 PM
We had an older lose his topline and the thing that helped the most was coco soya oil. Love it. I was feeding him alfalfa pellets, rice bran and flax plus free choice grass hay.
well that's great news. I have been planning on adding the cocosoya oil to everyones diet anyways, before my topline thought so this is encouraging lol |
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 Lady Di
Posts: 21556
Location: Oklahoma | TigerTe - 2014-11-30 10:08 AM
If a horse is getting enough quality calories and still losing muscle, I would consult an equine vet and rule out EPM.
^^^^ I swear, it's becoming an epidemic.  If she's doing any stumbling, or suddenly quit working as well or clocking as well, or acting different, I'd treat for EPM. You'd be amazed at how much better they look and feel in just a few days after treatment. |
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| I put my 5yo on Forco for different reasons, but he filled out so much over his top line that I've been recommending it to those who have been having problems. He filled out so much I didn't think my saddle was going to fit! I gave him a month off and when I started hauling him again people told me how great he looked. Actually, someone even called him fat LOL.
I referred Forco to a friend who had tried nearly everything available, and Forco was the ticket for her. |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| More caleries, fat. Imuse a calerie booster of some type. They have bunches out there omagitin, cool caleries, tractor supply have a flax one, purina makes one so does nutrina does also. They all work. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| WrapN3MN - 2014-11-30 6:08 PM
I put my 5yo on Forco for different reasons, but he filled out so much over his top line that I've been recommending it to those who have been having problems. He filled out so much I didn't think my saddle was going to fit! I gave him a month off and when I started hauling him again people told me how great he looked. Actually, someone even called him fat LOL.
I referred Forco to a friend who had tried nearly everything available, and Forco was the ticket for her.
I have heard a lot of people talking about it. I haven't researched it yet. Guess I need to get to lookin huh lol |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| Also, omce the pastures get lean,i used a mixture of beet pulp, alfalfa cubes put some in bucket add water add to feed 2 times a day helps my ulcer horse. Plus theynget at least 15 pounds of hay a day per horse. |
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Veteran
Posts: 264
| I had a lot of success with FORCO and lysine for my guy! |
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