# Feeding horses that drop weight Easily



## karlhague (Nov 14, 2009)

A friends Equine Dentist Recomended Feeding a scoop of sugar beet with a scoop of speedi beet for horses that drop weight during winter.(SOAKED ,never feed dry)

Mainly Because Sugar beet releases energy slowley, thus it warms their bellys up.

Which keeps them warmer therefore they drop less weight!!! (He did say more but I really cant remember it!!!)


I hope this helps others


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## Cascara (Jul 27, 2009)

Sorry but I dont agree, the slow release is not what a horse needs to keep weight on its what a horse needs to keep weight off!

Do you have a problem with a horse keeping weight on?


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## karlhague (Nov 14, 2009)

Cascara said:


> Sorry but I dont agree, the slow release is not what a horse needs to keep weight on its what a horse needs to keep weight off!
> 
> Do you have a problem with a horse keeping weight on?


Nope But my point is slow release energy keeps them warmer during winter, If their warmer, If they feel warmer in themselves they wont waste energy trying to keep warm.

My 8month old colt dosent seem to be having weight issues, seems to be doing farley well.


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## IvanLowinski (Nov 16, 2009)

I have problem with keeping him fat.
He lose weight in cold months.
should I feed it more?

Dogs are also not fat.
I keep them outside.


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## toddy (Jan 24, 2009)

What are you feeding at the moment.
Sugarbeet is not good for putting on weight and is also very good at hotting horses up so feed with caution.
What type of horse have you got and what work is he in?
Also have you wormed him recently?


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## JSR (Jan 2, 2009)

Personally I won't touch sugar beet and don't even get me started on Speedi-Beet!!! My boy is sugar intolerant anyway so I have to be extreamly careful with his diet. I feed in the winter Allen & Page Calm and Condition with Fast Fibre, and I cannot recommend this feed enough!! It's completely natural and put kilo's back on him when he dropped a huge amount of weight last year. In the summer months I change him to Allen & Page Ride and Relax. Both feeds I mix with Ready Grass and supplements but I do recommend emailing Allen & Pages nutritionists as tehy are extreamly helpful and knowledable. They've tailored a complete feeding schedule for me and it works out very cheap too!! I spend around £25 a month in the winter on hard feed for him and that's 2 meals a day to keep weight on, and half that cost in the summer to maintain his weight.


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## Tinks magic (Jan 4, 2009)

RIde and relax is a fave of mine alongside Ad lib forage and a good chaff.


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## Stephiepops (Aug 5, 2009)

there is a supplemtn on the market, 365 complete, it is an all round supplement and really helps horses maintain condition, think you can only buy it online but it is very reasonably priced, 50 days supply for £15.99 i think. if you google 365 complete you should be able to find it.


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

a good quality ad-lib supply of hay is a great winter warmerwheat middlings are a good way of putting weight on horses my old mare is doing very well since this additionplus i add hot water to make a warm feed


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## Oenoke (Oct 17, 2009)

I had trouble keeping weight on my 27 year old Warmblood mare last year, I was recommended by an Equine Nutritionist to feed her Dengie Alpha Oil, Baileys No. 4 (Conditioning Cubes) and Barley Rings, this has really worked and she is looking really well now. When she was younger she was a good doer and I fed her Sugarbeat to bulk out her food not put weight on.


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## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

A feed balancer will help them make the most from their food. Pink Powder is brilliant stuff fed at the balancer rate. My boy put on weight with it.


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## JSR (Jan 2, 2009)

Mum2Heidi said:


> A feed balancer will help them make the most from their food. Pink Powder is brilliant stuff fed at the balancer rate. My boy put on weight with it.


I was told to try Pink Powder and it didn't do anything for my boy. I've had him on yeast from Feedmark for the last few months and have to say I'm impressed by it. His coat is fabulous and he's not dropped any weight this winter despite having pretty much no grazing to speak of. Wasn't majorily expensive either so I'm happy.


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## merlyn26 (Feb 4, 2010)

sugarbeat is a great base for feeding as it is a good source of fibre and slow release energy so is good for all horses - the problem with it for some horses is that it usually comes mollased - sugar is quick release energy and is what will "hot up" some horses - but manufacturers such as simple systems feeds do make it unmollased. it is also high in calcium so good to feed alongside strights such as barely or oats which are high in phosphorus to balance these minerals out to the correct ratio. i like to use alpha a and sugerbeat as a base to all my feeding - alpha a may be an idea for a horse that doesnt keep weight on as although it is a good fibre source it is also high in lysine - this is a limiting amino acid - which means no matter how much of all the other amino acids you feed - the body can only absorb up to the amount of lysine it gets so if there is not enough lysine in the diet your horse could be missing out on all the vital protein building blocks - which could explain why it doesnt put weight on well. also a pre or probiotic supplement may also help - i know they are expensive but blue chip/equilibra etc are good for poor doers - worked for my scrawny tb i bought. also feeding barley is great for weight gain but caution as it is also heating and some horses are intollerant to it and get skin probs or gut probs.


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## nic101 (Jun 8, 2009)

i used to feed my tb with pasture mix and chop (shed loads of chop lol)... and carrots etc - he had a huge breakfast/tea and loads of haylege throught the day as well as out all day too

he never put as much weight on as i would have liked for 2 years, only in the final month of him being here he started to shine


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## Melx (Dec 23, 2009)

I personally only use speedy beat in the winter, little extra warmth but I dont rely on it to put weight on my horse.
I have a 16.2 TB and she has done well this winter, although a little ribby but with no grazing and a winter as bad as we have had is what to be expected really.
I personally just like the more natural feeds, i.e. Chaff! I put my mare on 3 scoops of chaff and a scoop of pasture mix with some carrots and this seems to be putting the weight on nicely albeit slowly, but I would rather her put it on at her own pace! as long as she is healthy that is my biggest concern.

I do want to add something to her feed for her condition, Is there anything anyone could suggest?

Thanks!


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## RachyBobs (Oct 18, 2009)

but speedi beat is sugar beat :lol:


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## JSR (Jan 2, 2009)

Melx said:


> I personally only use speedy beat in the winter, little extra warmth but I dont rely on it to put weight on my horse.
> I have a 16.2 TB and she has done well this winter, although a little ribby but with no grazing and a winter as bad as we have had is what to be expected really.
> I personally just like the more natural feeds, i.e. Chaff! I put my mare on 3 scoops of chaff and a scoop of pasture mix with some carrots and this seems to be putting the weight on nicely albeit slowly, but I would rather her put it on at her own pace! as long as she is healthy that is my biggest concern.
> 
> ...


There isn't much natural about most chaffs!! :lol:They are smoothered in mollasses, unless you are feeding a light mix (which I doubt if you are trying to put weight on). I avoid chaff like the plague it's foul stuff! To bulk up my hard feed I use Northen Crop Driers Graze-on it's dried grass with no sticky extra's added, the horses love it and it's great to help put on some weight.


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## Anna_ThePureFeedCo (Jan 25, 2010)

Over winter, outdoor horses and ponies require up to 30% more energy (less if they are kept cosy and warm in a stable) in order to replace the energy lost through keeping warm and to compensate for poor grass quality.
So the main thing to remember is to increase energy density of the feed. There are many different ways of doing this, but try steering away from high starch and high sugar feeds, as these may lead to problems such as excitibility, laminitis, ulcers, digestive upset and much more.
Adding oil to the feed ration is a brilliant way of increasing the energy content without causing the associated problems that you see from starch and sugars. Try to choose one that has a good omega 3 content. Linseed particularly, is a beneficial oil for horses.


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## Mastiff_lass (May 22, 2010)

RachyBobs said:


> but speedi beat is sugar beat :lol:


Speedi beet is sugar beet with no sugar in it!

Sugar/speedi beet are very confusing unless you know enough about feeding.

My 11yo TB has never had either, he's a nightmare in winter but he's rugged up well, clipped out and in hard work. His winter feed consists of: Baileys cooked cereal meal, Alfa A oil and 16 plus! With added biotin and crushed linseed.

Currently this summer since he's been out he's not had any hard feed but we're fortunate enough to have very good grazing. He's not in work at the mo though


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## Melx (Dec 23, 2009)

I dont know anyone who has their horse on the exact same feed as mine, every horse is different!
My mare is now on: 1 scoop of Allen & Page Calm & Condition, 1 scoop of Baileys No1, 1 scoop of chaff and a table spoon of sunflower oil, twice a day.

This has done wonders but in my opinion wouldnt have made much difference without hay and grass! I believe they are the best thing for weight gain and you can feed either as much as you like! My horse has 3 bales of hay a week and she only hay hay at night time!
The sunflower oil and Calm & Condition have helped her get her shine back in her coat and make her look alot healthier, While the Baileys No1 and chaff help with her weight. In the winter I will be adding Speedy Beet into her feed for extra warmth as it is heated.
She also does 6 days a week excersize max 30mins per day, and has a full groom once a day.

This together is doing wonders for her weight, her condition and she seems alot more alive and happier in herself! It has not hyped her up but turned her into a horse again as she was very down when I bought her.

This may not work for other people and some people may think this is the wrong way of doing things but it works for me and my horse! :thumbup:


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