# skinny mares!



## Guest (Feb 27, 2008)

Hi i have a 31 year old anglo arab mare who has lost a bit of weight this winter,im feeding her quiet mix,sugarbeet,honeychop and barley rings twice a day,im dreading the day when the rugs come off she always looks a bit rough for the first couple of months!also my 6 year old tb chesnut mare is a bit ribby shes having the same feed as above.Any ideas how to fatten them up without hotting up? They also have ad-lib hay,and eat their barley straw bed!


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## bullbreeds (Jan 14, 2008)

You can buy as many different feeds as you can possibly afford but I still say theres nothing like good grass to fatten up a horse. Ive bought many a skinny horse and I simply turn them out once the harsh winter months have passed.


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## tashi (Dec 5, 2007)

Are they wormed????


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## Guest (Feb 29, 2008)

Yes i always make sure they are wormed regually(spelling wrong there!) also this grass stuff sounds good! what does it look like!


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## tashi (Dec 5, 2007)

clare7577 said:


> Yes i always make sure they are wormed regually(spelling wrong there!) also this grass stuff sounds good! what does it look like!


We have plenty of grass stuff   we always used to feed ours sugarbeet and boiled barley with a mix and a can of stout either guiness or mackeson when we had them in hard work and they always looked well


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## bullbreeds (Jan 14, 2008)

clare7577 said:


> Yes i always make sure they are wormed regually(spelling wrong there!) also this grass stuff sounds good! what does it look like!


I never have much grass at my yard so I would move them to somewhere that does until they've picked up a bit. You'l be amazed how different they look after a month.


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## Broxdown (Jan 18, 2008)

The award winning Topspec help line should be able to help you. They are very good  01845 565030


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## Lynsey (Apr 13, 2008)

Hi Claire,

I know you posted this a while ago but I have had brilliant success with Winergy Equilibrium. I have a 17.1h warmblood gelding who struggles to keep weight on but is still young so don't want him turning into an idiot.

I have fed him the Winergy Growth which although meant for youngstock and mares is excellent. He looks fabulous and is very sensible with it. He has a sensitive stomach so starch can be an issue and this brand of feed is very low in starch.

The helpline number is 01908 576277.

Lynsey


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## Sophia (Apr 1, 2008)

I presume that teeth have been checked? 

Your mare is getting on a bit - is she finding masticating difficult? I don't know if you already are, but for the older horse's I find that making the feed wet can help so that it requires less chewing ... one of our oldies literally had their feed as a mash. 

I swear by Simple Feeds - they are all forage based feeds so even my even my very hot headed TB is (relatively!) sane. 

If I were you, I would also consider changing bedding - paper or shavings is generally much less appetising for them!


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## Guest (Apr 22, 2008)

Hi yes teeth are done every 6 months for her,took rug off today in fieldshes put some weight on so you cant visably see all of ribs,but you can feel them,her coat looks awful though,every year she takes longer to lose the winter coat,she looks like a horse with cushing,but i dont think shes got that.


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## Dennyboy (Jan 3, 2008)

I feed sugar beet and Baileys top line conditioning cubes,with Alfa-A oil.

We haven't got any grass either  i was feeding packet grass in the winter to mine.

Has anyone ever tried the worm counts?I will start a seperate post for that one.

Thanks 
Mel


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

I presume they are wormed?

Do they have good grazing and how much hay do you give them through the winter?


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## Guest (Jun 18, 2008)

Try giving a dollop of cod liver oil to improve coat condition, you can't feed it in larger amounts because of the vitamin A it contains. Or feed the oil from tesco etc in larger quantities to improve the coat and help weight gain, build up the amount you give gradually until it's about 250ml/day. Also add a vitamin E suppliment if you're feeding large quantities of oil. 

Change the bedding too. There's almost no nutrition in straw so no point letting them fill their bellys with it if they're already too thin. 

Consider a general vitamin/mineral suppliment, old horses don't digest things as well, so may need extra help, also if you're feeding less than the manufacturers recommendations of feed the horse won't get enough vitamins and minerals. Feed balancers are good for weight gain too and won't make your horse excitable, all the vitamins and minerals are already in them so no need for a separate suppliment. x


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