Best grain for weight gain without making a horse hot?

Beet pulp is good for putting a bloom on an unthrifty horse & does make them hot. You could also try an extruded feed with a high fat content.
Posted via Mobile Device

Waresbear please explain how beet pulp makes them hot? I always thought it was kind of a cool calorie.

I have a TB that gets hot on everything and is a very difficult keeper. I have tried it all and unfortunately he has a tendancy to choke so though beet pulp keeps weight on, he has choked on it even when soaked over night. Rice bran is my secret weapon for him- he doesn't choke on the pelleted type and the best part is that it is next to impossible to colic a horse on too much fat, which is what the rice bran is so you don't have to worry about over doing. To be honest though, he does the absolute best when he is on a round bale. He can "graze" all day on it, I don't have to worry about colic and he comes through the winter looking amazing, and he is coming 23 this march!

Another vote for rice bran! My horse was a very hard keeper and picky eater- wouldn't touch beet pulp/pellets. I tried him on TC senior and it made him fat...even though he tried to leave as much of the beet pulp as possible in his bucket...., but it also made him hot. Our current winning situation is Purina Strategy, ricebran and Suceed (and free choise quality hay)
He is fat, shiney and sane!

Best of luck!

LOL!!!! Typo!!! Does NOT! Sorry!

I used Triple Crown Senior for the last part of my 25 yr olds life - it made a drastic difference, the only reason that he eventually passed was because his small intestine just wasn't absorbing nutrients anymore.

If you use rice bran, pay attention to the calcium/phosphorus ratio so that you don't get it out of balance. But rice bran is a great idea.

A cup of corn oil works great - instant fat calories, but the main thing I read and agree with is freechoice hay, with alfalfa or beetpulp given as a supplement to that but not as the main dish.

I agree about getting a dental workup done just to be sure, a deworming for tapes, and then don't forget winter blanketing especially during the rainy days - a horse can shiver off all of the calories he ate the day before in just one night of cold weather.

The main thing tho is good quality free choice hay and a vitamin supplement or at the very least, a mineral block. If you horse is healthy on the inside and doesn't have any metabolic issues, hay is the fastest, cheapest and most efficient way to bulk them up. But if there are metabolic issues present and hay isn't enough, your idea of Triple Crown Senior is a great feed choice for the old skinny horses. It worked for my guy - it added years to his life, and he actually got back to his old self and we did some more trail riding and playdays for a long time.

Wow it looks like you covered your bases well. I agree with the beet pulp. I think you ought to soak it first. Make it go down easier. Sound like you have the best horse feed around with the free grass at will.

Have a fecal count done with the fall exam

Another vote for beet pulp. My TBs both get 6 quarts of soaked beet pulp a day with their grain. You could also try adding corn oil to his diet.

My favorite weight gain product is Nutrena Empower. Purina Ultium is another very good product and it has beet pulp and rice bran in it. You can also add BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds) to any feed program for added fat calories.