For a friend. Horse neeeeeds weight!!!!

So, my friend got a 26yr old TB mare last year and she was really really skinny! We got her on grain and extra hay, we used beat pulp for a while but she didn't really like it so we took her off of it. She has been wormed and I think her teeth are all right. She has gained a little bit of weight, but she still needs a lot of weight. Is there anything you can suggest for her? Right now she is on Rice Bran Oil and I think a grain for older horses.

Help Please?

Thanks!

YES. Try this. 20cc of plain yogurt 2x a day. Take the horse 100% off her feed for 3 days. Yogurt only. It might be a problem with the stomach lining. If so this can correct it and get the horse back on tract. NO GRAIN FOR 3 DAYS otherwise the yogurt doesnt work. You wont be starving the horse...its only for 3days and its not grain that keeps the horse warm...its hay. Other than what she already doing that's really all she can do. She needs to be on choice hay...that means all the hay she can eat.(not alfalfa)Some alfalfa can be used but only 2flakes a day. If she isnt getting that now,start her slowly on it. You said you THINK her teeth are all right? You need to KNOW that they are. When they age, their back teeth go flat and sharp like razors.Even if the horse doesnt appear to drop food doesnt mean she doesnt need her teeth done. Their teeth are esential to them no matter how soft their food is. Equine Senior is a good feed for older horses. Purina makes a good feed. The horse is 26 AND a Thoroughbred to top it off. They can be hard keepers at any age. She might not gain the weight back...and if she does your friend might not be happy with how much. Once those older horses go down hill...its hard to get them back up.

Oh you can also try calf mana.its beefs them up and you don't usemuch...like 1/4 to 1/2 scoop

Uh, they have probiotics just for horses (which is what the yogurt will do for her), and all you gotta do is give a bit every day. A little less messy, than the yogurt, imo.

She should have free choice hay, and you could also give her a bucket of alfalfa hay cubes, or some other hay cubes.

You should have her teeth checked and filed if that's needed.

Thanks guys!!

I find Beet pulp is great for adding weight. You said your friends horse didnt like it. This can be the case, some horses aren't fans. But there are ways you can make it taste a bit better.
Instead of soaking it w straight water...do 1/2 water, and 1/2 apple juice. You can also add some molasses to the beet pulp. The xtra sugar shouldnt make her "hot" as she's older and could use the xtra energy Im thinking. 1/4 cup would be lots
My harder keepers get a mash of beetpulp, pellets (senior for the oldies, the others get a 12%), flax, 1/2cup oil, Bran, carrot,

As for pro/prebiotics, a real great proiduct is Equine Choice. It has a great balance.

I found Copra piled weight on my boy after my first winter with him (typical Tb loses condition in blink of an eye!)

I didnt find sugar beet did much for his weight or my previous tb either...

I have heard feeding a couple of tablespoons of milk powder daily can put codition on also.

yeah the beet pulp didn't really do much for the horse either she was on that for a while and it didn't make much of a dent which is another reason we switched her feed.

Horses loose weight quickly, but it takes time to gain back.
How long was she on the Beet pulp, you said she didn't like it, so if she wasn't eating it...kinda hard for it to work

But that is fine, whatever you prefer...However, I have always had great success w it. But like I said weight gain takes patience.

Good luck

she was eating it, but didn't always finish it. She was on it for about two months? Maybe.