Sick of seeing bones... PLEASE help!

Color My Impressions Quarter Horse

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(This picture is in the morning before she eats grain, she has hay 24/7.)

This is Fiera, she is an American Quarter horse filly, but built completely like a thoroughbred. She is just barley 3 years old already standing at 16 hh. I am having the hardest time keeping weight on this horse and I need some suggestions on what to do, I can't stand going in my pasture and seeing a skinny horse!

Right now she is getting 2 scoops of mare and foal, and 1 scoop of Platinum Performance Ultium pellets each morning and night then a bale to a bale 1/2 each day (free choice hay all day). I haven't given her anymore grain because I've been told to much grain is dangerous and not healthy for a horse, specially a growing horse. I've tried to use beat pulp, but Fiera wont walk near the smell of beat pulp, pelleted and flakes. Then I tried Setinol, what race horses supposedly eat, again she wouldn't eat it. I've heard something about some sort of oil will help, but what kind of oil do I use? She is worked everyday to keep her muscle mass, but only long enough to give her little exercise. She's also been dewormed with Equi-max, ivermectin, and safe choice, within the last couple months. So, I'm running out of options with this filly, but I absolutely adore her and never wish to sell her, so I need a solution! Please please give me any advice as to what I could feed this filly! She isn't extremely skinny or anything, just shows ribs randomly, and in the morning before their fed she is skinny again.

Thanks!!

Pouring vegetable oil over grain can help a bit.

She is growing very fast. All her energy is going to her height rather than filling her out. I would not be too worried about this horse. Several years from now, you will probably be moaning that she is too fat. She appears to be healthy overall. I am glad that you keep hay in front of her. You are correct to be careful with the grain. I have seen horses lame for life due to foundering from grain overload. This is a really nice filly.

Other than the odd shot with her ribs showing, I don't see a thin or slightly built horse at all. I think she is substantial and growing. I would personally drop the mare and foal because our vet wanted the youngsters off of it by 6 months, claiming it is too rich. I am not usually all for a ration balancer but that might be just the ticket for her. A ration balancer over a scoop of hay stretcher or rice bran could really give her all she needs.

I think, right now, she is probably going through a bit of a growth spurt. Growing up first and she will fill those ribs back in. She still looks like a nice, solid AQHA to me.

Agreed with the above posts. She's not horribly thin, just a bit ribby which is fairly normal for a young horse. My paint x mare was ribby as well between 2 and 3 years old, now it's a struggle to keep her from being too obese. I'd say not to worry about it unless she doesn't fill out in her top line and over her ribs within the next year-year and a half. You could add a pound or two of rice bran if it reaaaally bothers you, but if not I'd rather see some ribs at her age and stage of growth rather than being too fat.

She looks fine to me... Youngsters are better kept a little ribby because if you fill them out to quickly their weight could damage their joints.

No need for grain or beet pulp...I like to stay away from sugar (alfalfa too) and keep things as natural as possible. Ricebran does work but you have to be really careful with the calcuim phospherous ratio! Here are before and after pics of my filly when I got her at age 3 last year and at age 4 now. All I used 2 cups of canola meal everyday :) which works wonderfuly and contains omega 3, 6 and lots of healthy fats! I got these results from good old fashioned hay and a super basic vit/min supplement with of course the canola meal :) Take a look at the results in less than a year!

I agree with the others also, it's just her growing. That's the bad thing about having young horses. They go through spurts where they are supper skinny and then pretty fat. My guys (ages 3 and 4) just went through a growth spurt...they both came in with their ribs, hips, spine sticking out and their tail docs sunk in. Their bellies still had the whole hay belly thing going on tho. Suffice to say 3 weeks later they are back up to optimal weight and now I'm going to be going through the whole fat stage in a little while :)

Nutritional Information | Manna Pro

MaxEGlo has addressed the calcium/phosphorus ratio with rice bran. It is either 1 to 1 or 1 pho to 1.5 cal.

I agree with the growing - awkward stages suck!

Though I have never had a problem with my colt?

I highly recommend Lucerne Chaff and Sunflower seeds!!