weight gain?

So my Lacey girl is not getting enough to eat or something since she's not gaining or losing she's just kinda stuck at being a little ribby (through her winter coat). I've talked to the BO and she said she'd start feeding her more but Lacey is at the bottom of the totem pole in her field so she gets shoved off by the more aggressive (FAT) horses in her field. I also think that the hay they got this year is a little under the weather nutrition wise and Lacey's age is probably catching up with her so I'm not blaming it all on the BO, I know she's trying her best. I'm also working Lacey 4 days a week which is kinda a lot for her current fitness level (which I am trying to increase by working her 4 days a week).

Anyway, so I'm kinda wondering if there's anything I can buy and feed her every time I come out (everyday except for the weekends and wednesdays) that'll help her gain some weight. I've tried just feeding her an extra flake every time I go out and that did nothing, maybe it helped her not lose more weight but she didn't gain anything.

I was thinking maybe beet pulp (soaked or whatever) or something might help? People who have seen her hooves think she's possibly foundered before (not seriously) so I've heard that grain/sweet feed isn't a good option? I also don't want her getting "hot", she might not but I'm not really sure and I don't want to find out that she does if I can at all help it. Haha

Ideas?
Thanks!

I was feeding my horse a midday snack of soaked beet pulp and rice bran to put on the extra winter pounds. Mine didn't like the taste of the beet pulp alone, but when added with rice bran, he gobbled 5 pounds a day of it. If you do rice bran, get the stabilized variety. It has the proper calcium/phosphorus ratio. I like both foods since neither of them is a grain. You can feed it to them after riding with no ill affects. That's assuming the horse is not hot or sweating from the workout and properly cooled out.

I have an older gentleman who is pretty high strung (typical TB) and I am also struggling to get the pounds on. Beet pulp has been helping a lot and he also gets 2 lbs of purina equine senior and 3 ounces of cool cals per day. Luckily I get deals on a lot of this or I'd be flat broke!

With Lacy just sort of sticking at one weight (not losing) I bet you could get away with just adding 4 lbs or so of soaked beets per day and see some pounds on her within a few weeks.

RICE BRAN :) LOL - It is great stuff for putting on weight. Alfalfa pellets seem to help as well.

I would give her alfalfa pellets and some rice bran. Start with 1 scoop of AP (a 3qt feed scoop) and 1/2 cup of stabilized rice bran. See if your BO or another boarder would be willing to feed her this on the days you're not there (away from the other horses).

After a week, increase to 2 scoops of Alfalfa pellets and 1 cup of rice bran. That should be enough to put a good amount of weight on her.

Also, have your vet check her teeth if they were not floated this year, and you might consider giving her a stronger dewormer, like Quest Plus or Equimax, just to make sure she's parasite free.

I'm a bit leary about giving a horse who has possibly foundered in the past alfalfa. Just my $0.02 but it is something to think about for your girl.

I suggest adding cocosoya or ricebran oil to her feed. There is a smartpak supplement called CoolCalories that's about $12.95 a month that comes in pre-measured scoops for each day. I've used that on my horses and had great success.

I really like the cool cals, and if you get them in the smart packs they're really easy for your BO to give her.

Calf manna believe it or not works wonders....my friend feeds it to all her horses that are rescues and need some weight and they gain it fast. My mare, Sammi, also is not an easy keeper. I keep her on alphalpha cubes (soaked 2 scoops) and a half scoop of sweet feed (10%) and she does very well.

You could try some corn oil, just add it to her grain. Or if citrus pulp or rice bran are available they're both highly digestible and great for older horses