How does my horse look?

What kind of hay are you feeding and what is the quality of it? Honest question....

If his teeth are good, and he is regularly wormed your hay might be to blame. It might be low in nutrients. I noticed your other horse in one of the pictures is a bit thin. And for as much as you give their weight should be perfectly fine but it isn't.

I am going to get my hay tested. I have a sample all ready to go, just need to take it in. If you are talking about the grey, he is a fresh off the track STB that I have been rehabbing. He is slender built and almost ideal weight for his breed

No the 7th or so picture (one before the last one), the chestnut on the background.
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She was also lacking so they told me to put her on Nutrena Empower Balance. Now she is as round as a nut She is so fat she could sto p a speeding bullet with her a$$

Taken last week

Hi,

Firstly, while the pics aren't the best, I don't think he looks too thin, but he's obviously not in the best health & is lacking muscle & appears to have back problems(hunter's bump, etc) which would be one reason for atrophy/lack of development. Have you had a bodyworker check him out?

As someone else mentioned, routine deworming is not always *effective* worming. I'd ensure that was taken care of and that if he hasn't had his teeth checked in the last 6-12 months, get the dentist.

How long have you had him & what are the reasons you've changed feeds & given the blood supp? Have you analysed his diet for nutritional balance? Does he get a good nutritional supp to provide what he needs? Ill health/failure to thrive can be about nutrition, not calories.

Considering all the 'high octane' feed he's been on/getting, I'd consider this could be part of his problem & changing to something healthier & lower starch/grain/sugar. It also depends how you feed - eg do you give him that 6lbs over only 1-2 big meals daily, or over a few more small ones? Especially if you can't feed it little & often, I'd avoid those types.

Good on you for trying to get better educated! Call me a cynic, but unfortunately I don't generally think seminars & advice from manufacturers of feed is going to give you an objective point of view though. Particularly manufacturers of cheaper stuff without fixed ingredients. Of course they're going to recommend their own feed. I would suggest you use an independent nutritionist/service, such as feedxl.com or Dr Kellon's site/course to learn more & get unbiassed information.

Oh & I'd suggest getting a fair bit of weight off that mini!

Sorry but no way is that horse the 'ideal weight' for his breed. He is very thin.
Although I would rather see a horse on the LEAN side than too fat, this horse is THIN - he has no muscle.
Regarding your other horse - are you sure he is 6? He looks like he may be an old horse and I say that because a horse I have whom I thought to be around 15 started to drop weight over winter and I could not get to the bottom of it until I had his teeth done and we discovered he is in his 20s. It all made sense then and he now has a special diet with much more protein than I would normally feed.

I know he is THIN and needs muscle but he is good fat wise according to the vet. And yes, Harley is 6. He is looking better now. Just working on that topline.

hunter's bump is VERY common among off the track horses. He was a pacer. I am going to get a bodyworker out here when I can afford it. It doesn't seem to bother him at all. All the pacers I have ever ridden have had hunters bumps and it didn't affect them at all. He raced 5 days before I got him and was up to date on everything since it was the beginning of the season. He gets 2 meals daily and has hay 24/7. I would feed him more often but I am not home during the day unless its the weekend (I work). I am looking for as much knowledge as I can get so I can be more independent in the choices I make for my horses.