Underweight horse

This is my first time posting...I am asking for some help because I want to see what other people think that aren't in my life. My mare that I am getting at the end of the month is not drastically underweight but she does need some. The problem is she has never (to my knowledge) been on grain or anything other then alfalfa cubes. I am getting a real big difference in opinion between feeding Hi Fat HI Fiber and/or sweet feed. I have heard to mix it, to feed just one of the other or feed with oats. I am just looking for some more opinions. This is not my first horse or anything but I have never had a worry with any other horses as to what to feed, it has always been sweet feed.

Thanks for any advice :)

Hi fat hi fiber NO SWEET feed it is at time counter productive

Good nutrition
Free choice hay grass
High fat if needed

When I have a underweight pony come in I feed it on sugerbeet, alfalfa chaff and as much hay/haylege as it wants and also access to grazing throughout the day and then 2 big nets of hay to go over the night. I also add rapeseed oil to the chaff aswell as that helps to gain some weight.

Stale bread every now and then wont do her any harm either.

Hi,

I would generally avoid feeding grain unless there was absolutely no better option. If I did feed, it would be well processed(micronised or such) and fed in a large number of small meals daily, mixed with forage/chaff. I would not feed sweet feed or other 'junk food' at all, except as an occasional, tiny treat.

If a horse needs 'condition', if her teeth are OK, she's healthy & no ulcers, worms or such, free choice grazing/hay with part being alfalfa should generally be adequate. Appropriate supplementation for nutrition is important too. If the horse needs more than that, mixing some oil, oil seeds, such as linseed or such, or adding some soy or copra meal or such can be good.

At any rate, if you're confused about conflicting opinions(if you ask a question of 4 different horsepeople, you'll get at least 8 different answers!), I would suggest you find an (independant of feed co's)equine nutritionist to ask, to learn the factors that effect our opinions. The mob I use and can recommend are feedxl.com