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Weight builders?

4K views 33 replies 13 participants last post by  OneFastHorse 
#1 · (Edited)
I am looking to put my gelding on a weight gainer, but am not sure which one to go with.

The two I am stuck between is:

Animed Weight Up - Animed Weight-Up - Horse.com
OR
Source Focus WT - Source Focus WT - Horse.com

Anybody have any opinions on these two products and know which one might be better?

I will add that currently my horse is on free choice grass hay, 2 flakes of alfalfa and 5lbs of senior grain per day. It is split into two feedings. So one flake of alfalfa and 2.5lbs of grain in the morning and then again at night. He always has hay in front of him.

His weight is not bad, but I did recently take him off of beet pulp simply because he doesn't like the taste of it and it was a struggle to get him to even eat it. He also will not eat rice bran. So I am thinking a weight builder might be a good thing to try to add some extra calories.

His ribs are just barely visible and I know he has dropped a little bit of weight, but not much and he isn't skinny by any means. But I am going to start riding him probably 3-5 times a week beginning in January so I want to make sure he has the extra calories he needs to keep his weight despite being worked. Cause right now he is only worked like once a week or so.

This is from a couple of days ago:
 
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#2 ·
How long had you been feeding him the beet pulp? Did you mix his grain in with it? A mare of ours wouldn't touch beet pulp at first. It took adding a little to her sweet feed/grain and increasing the amount a little each day. Soon she would eat the beet pulp without the feed.

The pic isn't the best to judge weight but it does look like he could use more muscle. What breed is he?

Some will swear by certain store bought feeds. I've had better luck with the beet pulp. Some horses just take longer to get accustomed to it. We did try a feed with ours that did help put weight on. The only problem was when we took them off the feed. They lost the weight as quick as the feed put it on. Didn't have that with the beet pulp. Plus the beet pulp usually is cheaper.
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#4 ·
I don't like weight builders. When hay won't do the trick I will add beet pulp and rice bran and if that won't quite get there the next best thing is oil. Flax, canola, wheat germ, and rice bran oil and some good ones. At least 3-4oz a day to make a difference.

Alfalfa and oil have done the most for my old girl.
 
#5 ·
Since you're feeding a senior feed already(although there are really good ones but also bad, I.e. low nutrition ones), I would just add oil. Start out slow and work up to a cup a day. Weightbuilders are mainly, you probably guessed it, fat. Ricebran has high fat, oil is almost pure fat.
One other thing I notice, your horse was sweating. Let him dry off completely and brush him. With his fur all sticky the natural thermoregulation of the coat can't work and he's burning needed calories to stay warm.
 
#6 ·
I will try to respond to everyone.

First he is a 23 year old Thoroughbred. He is definitely lacking muscle as I haven't been able to work him consistently due to no indoor arena. I live in the rainiest state in the US. I am going to work on building his muscle back up starting in January once I have access to an indoor arena.

Beet Pulp - He has been on beet pulp for a long time. Off and on for the last five years. He has slowly just decided that he doesn't like it. I was mixing it with his grain and had to keep giving him less and less beet pulp just to get him to eat it. If he got to any point in his bucket that didn't have senior grain mixed with the beet pulp then he would just leave it.

Rice Bran - He will not touch it.

Grass and Hay - He is already getting FREE CHOICE hay. Grass is not an option as there is none. But he gets as much hay as he wants. 24/7. In front of his face all the time. I can't exactly give him more hay than that...

Oil - I have tried it in the past and it did absolutely nothing for him, maybe I just didn't use the right kind. I have also tried Cool Calories and they didn't do a single thing either.

Deserthorsewoman - He is only sweaty in that picture because I had just worked him. I turned him out in the little pasture area right there so he could socialize for a few minutes and roll. Then I took him inside and put him in cross ties while I cleaned his stall and run and prepared his feed. I then brushed him and put on his really nice medium weight winter blanket. It was just bad timing on my part for the picture. I promise I don't ever put him away sweaty :D And he is never without a blanket unless it is during the day when I am there.
 
#8 ·
I didn't think you'd put him away sweaty. He looks relatively dry. Just the "sticky" hair got me. I had a senior TB who would roll in the worst mud available and then got all kinds of mad when I had to go at it with a metal curry to get him at least halfway back to his original color. I couldn't have mercy, he lived out, needed his fur for staying warm. Lots of people forget about that, that's why I mentioned;-)
What senior feed is he on currently?
My above mentioned oldie gave me headaches for years, just wouldn't pack on the last 30lbs, no matter what I put in front of him. Until I discovered alfalfa pellets(hard to find in Europe, not at all common).
Soaked alfalfa pellets, a little wheatbran, an ounce each of flaxseed and soybean meal, flaked corn and rolled barley and corn oil got him where he needed to be within a months, free choice grass hay as base. That was long before the countless senior feeds, ration balancers and miracle supplements. Hey, it worked just fine;-)
 
#9 ·
I tend to alternate between Triple Crown Senior and Purine Equine Senior. It just depends on if I am able to get out to get the Triple Crown. Nearest store that carries it is 45 minutes away.

He is on alfalfa hay so I haven't bothered to put him on pellets as they are more expensive than the hay. He gets 2 flakes a day currently of the alfalfa. He is also on supplements (glucosamine, msm, hoof).
 
#10 ·
I haven't tried either, but used the Nutrena Life Design Senior, together with oathay/alfalfa free choice. Worked like a charm, 3lbs daily, with my Snipper(before and after pics in my "critters" album). She was really thin, but is. QH, which are easier to fatten up, and is younger.
You could always up the alfalfa hay, and see what it does.
 
#11 ·
what are you calling a flake of hay ? a flake is 4 inches ,when pulling off a retangular bale that is 100 + lbs . is the hay stemmy ? weedy ?
I use corn oil or canola oil whichever is on sale, All in one or A+M , beet pulp,
and LMF sr feed . and hay in front of them all the time, You do need to check that the hay in the feeder is not all stems, those I pull out and give to the younger horses . When did you float his teeth and deworm last ?
 
#12 ·
I don't exactly know how to explain a flake...like the bale is split up into 14 flakes and he gets one of those, twice a day.

The hay is not weedy at all. Had some stems of course but he eats it all. He loves the "flowery" stuff. Not sure what to call it, but it is the soft stuff in the alfalfa. But he eats all of it. Loves his alfalfa.

He is current on everything.

He is at a great weight right now. I just don't want him to lose anymore especially since I am going to start working him more. He has lost some since pulling the beet pulp which is what I was afraid of.
 
#17 ·
I don't exactly know how to explain a flake...like the bale is split up into 14 flakes and he gets one of those, twice a day.

The hay is not weedy at all. Had some stems of course but he eats it all. He loves the "flowery" stuff. Not sure what to call it, but it is the soft stuff in the alfalfa. But he eats all of it. Loves his alfalfa.

He is current on everything.

He is at a great weight right now. I just don't want him to lose anymore especially since I am going to start working him more. He has lost some since pulling the beet pulp which is what I was afraid of.
Yes, but without knowing the weight of the bale to begin with that still doesn't define how much you are actually feeding. 2/14ths of a 50 pound bale is considerably less than 2/14ths of a 100 pound bale. This is why it's better to measure feed in weight than flakes, scoops, etc.
 
#16 ·
I think he looks good. He's a TB not a tubby qh. If time allows, split the Senior in to 2 feedings, he'll get more out of it. Feed it in the widest container you have. eg I use feed pans rather than pails which enable a horse to hastily eat it. The faster feed goes in, the faster it goes thro him. Also invest in a couple of small mesh hay nets and stuff them as hard as you can and hang them as high as you can. The nets will slow him down which means his gut will extract more from the hay.
 
#18 ·
Gottatrot - that describes my hard keeper all the way. On hay and grass alone she will be at least 100lbs underweight. Her stall is kept full of hay but she really has no desire to eat more than 20lbs per day and some days that is a stretch. She will eat beet pulp and rice bran though but they don't do much. Oil and alfalfa are the key for her. She will chow down alfalfa hay all day long. But the oil must be in large quantities and different things will work differently with each horse. But I will never try "weight builder" those things are usually nothing more than a bunch of hot energy. There are much better ways to get calories in a horse, like the fat supplements you mention.

Also agree with saddlebag that this horse looks pretty good for the breed and age as of now. But I also understand not wanting them to lose weight thru the winter.
 
#19 ·
Again, give more alfalfa.
And there ARE horses who do not well on hay/grass alone. I've yet to see a TB who would look good on forage only diet. They're bred for fast growth and early maturity. They need some type of grain(supplemental feed) to thrive. The OP's horse is a TB and a senior, to top it off.
 
#22 ·
I can just make more of an effort to make sure to get the TC Senior. It is inconvenient but I can make it work.

Also to clarify. He is getting 2 flakes off of a 100+lbs bale. I have some 2 string and 3 string alfalfa bales. Right now he is getting it off the 3 string and that bale is extremely heavy. Over 100lbs easy.

I will try oil with him. I can't recall how much he got in the past as he belonged to my friend at that time so I wasn't in charge of his feed and such.

I can also up the alfalfa a bit as well.
 
#25 ·
I know I'm late in this post, but I just found it.

I know you said your guy won't eat beet pulp anymore, have you ever tried to soak it with alfalfa pellets? I have mixed mine, 50/50, 60/40, 70/30 (hahaha) and added a cup of ground flax seed.

I don't know what it is about that combination, but it sure has worked wonders for every horse I've ever needed to put weight on. My senior mare is on this now and looks wonderful along with free choice grass hay. Granted...she LOVES her beetpulp...so that helps :)

Your guy loves alfalfa, so he might be a little more inclined to eat the beet pulp if it's "alfalfa" flavored. ;)

Just a thought, let us know if you try it and if you have any success.

Personally, I think your guy looks great!

Good Luck!

Nakiska
 
#26 ·
weight builders are a waste of $. Get your horse on free choice decent hay and a good low NSC diet for 6 months and then re-evaluate where he is weight wise.

If not gaining, then think about adding extra calories and ulcer treatment. There are much healthier items to add for calories than oil.

TC Sr is one of my favorite feeds.
 
#27 · (Edited)
OneFastHorse - What do you suggest I add for calories then?

I am already feeding him free choice high quality grass hay along with high quality alfalfa. The alfalfa is not free choice though he generally doesn't eat it all in one sitting either.

He has been on this diet, free choice hay, alfalfa and senior feed for about 4 months. He was also on beet pulp which was pulled from him about three weeks ago. Since then he has lost a small amount of weight.

So your suggestion to put him on a diet of free choice hay and low nsc senior feed isn't going to do the trick. Been trying that with no luck. He is not dropping weight insanely fast but once I start riding him more I fear he will.

Also have tried treating him for ulcers. Didn't make a difference which leads me to believe he doesn't have them.


Nakiska - He will literally sift through the food to eat everything out of it except the beet pulp :P He is a pain. I want to avoid the beet pulp if I can as it just made feeding harder since he is so finicky about eating it. But thank you for the suggestion! He is getting picky with his old age.
 
#28 ·
I would try soaked alfalfa pellets mixed with the senior.....and add a little oil. Handfull of the soaked alfalfa at first, well mixed with the senior. If he eats it, gradually increase to the amount, weight,dry, he was getting in beetpulp. Don't make the alfalfa too wet. Then add a couple of drops of oil, if he still eats it, increase that to a cup a day, divided over the senior meals.
At the moment, my horses get the soaked alfalfa warm, it's cold! I soak them almost completely, add some hot water right before feeding. They seem to enjoy it:)
 
#29 ·
Wish I could give my guy warm water. I was hoping to avoid wet stuff cause I can't premix it otherwise it will freeze. But if I don't premix it then I can't guarantee he is getting it.

I trust my BO for the most part but when it comes to having to soak things, I am iffy on whether it gets done or not. When he was on beet pulp there were times when I would come to the barn and he had only been given the senior grain because they just hadn't soaked any beet pulp...
 
#30 ·
At least they didn't give it to him dry....gotta see the positive side lol
The alfalfa pellets soak pretty fast. If you have hot water in the barn, 10 minutes is all it takes. With cold water about an hour.
You could look for chopped alfalfa, doesn't require soaking, just a little water over it to make it stick.
I would at least try to talk to the BO and see if it could be done. If they give hay first, then grain, they could add water before giving hay, by the time they hayed everybody, it should be soaked.
If not, the chopped alfalfa. He likes it as hay, si I don't think he would refuse it together with his senior.
I know it's hard to work around other people, but it needs to be done. That's why I have my horses at home;-)
 
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