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how long does it take to put weight back on rescue horses

8K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  missy567 
#1 ·
title says it all. I have looked at a horse that is very skinny. I know pictures would really be needed, but was more so curious as a whole with rescue type horses are you looking at a month or many months to put the weight back on. I'll see if I can get a picture to post. Thanks.
 
#2 ·
Every horse is Different some are easy keepers and others not. I would think with good feed and hay you would start seeing change with in a week or so.. Depending how much weight the horse needs to gain. you wouldn't want the horse to gain to fast.
 
#3 ·
I have rescued a few horses and it all deends on the horse really. One mare Katie came to us literally on deaths doorstep, vet said if she had stayed where we got her from 1 more week she would not have made it. With her it took about 4-5 months and she was fat and sassy.
Another horse we took in Elmo took about 1 year to put all his weight back on.
I will have to post pics when i get home cause the change was really amazing. I will say this there was nothing more rewarding than nursing those 2 horses back to health, even though they where with us a short time due to other serious health issues it was the best and most rewarding experience i have ever had in my 35 years of ownin horses
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#4 ·
For me it seems like it is taking forever. We got one at the end of October who seems some weeks to be gaining good, then losing. Right now, he looks like crap cause he is shedding his winter coat and it just seems like it makes him look even thinner. My biggest thing is his topline needs so much muscle. He is healthy, but keeps having me worry because of his age and the condition he was in. I know he is healthy and happy now, but he shows so little improvement from day to day. I need the spring grass to come in!!!!!!!!
 
#5 ·
Putting the weight back on is usually the easier part, that's mainly just good nutrition. The part that seems to take forever, and which dictates how soon you can start riding, is muscle and conditioning.

And as usual, when it comes to horses, the trademarked short answer is "It Depends". It will all depend on the individual horse, how bad he is, how committed you are to getting him the feed and exercise he needs...to many variables to give an accurate time frame.
 
#6 ·
Well this was my gelding may 20th....



And this was him two weeks ago. It all depends on the horse. He is a hard keeper so it has taken a while to get him up to weight.


He just recently got big. He has had a huge problem getting weight on. He is on a high fat diet now and has a round bale in front of him all the time.
 
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