If he has lost alot of weight then you may try a different weight suppliment along with an oil. I heard that vegitable oil is best. as for a suppliment i recomend weight builder...it does a good job in helping maintain my hard keeper. also how much beat pulp is he getting? You can always up the amount. Its a fiber so it isnt to hard to digest so giving more shouldnt hurt him.
Which type of oil?
My 20 yr old QH dropped alot of weight this winter and despite my best efforts he hasn't really been able to gain it back. He gets free choice grass hay. Although it's not the best quality, it's the best I can do right now. He gets Triple Crown's Low Starch feed and the last month I've been mixing beet pulp in with it. He's been getting Grand Vite, SmartFlex Sr., and I recently started SmartGain 4. He's wormed regularly and was fecal tested 2 weeks ago and it was negative. He's also blanketed. He has many allergies, especially to alfalfa, so I cannot give him alfalfa pellets, hay, or cubes or any supplements with alfalfa in it so that rules out any senior or complete feeds. He's mildly allergic to timothy and rice bran so if I can avoid them I do. I would like to try adding an oil to his feed but don't know if corn, canola, or vegetable oil works best for weight gain. Or maybe another oil I don't know about? Any other suggestions would be great.
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I would have his teeth checked first.
By Free Choice Hay I assume you mean at all times? Like 24-7? He should be getting plenty of hay, especially in the winter.
Older horses have a harder time keeping warm, even blanketed, and the extra calories used to keep warm can make them drop weight very quickly. My OTTB is the same way.
I prefer corn oil. It totally a personal preference. Its cheap, and I can buy it in the same isle as my pasta!
Flax Seed is also good. I like corn because my horses seem to prefer it too. Maybe a bit tastier? I have no idea. I also know several horses who prefer Flax Seed over Corn.
I'll have to go back and take a look at the specifics, as I dont remember what all is in it, but have you heard of Omegatin? I use Omegatin as well. I love it! Definitely the best for the money.
Is you boy on any sort of supplements? I know how you feel with the allergies...My White American Bulldog is literally allergic to EVERYTHING, but we feed Holistic dog food, and he's fine now, cant really do the same with a horse.
Does he get free choice trace mineral block?
Has he been under added stress other than a VERY chilly winter?
Like I said, Teeth are the first culprit, but its usually a slow drop in weight...not a sudden one.
By Free Choice Hay I assume you mean at all times? Like 24-7? He should be getting plenty of hay, especially in the winter.
Older horses have a harder time keeping warm, even blanketed, and the extra calories used to keep warm can make them drop weight very quickly. My OTTB is the same way.
I prefer corn oil. It totally a personal preference. Its cheap, and I can buy it in the same isle as my pasta!
Flax Seed is also good. I like corn because my horses seem to prefer it too. Maybe a bit tastier? I have no idea. I also know several horses who prefer Flax Seed over Corn.
I'll have to go back and take a look at the specifics, as I dont remember what all is in it, but have you heard of Omegatin? I use Omegatin as well. I love it! Definitely the best for the money.
Is you boy on any sort of supplements? I know how you feel with the allergies...My White American Bulldog is literally allergic to EVERYTHING, but we feed Holistic dog food, and he's fine now, cant really do the same with a horse.
Does he get free choice trace mineral block?
Has he been under added stress other than a VERY chilly winter?
Like I said, Teeth are the first culprit, but its usually a slow drop in weight...not a sudden one.
Thanks for the replies...his teeth have been checked/floated twice yearly by an equine dentist for the whole 9 yrs I've had him and he was just here in Sept. and said his teeth are great and he still has all of them. He does have hay 24/7, it's just not the best quality but it's what I have for now. By flax seed do you mean flax seed oil or just flax seed itself? He is on a senior joint/digestive/weight combo supplement, a multi-vitamin supplement, and now a weight gain supplement and also bronchodilators to keep his COPD in check. I will have to check out the omegatin though. He is under no stress as he is basically a pasture ornament in the winter 
Corn oil is not as good because it is high in Omega 6 fatty acids, what you want is Omega 3. Flax seed and fish oil are better sources of Omega 3.
I don't like adding oil to the feed in the manner you wish, but if you must, then you need to go with a 'cold pressed' oil. That would be your more expensive, exotic oils that have a much shorter shelf life.
Sesame
Almond
Wheat Germ
Rice Bran
Safflower
It's been awhile since I researched oils and how they were made, so there may be some more 'popular' bases nowadays that are 'cold pressed'.
Sesame
Almond
Wheat Germ
Rice Bran
Safflower
It's been awhile since I researched oils and how they were made, so there may be some more 'popular' bases nowadays that are 'cold pressed'.
i had the same problem with my horse and now he's gaining weight fine....he gets a mix of 1/3 senior, feed 1/3 pellets, and 1/3 sweet feed in the morning and at night(this mix was suggested by our vet) and in those we add about 1/4 cup of corn oil(suggested by others on this forum) and he gets free choice hay he's been putting weight on perfectly now.
Hi!
My older mare was on organic flax seed oil and Brewer's Yeast. The Brewer's Yeast helped her digest and utilize her food better. She had great weight. I also use the Brewer's Yeast on a hard keeper. It helps immensely!
Google Brewer's Yeast...lots of great material. Sarah
My older mare was on organic flax seed oil and Brewer's Yeast. The Brewer's Yeast helped her digest and utilize her food better. She had great weight. I also use the Brewer's Yeast on a hard keeper. It helps immensely!
Google Brewer's Yeast...lots of great material. Sarah
Has your guy been scoped for ulcers or any stomache issues?
I give my guy CoCo Soya - I love it.
I would also look to Ultimate Finish 100. It is one of the best fat products out there.
I give my guy CoCo Soya - I love it.
I would also look to Ultimate Finish 100. It is one of the best fat products out there.
Good to know MIEventer, I just ordered this product along with Moormans Vitamin/mineral supplement. While I have been happy with what my two are on , I want to simplify and maximize their feeding program. My farrier and a friend turned me onto the Coco Soya and M.vitamin/mineral supps.Has your guy been scoped for ulcers or any stomache issues?
I give my guy CoCo Soya - I love it.
I would also look to Ultimate Finish 100. It is one of the best fat products out there.
I'll also look up the Ultimate Finish 100 for further consideration.
Always helpful info on this forum, thanks (even though this is not my thread, shows that others benefit) :wink:
Thanks for all the responses...he's allergic to rice bran so the rice bran oil, CocoSoya, and Ultimate Finish are all last resorts but thanks anyway I'll keep them in mind! I started him on a flax based weight gain supplement so I'll see how that works out.
There is no Rice Bran in CoCoSoya. It is made from Coconut oils and SoyBean oils.
Ya I see that the oil form of it doesn't contain rice bran...I just looked at the stuff SmartPak has and rice bran is the first ingredient. We just got a new load of hay from a different source and it's MUCH better quality so hopefully that will really help. Thanks!
I use Mazolla corn oil. When you use it you have to start out small and work up. I use specifically because my horse is a draft but I know it's worked really good for weight gain on some of the rescue horses we've had at our barn.
I'd probably have a vet come and do a quick physical if that hasn't been done lately. Good luck!
I'd probably have a vet come and do a quick physical if that hasn't been done lately. Good luck!
Veg oil has the most fat of all the oils so more bang for your buck.
I add canola. I did lots of research and canola has the best omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.
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