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Hey guys! I'm a returning player, I'm sure you will best remember me by my big dopey TB, Remi! Remi had a scary impaction colic in May and spent over a week at Michigan State's large animal clinic, where they were thankfully able to save my boy's life without surgery.
Unfortunately, he lost about 350-400 pounds during that time. ow, I can't seem to get him to gain it back! He looks just terrible and I'm embarrassed to even post pictures of him on social media or anything anymore. I have tried upping his grain, cool calories, upping his hay, etc.
He was getting 2 full scoops of a 12% sweet mix 2x/day, and 4 flakes of 1st cutting grass hay 2x/day as well as turnout for 8+ hours daily on grass with free choice grass hay. He is not in any work as he has been retired completely.
Currently, he is being switched to 1 full scoop of Safechoice Senior, and his hay is being switched to 3rd cut grass hay. Unfortunately the barn he is at does not have alfalfa hay which I know would help.
I guess I'm just looking for suggestions that I haven't tried. am I being impatient? I feel like he should have gained more back by now than he has. Pics before, during and after his colic. This before pic is actually from the year prior (2017) but is the best body picture I have to show his usual condition http://i63.tinypic.com/2ah5yxl.jpg During 2nd day at MSU, May 22nd 2018 http://i68.tinypic.com/qp5gug.jpg During 6th day at MSU, May 26th 2018 http://i67.tinypic.com/22wzdk.jpg During 10th day at MSU, May 30th 2018 http://i68.tinypic.com/25yvcxv.jpg
And these pictures were taken at the end of July when I moved to a new barn http://i68.tinypic.com/2mgoz5u.jpg http://i63.tinypic.com/2v8j2bc.jpg http://i64.tinypic.com/10dyvid.jpg
He has seen a vet which is why I made the switch to Safechoice and higher quality/cut hay |
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Beetpulp and alfalfa (pelleted, cubed, chaff) always does the trick for me.
Feed it once a day or twice with his grain.
He looks like some of the weight he lacks is in muscle. I`m not sure what his training/riding program is, but a lot of trot work keeping him in a frame would help him build a better topline. And trotting/walking hills would help build a nice juicy booty. |
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Oh man the poor big guy! Glad hes doing alright even if he is a little low on the groceries. |
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Awwww he's a sweetie. But lordie, you're right. The colic hit him hard. :(
I keep my horses at home, and occasionally take on emaciated rescues.
I also have a permanent hard keeper. (he's also an idiot. but he's my heart horse). So i've had quite a bit of experience getting weight on them.
I'd go ahead and treat for ulcers. What he went through was pretty traumatic for a horse, and i'd bet there are some ulcers holding you back here.
Second... Unlimited hay. If he's eating all his hay, give him more. Just keep feeding hay. If hes out in his paddock (and it's the one in the pictures) there is no grass out there. Hay. Lots of hay. You may have to buy your own hay. But hay hay hay hay hay hay hay hay hay. (did i stress hay enough LOL)
third... add a fat supplement. Chewy has the buckeye supplements. My hard keeper is on the 25. But to gain weight, i might up it to the 50 or 100. Buckeye Nutrition Ultimate Finish 100 Granulated Fat Horse Supplement https://www.chewy.com/buckeye-nutrition-ultimate-finish/dp/136851?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=f&utm_content=Buckeye%20Nutrition&utm_term=&gclid=CjwKCAjw54fdBRBbEiwAW28S9ksltCkeOE4EH9ewjGWhXKZQ7rVurfW_Bc8JZrhLni08pP-I_bERXRoCTwMQAvD_BwE
Fourth... start adding oil to his feed every morning/night. start with 1/4 cup and slowly build to 1 cup. Nothing helps pack on the pounds like oil. :) Try and find a way to get a bit of protein into his diet as well. I know you said you cant find alfalfa. But if you have a tractor supply, or any type of feed store around, you can find pelletized alfalfa.
Unfortunately boarding barns arent usually willing or able to pack pounds on. It costs them too much. You're more than likely going to have to foot the bill (and run the errands) to get the weight back on, but once it's back your barn should be able to maintain it with their feeding program. |
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Thanks guys. He cannot be ridden/worked due to lameness issues, so there isn't a lot I can do for his muscling unfortunately. |
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Aww, poor buddy! So glad he's better now, though.
I use vegetable oil, about 1/2 cup for my 4 boys in the winter, and whenever they lose a little weight. Also, the pelleted rice bran, for me anyway, seems to give some extra calories and help regain the lost weight.
And like Jello said, hay all the time. Literally, 24-7. That'll help a bunch.
Side note: be sure that if you buy alfalfa, it doesn't have blister beetles. They live in the hay, and if a horse eats just 2 or 3 of the beetles/shells, it can be fatal. The reason is that the beetle exoskeletons contain the poison cantharadin.
Hope he gets fat again soon! <33 Have a wonderful day. :P
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Jellos Warmbloods said:
Awwww he's a sweetie. But lordie, you're right. The colic hit him hard. :(
I keep my horses at home, and occasionally take on emaciated rescues.
I also have a permanent hard keeper. (he's also an idiot. but he's my heart horse). So i've had quite a bit of experience getting weight on them.
I'd go ahead and treat for ulcers. What he went through was pretty traumatic for a horse, and i'd bet there are some ulcers holding you back here.
Second... Unlimited hay. If he's eating all his hay, give him more. Just keep feeding hay. If hes out in his paddock (and it's the one in the pictures) there is no grass out there. Hay. Lots of hay. You may have to buy your own hay. But hay hay hay hay hay hay hay hay hay. (did i stress hay enough LOL)
third... add a fat supplement. Chewy has the buckeye supplements. My hard keeper is on the 25. But to gain weight, i might up it to the 50 or 100. Buckeye Nutrition Ultimate Finish 100 Granulated Fat Horse Supplement https://www.chewy.com/buckeye-nutrition-ultimate-finish/dp/136851?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=f&utm_content=Buckeye%20Nutrition&utm_term=&gclid=CjwKCAjw54fdBRBbEiwAW28S9ksltCkeOE4EH9ewjGWhXKZQ7rVurfW_Bc8JZrhLni08pP-I_bERXRoCTwMQAvD_BwE
Fourth... start adding oil to his feed every morning/night. start with 1/4 cup and slowly build to 1 cup. Nothing helps pack on the pounds like oil. :) Try and find a way to get a bit of protein into his diet as well. I know you said you cant find alfalfa. But if you have a tractor supply, or any type of feed store around, you can find pelletized alfalfa.
Unfortunately boarding barns arent usually willing or able to pack pounds on. It costs them too much. You're more than likely going to have to foot the bill (and run the errands) to get the weight back on, but once it's back your barn should be able to maintain it with their feeding program.
Thank you for the advice! I'm so worried giving him too much will cause him to colic again (although he is on SmartDigest Ultra which is supposed to guarantee they won't colic...) The pasture in the photo isn't the one he is in currently, that was just the small paddock they kept him in for a week so he could get settled. He's in a big pasture with more grass now!
and thank you Dim! They seem to be stuffing him with hay, they are at 4 flakes 2x a day right now just because they said when they upped him to 5 he wasn't finishing it and was peeing in it/ruining it. I know it isn't helping that he's at a new barn.
Also, side note about ulcers, are ulcers something they would have seen during abdominal ultrasounds or scopes? They did that several times when he was at MSU and did one the day he came home and said everything looked great. |
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Ulcers in the stomach could be seen with a scope. Theres no way to see hindgut ulcers.
He could have also developed ulcers a few weeks after the whole ordeal. |
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Yay its Remi <3 <3 so sorry you and him have gone through all that but glad he is on the recovering side!! Poor fella.
I second Jello on the ulcers.
Also, hes had lameness issues right? If you add oil, use a high quality oil, I'd stay clear of vegetable oil since it's got loads of omega 6s which are pro inflammatory, which I'd want to avoid and excess inflammation for him, especially.
Someone suggested beet pulp and I've seen that work, rice bran too but again thats mostly omega 6s *shrug*
I'd definitely try to get some alfalfa pellets at least since you can't get alfalfa hay. It's also soothing on the tummy :-)
Sending good vibes for the big man! |
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Fairwind Fields said:
Beetpulp and alfalfa (pelleted, cubed, chaff) always does the trick for me.
Feed it once a day or twice with his grain.
He looks like some of the weight he lacks is in muscle. I`m not sure what his training/riding program is, but a lot of trot work keeping him in a frame would help him build a better topline. And trotting/walking hills would help build a nice juicy booty.
I wouldnt recommend beatpulp as it just gets them filled with water and makes them look healthy but if you stop feeding beatpulp they drop all the weight |
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Breezy and Pleasant
