HOw are my big guys looking for winter?

[Ashley]

Ok so some of you guys remember these two, for others that dont here is a bit about them. The appy gelding I got a few years ago. At best guess from what I was told and from the vet he is between 27 and 32 years of age. The mare we took in from the neighbors last year. She is old as well. I havent had her teeth done yet to get a rough guess but I am guessing in the same range as the gelding if not older. She was also used as mounted patrol in her younger days so that aged her more.

The gelding is on a mix of alfalfa pellets, strategy, and a small amount of cool calories. THe mare is on alfalfa pellets, strategy, cool calories(race horse amount), wheat germ oil and fluid flex. They have free choice hay but neither can really eat it.

Here are the pics from today...............The mare still needs more but this is far better then last winter. She finally has a nice coat verses a long shaggy one. I am thinking she is part race horse or something as she is so tall and lean built.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=7315502&l=68e00b4199&id=735241152

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=7315503&l=c638a81a3e&id=735241152

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=7315508&l=c218007537&id=735241152

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=7315511&l=ac6e15ee11&id=735241152

 

[Valerie]

Hey Ash.....boy the gelding is looking really good......I remembered with his coat pattern he looks ribby but it was just the coat pattern.....so I do think he is looking good...and it's hard to keep the weight on the seniors....kudos to you.

The mare does look like she is getting better as time goes by.....but you guy have really cold, tough winters huh? Maybe add some soaked beet pulp or soaked shredded beet pulp? I have only used it a few times myself, so am no expert but I do recall people saying it can put the weight on and if they are needing the extra boost for winter, it might be worth a try?

Hard when they can't eat hay......old horses, old teeth, I remember we had a few like that growing up....and you get to where you soak things for them and put them on senior feed, etc, etc.

Wish I had more words of advice, but did want to say that I think they look so much better than when you first got them.....long road to get old horses back on track when they were not taken care of before you owned them.

 

[Ashley]

Hey Ash.....boy the gelding is looking really good......I remembered with his coat pattern he looks ribby but it was just the coat pattern.....so I do think he is looking good...and it's hard to keep the weight on the seniors....kudos to you.

The mare does look like she is getting better as time goes by.....but you guy have really cold, tough winters huh? Maybe add some soaked beet pulp or soaked shredded beet pulp? I have only used it a few times myself, so am no expert but I do recall people saying it can put the weight on and if they are needing the extra boost for winter, it might be worth a try?

Hard when they can't eat hay......old horses, old teeth, I remember we had a few like that growing up....and you get to where you soak things for them and put them on senior feed, etc, etc.

Wish I had more words of advice, but did want to say that I think they look so much better than when you first got them.....long road to get old horses back on track when they were not taken care of before you owned them.

The mare has only been on the new diet for a month. I was seriously to the point of putting her down but thought I would try one more thing first. I do have winter blankets for them both that they wear, just been alot of rain here so havent put them on. I did the beat pulp thing last year and it didnt do much, and shes not a big fan. I plan to increase her alfalfa pellets as it gets colder. I also have to be careful what I do, do with her as she was foundered in the past.

The gelding is for sure not in the least bit thin. I always ride him bare back, when I ride now I am sore, my legs are not made to stretch that far.

 

[Marty]

Can you say cute?

You are doing good Ash. I'd get their teeth done before winter so they could at least try to eat the hay better if possible. I'm trying to pack some extra pounds on Sonny too right now getting him ready for winter. He's not big on the beet pulp either so how about putting the alfalfa cubes in with it? I chop carrots for our fussy ones and mix them in it. I really think its the smell they object to because once they start eating it they will usually finish. Anyhow, also I'd get them switched over to Equine Sr. too. I think that app is adorable. The mare has the sweetest face on her. You have really done right by these two. I'm sure they appreciate every thing you do for them.

 

[chandab]

Tell me again why they aren't on a commercial senior feed? I'm thinking you had a reason for not just using the senior, but I could be wrong. I know its expensive, but it sure helped my senior gelding hold his weight with our frigid winters. He was still able to eat some hay, but he didn't get enough out of the hay, so I added senior; I can't really remember now, but I think he was getting like 8# of senior daily last winter, and a couple other things mixed in as well. I lost him in June, and his feed plan is no longer in my memory banks, as its full of good memories of him.

 

[Jetiki]

I wouldn't worry so much about the feed being a SR feed per say, but I would be looking for a high fat feed something with 8-10% fat, you are going to pay more for it, but they will eat less of it. I have a 27yr old boarder, he's eating 9lbs of Triple Crown complete and gaining weight nicely on it. Its 11% protein and 10% fat.

Karen

 

[Ashley]

Up until this year they were both on senior. They didnt do very well on it, I tried several kinds of senior. Right now they are on Front Runner SUmmit (strategy equivilant. They do awsome on this feed. They like it and eat it with out complant. The geldings teeth were done last fall, and the vet told me there really wasnt much teeth left to work with and do again. I am not sure on the mare, but do know she needs hers looked at.

The Geldings teeth do not meet so he cant chew the hay. They do try and get some to eat but spit most of it out. The hay they have offered to them free choice is grass alfalfa mix. The mare refuses alfalfa cubes, but they both get he alfalfa pellets in their meals, and ate them readily. When winter gets closer I was thinking about offering them free choice hay pellets.

Here is the link to the grain they are on:

http://www.frontrunnerhorse.com/phase8.php

They have never looked or acted as good as they do on this feed. They have been on Equine Sr. Nutriena Sr. Front Runner Senior, Calf Manna, and I even tried a varity of Jr Feeds on the gelding.

Here is the gelding and the mare this spring.

My link

My link

 

[chandab]

I've heard some don't do as well as you'd think on a senior feed. Who knew? I really like the senior I can get, its somewhat locally made and alfalfa based, and so far, anyone on it, does pretty good. Thank goodness, because my choices for horse feed around here, suck.

The senior I get is called "Woody's" and its made in ND, so only a couple hundred miles from here. The first 5 ingredients are: sun-cured alfalfa meal, shredded beet pulp, barley, oats, and soybean meal. It has 12% protein, 3% fat, 20% fiber. and, my minis just love it (they've all tried it, but only 3 get it on a regular basis); my senior half-Arab gelding wasn't as fond of it, as it doesn't have lots of molasses in it, so I had to get a sweet senior (available locally - I wasn't as fond of this, as it was more by-product type ingredients) and mix the two, then he'd eat everything.

 

[FoRebel]

I think the gelding looks great Ash. And as for the mare, see if you can keep upping her feed a bit to get her that little something extra without getting to the point of founder. I think you're doing a great job with both of them.

 

[Ashley]

I up'ed the weight builder as it was a slight miscommunication on how much she was supposed to get. When I added the weight builder in a month ago she really came around so giveing her a chance on that before I up the grain. Her feet are touchy as is so want to be careful. The last few months my ex has been taking care of them and I must say for a horse person shes doing good. She has stuck to what I told her to feed for the first time in years. Might help thou that I told her if the mare wasnt showing improvement by the end of this month I was putting her down.

I have moved back home now so I can keep a closer eye on things. She can eat hay better then the gelding so that helps. She hates her stall, but is being forced to stay in it tonight with the rain and nasty she was cold. So they are both inside under blanket with their feed and half a bale of hay each.

 

[Katiean]

For their ages, they look great. I don't know where you are but, if you have snow I would try to add some weight. JMO.

 

[susanne]

Ashley, They look MUCH improved over the "before" photos. Good job!

Can you get orchard grass pellets in your area? While it's not long stem fiber, it's still fiber and you can soak it to make a slurry that's easy to eat AND keeps them hydrated. Our horses LOVE it.

 

[Ashley]

I have never seen them but that doesnt mean I didnt just miss them. I have always used alfalfa pellets. I dont have to soak any of their feed as they eat it fine as is. They do drop some but typically clean the floor up before they go back outside.

I do need to get the mare a new blanket. I like the one my gelding has as he is always super warm in it. I can only keep her warm under hers if I double blanket her.