How does he look for weight????

[Ashley]

Sorry this isnt a mini but a big horse. Just need hlep, first time having big horses and one this old. When I got him I posted a pic and some thought he needed more weight. He is said to be 24 years old.........not really sure. I compared his teeth to those around 22(the only older horse I know) and there is a huge difference. I just want to make sure I am doing right by him. Here he was the day he came home(about a month ago).

And today. We have had alot of rain lately the grass actually has been growing again. Letting him take advantage of that a bit today. He isnt an overly picky eatter but have found he isnt really fond of grass hay. Luckly I have a variety of hay around here. I have noticed his cheast has filled out ALOT and there is now more then just the bone there.

Sorry for the bad pics, they are cell phone pics. Santa needs to bring me a new digital camera for xmas.

What you think?

 

[Katiean]

I would put more weight on him. I don't like to see ribs and hip bones in big horses or small. Remember, he is going to have to keep himself warm this winter.

 

[txminipinto]

I agree, he needs more rib coverage. Is he getting any grain? What protein % and fat %?

 

[shorthorsemom]

Looks like you are doing a great job with him, I see progress in those photos. If you aren't sure of his age, get your vet or tooth specialist to guess. After mid 20's it can be hard to guess exactly. My friend Lori had a mare live well into her 40's but had excellent dental care her whole life. Your boy just needs a little more filling out in the middle and over the back but it looks like you are already starting to get caught up there. Might need teeth floating. Pretty boy, I am partial to appys... I had an old boy 13.2 hands that looked alot like that in weight when he came. He ate all day but he didn't seem to be able to eat enough to catch up since his teeth were so worn. We figured his age at 25+. I started soaking 50/50 alfalfa/timothy hay cubes into a "hay slop" and also fed senior feed in addition to providing the grass hay for nibbling. He loved the hay slop, I would soak each meal of slop all day, set up pm feeding in the morning etc. My vet gave me the idea on soaking the hay cubes, she had a 35+ geriatric horse she was doing that on. My large pony put on weight over the back and the ribs went away in a few months. Sometimes the hay just isn't being chewed enough and I didn't want to go overboard on grain, my guy used to spit out hay balls in the water bucket. His teeth were floated, but they found there was not much left of them so he would chew and form balls. Not sure if any of this relates, but I wanted to mention the soaked hay cubes, I thought that worked great for adding weight to seniors, we caught up much faster when I added that in.. I also put corn oil on his grain too.

Best wishes with your new appy boy. He's cute.

 

[Ashley]

You cant see his ribs, I think what you are seeing is the color which makes it look like his ribs. His ribs and back bone are covered. He is hip bones are out a bit, but not pointy.

Yes he is getting grain. I havent weighted it yet(have the scale just need to get it set up to use. That said he has a big horse pale(Its about the same size as the 5 gallon heated water buckets). He gets beat pulp, senior grain, and alfalfa. One feeding he gets some mare and foal grain mixed in as well. He gets pasture all day. He is fed in the barn night and morning. He gets 1-2 flakes of hay depending on the size at feeding times as well. Most of the time if he as 2 flakes he wastes alot of it. HE gets mostly alfalfa hay, but does get some of the soft grass that he likes. When the grain is all mixed and put together his bucket is 3/4 or better full of food.

HE does need a dentist but waiting to hear when/if he will be up this fall. I would rather have a dentist do his teeth then a vet, but if he doesnt come up then the vet will be out. He does spit hay balls out at times. Not alot, normally find about 5 or so of them in the morning.

I have also noticed his tail head isnt as prominate as it once was either.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Ditto on the keeping him warm this winter. I also had to blanket my old boy that first winter so he didn't waste any weight keeping warm. Have you had him vet checked? Might need worming too. On the older horses don't go overboard on vaccinations either, can really knock the immune system. I typically break up the shots and don't bolus and give everything at once... Some vets like to do that, give everything at once. I have found this to cause more problems than it was worth.

 

[Ashley]

I do my own shots and only give a 4 way so am not to worried about that. I do have a blanket for him this winter should he need it.

 

[Ashley]

Here are two more pics. YOu can see the roan look that makes it appear like it is ribs that are showing.

 

[FoRebel]

Ashley- if it were me I'd get some more weight on him before winter. He doesn't look too thin but thinner than I'd like for going into our winters. Maybe add some red cell and oil to his feed at least.... maybe senior feed would help too...

 

[Candice]

Some of what your are seeing is age. He appears to have a long back. I have a 28yr old mare with a long back, that is in very good flesh. I have to really push to find her ribs. However to look at her, her withers are very very prominent and her hips have very little roundness to them now. Even though she's at a very good weight, she looks "poor" simply because of the lack of muscle from age. She's been laid up all summer with hoof troubles. Now that she's sound she's back to running around and acting like a 2 yr old. I think the way some horses age has a lot to do with their overall comformation. Kona really started showing her age at around 25. She's a "hard keeper" to begin with. Even here in Fl, I do anticipate having to blanket her some this winter.

This is Kona back in August

I have a 23yr old gelding that has never seen a "poor" day in his life. Never missed a meal. His comformation is above average. He's very well put together. He doesn't look a day over 10. They're all different. I imagine in a year or two he'll start to show a little more, but I'm doing everything in my power to keep that from happening.http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l350/Forthofer/100_5534.jpg This is Sonni back in August.

I have used weight builder in the past. I'm not sure its the best product on the market right now. With Kona we added red cell and Energy to her diet. The Energy is simply butterscotch flavored liquid fat. I think its helping her.

Good luck with your guy. He's a pretty boy!!

 

[Candice]

For some Reason Sonni's picture didn't come up in my other post. This is him from August and he is 23yrs.

 

[Sonya]

Im with ForRebel...he doesn't really look too thin, but it sure does get cold where you are so a few more pounds could help. He is very pretty.

 

[h2t99]

When we lived in Michigan we rescued several old timers and would give them the care they deserved until their last days. That said we would always blanket the old ones when it got to be below 20. if they were skinny then we blanketed them sooner!! Our old vet told me that by giving them the blanket it helped them from wasting their energy on trying to keep warm!! Since we have moved to Tennessee we have not had any old timers, yet!! My kids said to me the other day that we need to go rescue one so they can spoil it!! I haven't told my husband yet

!! We do love our oldies!!!

Best of luck with your guy!!!

 

[Ashley]

He is on senior feed. I do have a winter blanket for him if I need one. HE does get stalled inside everynight. So far with all the doors shut at night it hasnt been to cold.

 

[twister]

Looks like you are doing a good job with him Ashley.

Yvonne

 

[Reijel's Mom]

Hi Ashley,

I was one of the ones who thought he looked a little underweight in the first photo when you first posted him. I think you are making progress, and it sounds to me like you are doing all the right things.

He's definitely an oldie by his body shape. I don't think he's too underweight right now, but I agree with everyone that for winter time, bring him into it a little chubbier if you can because winter can be really hard on the oldies. I've had 4 old riding horses in my life at this point, they are gems, and you learn a lot from them.

They do need that extra TLC though!

 

[Marty]

Ash, he's pretty and I like him. I think you are doing very well by him. I'll be a bit different again as usual and tell you that a bucket 3/4 is kinda scary. You don't need him to founder on you so I would go slow. Don't be in a rush to put weight on him. It will come because you are doing all the right things. I would really want you to weigh him and start weighing the food though right away. I also wouldn't be closing barn doors shut on him. Let him have his air flowing and reserve that for when the temperature is horrid and he needs to be out of the wind. Good luck Ash. Great job.

 

[Casnos Minis]

You cant see his ribs, I think what you are seeing is the color which makes it look like his ribs. His ribs and back bone are covered. He is hip bones are out a bit, but not pointy.
Yes he is getting grain. I havent weighted it yet(have the scale just need to get it set up to use. That said he has a big horse pale(Its about the same size as the 5 gallon heated water buckets). He gets beat pulp, senior grain, and alfalfa. One feeding he gets some mare and foal grain mixed in as well. He gets pasture all day. He is fed in the barn night and morning. He gets 1-2 flakes of hay depending on the size at feeding times as well. Most of the time if he as 2 flakes he wastes alot of it. HE gets mostly alfalfa hay, but does get some of the soft grass that he likes. When the grain is all mixed and put together his bucket is 3/4 or better full of food.

HE does need a dentist but waiting to hear when/if he will be up this fall. I would rather have a dentist do his teeth then a vet, but if he doesnt come up then the vet will be out. He does spit hay balls out at times. Not alot, normally find about 5 or so of them in the morning.

I have also noticed his tail head isnt as prominate as it once was either.

You could add some corn oil or cocasoya oil. That's what I did with my big horse and the vet loves the way he looks now.

Christy

 

[Ashley]

Marty, it is that full with it soaked. Unsoaked it ends up being a scoop of alfalfa pellets, a scoop of senior and a scoop of beet pulp(standard big horse scoop). I will weigh it but I need somebody to get here to help me move and set up the scale, its not light nor small and I am the only one around here who can lift and do lots of things.

ITs only the outer doors in his ally that are closed, not the whole barn so he does get plenty of air. I just have to close up the doors at night to keep the direct air flow of the resident baby pig I have.

 

[Miniv]

Ashley, I could see the difference........He was definitely underweight when you got him and you've successfully brought him up to what I call "summer weight".

Now for the hard part......putting on that extra layer of fat for the winter. I'll let everyone else give you their methods..... (I'm an advocate for senior grain and plenty of hay)......but there's other ideas out there too.

He's obviously healthy and happy and that's very important.