Why do 2 my horses have visable spine and hip bones...

[Arianna]

they aren't very old. They eat all they want, they've been wormed. One is bred. Other is a stud. They get 2 pounds of grain and 2 big slivers of hay a day. What can I do to make them stop looking like I've been giving them horrible care.

 

[Crimson Rose]

Have they had their teeth checked recently? A fecal count done? What type of grain and hay are you feeding?

 

[Arianna]

Have they had their teeth checked recently? A fecal count done? What type of grain and hay are you feeding?

They get grass hay and Purina feed. And no they haven't.

 

[Abby P]

Are they too thin, as in ribs showing all the way to the front, or are they just lacking in topline muscle? Pics would be helpful.

 

[Kelly]

2pounds of grain? What kind of Purina? A complete feed? Would also be help to see pics, how much do they weigh and how tall are they?

 

[Arianna]

They super fuzzy right now... and I wouldn't say their ribs are showing more like just lacking top line maybe. But I have others that are chunky. Here's one in August. She looked fine then.

Are they too thin, as in ribs showing all the way to the front, or are they just lacking in topline muscle? Pics would be helpful.

 

[Abby P]

My horse approximately doubles his hay consumption when the nights get below 40. Are they getting enough hay to keep warm? "2 big slivers" may vary a lot in what is actually there for calories since flakes can weigh a lot or a little depending on the hay and how it was baled. So, if your hay has changed and/or the weather has gotten cold, they may just not be getting enough hay. Grain doesn't do much to keep them warm, they need the heat from digesting the hay.

 

[Arianna]

Ok. I'll start giving them more hay 2 times a day.

 

[elizabeth.conder]

What kind of grain are you feeding? generally when they are not wormy and getting fed enough yet are still ribby/hippy I find they need more protein.

 

[Arianna]

What kind of grain are you feeding? generally when they are not wormy and getting fed enough yet are still ribby/hippy I find they need more protein.

They get strategy Purina grain

 

[rgsiiiya]

I have one that is the same. Has a hard time keeping good tone on his backstrap and hips.
My vet has me give him a high protein (Purina Enrich) and high fat (Amplify) supplement, which I do after workouts and drives.
On those days, he gets 100% of his normal hay ration, PLUS the protein/fat supplement.
it has done wonders in him keeping better condition.

 

[Abby P]

Right, it really depends on whether they are overall skinny, or just missing topline but in good weight elsewhere. It really is helpful to weigh the hay (and feed since some is more "fluffy" than others and the same size scoop is actually less food). I use a fish scale I bought off Amazon for something like $12, it's analog, no batteries, and has a hook on it so I can weigh a whole net, or a bucket with stuff in it, then subtract the weight of the bucket.

 

[betwys1]

They super fuzzy right now... and I wouldn't say their ribs are showing more like just lacking top line maybe. But I have others that are chunky. Here's one in August. She looked fine then.

That does not look like a skinny horse to me. No hollow between ribs & hips. No vally each side of spine??
Still I am not there. Alfalfa and add soaked beetroot to supercharge it - maybe add oats too?

 

[Kelly]

I also feed Enrich Plus ration balancer. My two boys weigh less than four hundred pounds together and I give them 6-7 pounds of hay a day. Sometimes Stormy has a hard time keeping weight on so I’ll add alfalfa pellets and alfalfa hay if needed. Might pick up a bag of Amplify for him for this winter (thanks @rgsiiiya for that reminder ). I use a kitchen scale to weigh my hay.

 

[HGFarm]

What kind of Purina Feed? If it's the Mini horse feed, I dont know anyone who has had much luck with that at all. I would add some alfalfa to their diet for needed protein, as long as their fecal is ok and teeth have been checked and floated if needed. A study many years ago showed that Minis require more protein than their bigger counterparts.

 

[chandab]

I didn't see this post til today. Is the Strategy weighed to measure 2# or just scooped and assumed 2#? If just scooping, what size scoop? Which Strategy formula, there is at least two: Strategy GX and Strategy Healthy Edge.
How big are they? Don't forget minis are measured to the last hair of the mane for height, rather than top of withers like all other equines.
What type of hay? How big are the bales?
How far along in pregnancy should the mare be?

 

[rgsiiiya]

Also agreed about weighing your hay! I grow my own, and even then each bale is very different.

I recently switched to the below spring scale and LOVE IT! works in all weather and doesn't need batteries!

We use Hay Pillows for feeding both the minis and (our brand new mustang POA-sized pony!) and they are super easy to weigh with this scale.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0039Y49JC

 

[VerticallyChallenged]

It would be a good idea to have your vet out for some bloodwork to determine if there is an underlying condition causing this. Just to give you an idea, my senior Norwegian Fjord gelding became the same way two years ago. I had bloodwork done, especially testing for cushings, but everything was negative. I KNEW something was wrong, and a year later I had blood tests done again. This time he did test positive for cushings. So he's on cushings medications, but she also told me about how the blood tests can show if a horse isn't able to absorb proteins as well. My guy was one of those. So she recommended I buy a product that helps with that, and after googling it, I see that this is exactly what I was dealing with. Loosing shape in the topline is a dead giveaway. So if you wanted to try that, there are other products out there, but I buy Tri-Amino and I get it from Chewy. It helped SO much! I have a senior mini who is starting to lose some topline also, so I'm going to be putting her on it too.