afgs
Newbie
Posts: 4
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Post by afgs on Apr 14, 2014 14:19:50 GMT
Hi jUst wondering if anyone has any experience of using an equine weight gain powder to promote weight gain and if so is it safe? Does it work? And which one did u use?
Thankyou
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Apr 14, 2014 14:21:09 GMT
I just stick to suitable food.
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Post by roxy93 on Apr 14, 2014 14:36:39 GMT
When my horse has wintered out bad this one just gone, I had him on thirds when he came in for 8 weeks and what a great difference as well as work, Haylege and grass he has really come on he is now just on 1 scoop of top spec nuts and balancer I have took the thirds away as doesn't need it now, would recommend it. Baileys No 1 is also very good used that on a welsh mare I had when I first bought her.
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sarahp
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Post by sarahp on Apr 14, 2014 16:52:41 GMT
No starch rich cereals like those fed here for fear of insulin resistance/EMS/laminitis. And thirds has an undesirable calcium/phosphorus ratio too and needs to be balanced with limestone flour - a compound feed should be properly balanced with it anyway.
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afgs
Newbie
Posts: 4
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Post by afgs on Apr 14, 2014 17:05:40 GMT
Thanks for your replies. The only reason I am condsidering weight gain powder is because someone said they had used it and it had been successful but I can't remember which one it was. We have already tried every conditioning feed known to man on this pony and nothing is working. At the minute he is on alpha beet, chaf, baileys no 4, top spec feed balence and linseed oil as this seems to make the most difference but it is still hardly any difference. He was on hay but we have changed him to haylage about 6 weeks ago but this seems to have made no difference. He is in every night with two of these feeds and two big haylage nets and eats all of it and then he has a smaller feed in the morning and then goes out on grass all day. I am hoping that spring grass will help as this is one of my last hopes. He has been wormed and vet is coming to take blood samples. He is only excercised once or twice a week as otherwise he looses weight and he is competed most weekends. He is getting top ride marks and his conformation is flawless but he is fading into the background of the ring because he looks so light. Qualifiers have now started started so really need hep! If anyone has any advice then please don't hesitate!!!
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Post by 09rebel99 on Apr 14, 2014 17:23:41 GMT
If it was me I'd swap to speedibeet and add lexvet :-) helped my old boy this winter.
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Post by nici on Apr 14, 2014 17:51:39 GMT
A friend has just had a weight loss problem with her New Forest pony, up until now a really good doer, but experienced significant weight loss. Vet investigation eventually showed a high tapeworm burden, despite a good worming regime. Following treatment he is now steadily gaining weight on a healthy diet. The vet said there is a particular problem with tapeworm this year, so maybe something to check with your vet.
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Post by fanfarefan on Apr 14, 2014 17:56:34 GMT
I personally would say , although it may not be apparent that if he is competing most weekends he is getting stressed and maybe doing more than he can deal with , i would cut down on the trips out , unless of course the bloods give you an answer
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Post by lisadundee on Apr 14, 2014 18:14:16 GMT
Thanks for your replies. The only reason I am condsidering weight gain powder is because someone said they had used it and it had been successful but I can't remember which one it was. We have already tried every conditioning feed known to man on this pony and nothing is working. At the minute he is on alpha beet, chaf, baileys no 4, top spec feed balence and linseed oil as this seems to make the most difference but it is still hardly any difference. He was on hay but we have changed him to haylage about 6 weeks ago but this seems to have made no difference. He is in every night with two of these feeds and two big haylage nets and eats all of it and then he has a smaller feed in the morning and then goes out on grass all day. I am hoping that spring grass will help as this is one of my last hopes. He has been wormed and vet is coming to take blood samples. He is only excercised once or twice a week as otherwise he looses weight and he is competed most weekends. He is getting top ride marks and his conformation is flawless but he is fading into the background of the ring because he looks so light. Qualifiers have now started started so really need hep! If anyone has any advice then please don't hesitate!!! This all sounds very familiar to me and turned out my boy has chronic stomach ulcers, you would have to have your pony scoped to diagnose these x
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Post by Em5 on Apr 14, 2014 19:36:32 GMT
How can tapeworm be diagnosed if they don't show up on feacal samples, out of interest? My ponu is still underweight after being on conditioning feed for a while. It's a double edged sword wit him as he had laminitis November 2012. I've been trying to do it gradual but he's still skinny
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Post by sparklepony on Apr 14, 2014 21:22:12 GMT
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Post by nici on Apr 14, 2014 21:56:20 GMT
Tapeworm are diagnosed by blood tests.
I like my laminitic pony being underweight at this time of year, as she lives out 24/7, and copes fine as the spring grass comes through, as long as I monitor her weight very carefully and make sure I always have one stripped down paddock for her to go into if needed.
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sarahp
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Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Apr 15, 2014 7:21:46 GMT
afgs - it sounds to me not a feed question but a general health one - if my pony I'd get the vet to give it a good going over including teeth, worms, ulcers as suggested above.
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sarahp
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Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Apr 15, 2014 7:25:55 GMT
The product above appears to be a high fat supplement, there are plenty of those about and you're already feeding linseed oil. Do ask your vet about feeding too.
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