Help me find a feed for a horse that needs weight

[Horsechick200]

Background: I have a 16 year old ottb that is fully retired. Currently of 24/7 timothy hay as he gets way to much energy with alfalfa. He is also on Purina sport elite and eating 5 pounds per day. However, he needs to put on about 100 pounds. He is a very picky eater and will not eat any of “no molasses” feeds. I have tried many. I have also treated for ulcers just in case, but it made no difference in anything.

I have access to the purina, brooks, buckeye and shur gain brands. Thank you in advance.

[Heinz_57]

Where are you located? Canada? 5lb/day is on the low end of the recommended feeding rate for the Sport Elite even for “maintenance”, based on the website, assuming your horse is an average ~1100lb. Will he not eat more of the current grain? I would probably start there, preferably adding a lunch meal if possible but if not then you can still safely increase the amount he’s getting at his current feedings.

I’m not familiar with any of these feeds, being in the US. Sorry. Hopefully some of our Canadian posters will have more insight!

[Horsechick200]

Thanks for the response. He will not eat more than 1.5 to 2 pounds soaked at a time (why I suspected ulcers) so the 5 pounds is already split into 3 and sometimes 4 feedings.

[mmeqcenter]

Bummer, it’s always frustrating when the ones that need weight just.won’t.eat.
My 19 year old retired OTTB gelding is doing this to me - he eats the grain fine, but he has 24/7 access to hay and eats like half as much as my 8 year old mare. She is chowing down at all times, he just stands there.

If you can’t get him to eat more volume, you have to increase the amount of calories he’s getting in the volume he’ll eat. Switch to a grain with more DE. Switch to a Timothy/Alfalfa mix, or give him 1/4 alfalfa that you give of Timothy. Oils are a good calorie-rich fat source that don’t add volume. Canola, Rice Bran, etc.

If he is sound, lunge him a couple times a week. This builds muscle and usually increases their appetite (is working decently with my guy).

[JB]

When were his teeth last done? Was he sedated, and a speculum used?

How much hay is he actually eating?

[cocohooves]

A thing to look into would be adding some type of oil to his feed to get more fat into his diet. Cocosoya is a little pricey but smells good (for human sensibilities) and is palatable (for horse sensibilities). I put my underweight mare on 7 oz. a day in January and she gained upwards of 150 pounds in two months. Her hooves and coat are absolutely gorgeous now too. Smartpak has the best options for purchase.

Standard storebought canola oil can work wonders as well. It’s all about what your guy will eat! In my experience, oils haven’t made my three horses hot or any more frisky than they already are, so I wouldn’t worry too much about that being an issue.

[BatCoach]

If you can get it Integrity Rice Bran nuggets have absolutely turned my hard keeper around. I used to feed soaked beet pulp and and put canola on top of his feed - then switched to these nuggets and the difference is amazing.

[alibi_18]

Ditch the Sport Elite. It gave way too much energy to any horse I had on it…

From Purina : Use Trimax/Ultium and FFG (Fat&Fiber) Big chunks (IntegriT Fibra plus?).
No more crazyness.
Then you could add oil, more beetpulp and other fat supplements of your choice but I would start with that.

[Angela_Freda]

Yo hated powders. I had success with Nutrena Empower [it’s now called Boost] as a fat supplement, made from rice bran, it’s a bb-like pellet.