OP hasn’t logged in for 3 days, seems she’s checked out. Pity.
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Or, she’s been busy dealing with a hurricane.
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We had a gorgeous weekend with wonderful sun and cooler temps. Maybe OP was out having fun with horses.
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No, you’re just part of the declining 2/3 of 1% of the populace!!! 
G.
P.S. We could call you a “.666 Percenter.” That should excite some folks for at least two reasons!!! :lol:
Sorry that I haven’t been on for a while. I have recently had my vet out and we discussed. We found a diet that my vet thinks will work. I’m going to feed free choice hay, and other stuff that the vet recommended. I will be switching grain. Also, just because the budget is tight doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t own horses. Now that I know a proper diet for him, he will get back to good health. I’m just used to having horses where you can throw them a couple flakes of a hay and a handful of grain and your done. I just needed advice so thank you to mostly everyone for that.
Yes, I am by no means an expert and of course I have a lot to learn so I greatly appreciate the kind people who nicely helped me. I however don’t appreciate rude people that aren’t being helpful. (Yes he is wormed and has his teeth floated)
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You got great advice here from seasoned horse people. Might not be what you wanted to hear, but this is an honest, knowledgeable group.
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@cutter99 I understand that. I’m just saying that I don’t appreciate the few people who gave rude comments without actually helping. I greatly appreciate being able to learn from everyone else.
Sarah, thanks for the update! So glad to hear that you’re able to switch the horse over to free choice hay and a better quality grain. I bet you’ll really start to see some gaining soon! :yes:
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OP number one thing to keep in mind on any forum, don’t take anything too personally. Unlike Face book the majority of people on this forum, most forums choose to remain anonymous. Little if any background information is ever given as to their expertise, experience etc. The vast majority have never worked with horses as a profession. Worked with large numbers of horses at any given time. Even less when it comes to foals, young horses in general. That’s not to say that a lot of people who’s involvement with horses is on the hobby side of the horse world/business do not know what they are talking about, lack expertise. They tend to approach things from a different perspective.
I tend to stay out of ANY feed discussions. IMO the most controversial and opinionated subject on the forum. IMO majority of opinions are far more subjective than objective. Base far more on what they have read and or been told. Then having an objective view on things based on managing large number, from foals to one over 20 years old. Horses that are in light training, heavy competition training, occasional pleasure rider, to pasture pets. Different breeds have different metabolisms, health issues etc. Geographic location and climate comes into play.
The “science” of feed in recent years IMO has gotten ridiculous. It can an is at time based more on research done for humans. It is very difficult and very expensive to perform credible research with horses. Research that would pass a top “peer review”. Esp when it comes to feed. The vast majority of research that I have read on just about everything horse ends with “suggest” and “further study is needed”.
Hay is another whole ball of wax. In a perfect world every barn would have perfect hay, every growing season would produce perfect hay. As a past hay producer that just doesn’t happen in the real world. I and my horses “lived with” what nature provided that year. I made adjustments top dressed their daily feed ration as needed. I have and will always feed grain. I am not stuck in my old school ways. I tried some “other programs” as suggested by the “experts” and my horses (all Thoroughbreds) fell apart. I stay with what has been tried and true for generations of horsemen/women.
Personally when I need, want to put some weight on, I top dress with Ultimate Finish fat supplement which comes in different “strengths”. I also used Fat Cat and a number of other fat supplements. A number of people I totally respect use straight vegetable oil out of jug or Rice bran oil, etc
Too each their own on this subject and many or things Horse. My proof has always been in the pudding when people see my horses. Which I suppose is why a lot of people over the years in my area ask my advise and or ask me to come over and look at their horses and give suggestions.
Everybody is born knowing little to nothing. Other then eating and expelling what they have eaten. The rest of life is a learning process. As with most things but esp with horses. Finding and hooking up with some good mentors is worth the price of being paid little to nothing to learn.
I am sure you are relieved that you had your vet out and that you have a good feed programme set up now. I know giving enough hay can be burdensome especially if you don’t have storage space or a secure supply, but it really is the most basic foodstuff for horses. Everything else supplements it but cannot replace it.
I read this as the basic message that people were trying to convey to you.
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Unless you’re a clicker trainer and do it every day, or at least most days, it’s unlikely that feeding treats would have much of an impact on a horse’s total calorie/fat/carb intake. I clicker train almost every day, but only worry about what’s in the treats if I think a horse might be IR and I’m feeding a lot of treats.
