They compete endurance horses thinner than this, and it’s spelled out in their rule book. Just sayin’.
Pot, meet Kettle
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Yeah, I read that page too.
I read that post and that’s not actually what the vet said. He actually offered alot of good advice, similar to what people here suggested.
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He said “and stop trying to make this horse look like a QH” or something almost exactly along those lines.
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I don’t want Honey to look like a QH, I don’t think anyone here does. I also do not want Honey to look like an underweight ASB.
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Body Condition Score: Research into endurance horse physiology has demonstrated that horses in excessively thin body condition or excessively fat are at
significantly greater risk for both metabolic and biomechanical failure during endurance competition. Ideally, endurance horses should demonstrate a BCS between
4 and 5 on the Henneke scale. However, AERC rules dictate that horses must be
eliminated from competition if, during the pre-ride examination only, the horse
is adjudged to be less than 3 or greater than 8 on the Henneke scale
Oh look, a horse attempted the Tevis at a 3-3.5.
Ohhhh you edited once you figured out I was right. You didn’t realize they DO allow endurance horses to head out to competition at a 3, did you?
And no one here has suggested that Honey be compared to a QH.
He also spoke about proper work, which can be in hand, proper nutrition, that it can take a bit of time with this breed to add weight/muscle, cushings and melting toplines, and the importance of and challenge of saddle fit for them especially.
OP should check that page out, as the files there wrt feeding are helpful.
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Which, undoubtedly, she does right now. But she doesn’t need to be at 100% perfect weight to walk around for 15 minutes.
No one tells skinny people to not go to the gym when they’re trying to get bigger. They say to do that AND eat surplus.
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I didnt edit that part - I added an additional quote.
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A d shell get support. As long as she stays OFF the horse, and actively pursues more options, and doesn’t sniff at anyone who isn’t her cheerleader. We all want her to succeed.
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You have to know how silly this sounds. Geez.
A human going to the gym is not the same as a horse carrying a rider around on its underweight, under muscled, boney back.
Yes, this horse needs exercise, along with some proper nutrition, which it is clearly not getting yet. That exercise should not be ridden work, it should be in hand work.
It seems like this thread has stopped being about Honey getting the care she so deserves and more about you insisting this is the time that all the other things you preach are not right for here.
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This 
A malnutritioned body, horse/human/dog/giraffe/etc. will not build muscle. Any serious athlete will tell you that muscle starts in the kitchen, not the gym.
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Aww thanks! Someone will have to summarize the issue, since I haven’t been on this thread, and it’s 672 comments long now LOL
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The OP bought an adorable ASB who is underweight and has been on a feeding routine that the details of are a little loose. The lovely ASB, Honey is not gaining condition/weight.
It seems like it is time to try something else.
Photos of Honey are here:
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@JB I think this is the information we have as far as nutrition goes. OP has probably taken a step back from the thread and may or may not provide more clarity on quantities and future plans once Honey has moved to full time pasture.
She is planning on getting a fecal and is asking the vet about recommendations for bloodwork.
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You know, I missed this comment.
Does this mean Honey leaves hay?
How much is she getting, and how much is she leaving?
I know teeth were done, but I’d consider a re-look if this is the case… because teeth work can actually cause issues, and of course, like vets, not all those practicing dental care are created equal.
.
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Pretty sure the OP is gone after the craziness this thread morphed into. Probably no more Honey pics cause posters can’t bite their tongue and educate vs attack. I felt attacked and it’s not even my horse.
It’s also insane that certain posters are advising OP to listen to random people on the internet vs a vet who has eyes on the ground and medical schooling. We wonder why a shortage of vets is a thing.
I’m sure Honey will be fine as long as she continues to gain weight, even if slower than posters here like. There are many different roads to Rome.
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Totally agree with this. If she’s getting an appropriate serving of a feed specifically formulated to promote muscle development, and pasture, and free choice hay, but she is still not gaining much… there could be something going on somewhere. I think the OP is on the right track by getting a fecal done and looking into blood work, and it is probably not a bad idea to give the teeth another look. Maybe try a round of ulcer treatment? I don’t know. Hard to say since I’m just an internet bystander with limited knowledge.
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If the OP is going to be having the vet out for a fecal and bloodwork then they should also have a BCS assessment done.
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if this is the current setup, then it’s still not enough info, unfortunately
How many pounds of Showtorque?
How good is the grass and how many hours out there?
How many pounds of alfalfa pellets?
Fat Cat isn’t usually very useful, the total calories just isn’t a lot
And ditto the above comment about hay - if she’s being thrown 30lb of hay overnight in a stall and only eats 15lb, or is being thrown hay in addition to the grass out in the pasture and just isn’t eating much hay, that’s one thing, but if it’s 15lb in a stall overnight and she’s leaving 10lb, that’s very much another.
And, without seeing her to get an idea of her BCS, we don’t know if she’s just really lean and streamlined, or really is too thin.
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