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Winter supplements curb weight loss in geldings [Ask the Horse Doctor] – Reading Eagle

Posted: January 23, 2020 at 10:45 am

Dear Dr. Vittoria: I have always had my horses on pasture year-round. They typically do well, but this year one of my older geldings seems thinner. Winter weather hasnt even gotten bad. I supplement with hay and grain starting in the fall. I am concerned that I need to do something differently. Skinny Minny

Dear Skinny Minny: It is good that you noticed it now and not in February. Its easiest to get weight back on your gelding before he loses too much. Some horses change from being easy keepers to harder ones as they age.

Some horses develop different nutritional requirements as they age. If you arent giving him a vitamin and mineral balancer during the spring/summer, you should be. This geographical area is deficient in selenium and he cant get all of his vitamins from pasture alone. Balancers are available that dont add a lot of calories, so they work well for easy keepers who seem to exist on grass/hay alone. You will want to look into this for next summer.

As for the winter supplementation, you mentioned grain but not what type. Not all grains are created equal. You may be tempted by the inexpensive sweet feeds that you may have used in the past, but as horses get older, they may need a senior feed. Senior feeds work well for older horses since they are easily digested. The feeds are researched by nutritional vets who specialize in studying which feeds can make our older horses do better during the winter.

You could also add a straight fat supplement to the grain you already have, if he isnt quite a senior horse. This increases the calories in the feed and makes it easier for him to gain weight. I know that when we humans eat potato chips or French fries, we gain weight fast!

Offering more hay during the winter also helps. If you find that they are cleaning up all the hay, you may want to add an additional flake or two per horse. Not all hays are nutritionally the same. Grass hay is the least nutritious for calories, timothy is right in the middle and alfalfa is the hot potato of calories. Some people feed a blend of these in the wintertime to help increase caloric intake.

Keep in mind that there are a few medical things that can cause weight loss. Your vet can check him for Cushing's disease. Also, they can check his teeth and float (file) them to ensure he is getting the most bang for his buck with every mouthful of hay. Have the manure checked for worms, too. I have had some people say they looked at the poop themselves and didnt see any worms. My response is usually to explain the difference between intestinal worms (who live in the intestines), and earthworms (who live in the earth). You will not see worms in the manure until he has a severe infection.

Christina Vittoria, D.V.M., practices at Willow Creek Equine Veterinary Services. Comments are for educational purposes; consult a veterinarian before taking action. Send questions to country@readingeagle.com.

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Winter supplements curb weight loss in geldings [Ask the Horse Doctor] - Reading Eagle


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