How to Chub Up my Mare

[GrungeEquestrian]

Well when I bought my mare, Trouble in March of 08 she was very under weight, the only thing that fooled people was very thick winter coat which didn't allow anyone to see the ribs as much as they did stick out when you put your hand over her.

She gained all the weight back and even got a little chubby in a few months so I took her off the corn oil, but kept her on her orginal feeding schedule. But now when I look at her she seems a tad bit thinner and I really want to keep a little extra weight on her, especially for winter coming up. Right now she gets about 2 cups of oats in the morning and evening, as well as 2 flakes of mixed hay in the morning and 2 in the evening. She is worked between 3-5 days a week for about an hour.

Does anyone have some good advice on what else to give her, any supplements, organic add ins etc?

Thanks in Advance

[Gypsy Rose]

Hay, oats and corn oil- for one thing, she's not getting a complete nutrient prifile with that regimen.

How old is Trouble? What breed? How much does your hay weigh per flake?

[WashingtonBay]

Well, I don't think it's necessarily a good idea to 'chub' up any horse. Over the long term, being just a little too heavy is not a benefit to their overall health. It's not something to strive 'for'. Being 'just right' is.

But you could switch from oats which is more of an energy food, to a more nutritious ration balancer that perhaps has a higher percentage of fat and protein in it.

[GrungeEquestrian]

Hay, oats and corn oil- for one thing, she's not getting a complete nutrient prifile with that regimen.

How old is Trouble? What breed? How much does your hay weigh per flake?

Trouble is 7 years old, she is a breeding stock paint horse with a lot of appendix quarter horse blood. I'll have to weigh each flake and such, but they aren't at all light. The vet came by yesterday and was looking at one of the senior horses, I asked her if what she thought of Trouble's weight. She said it was fine Trouble was a light built horse, but I have always wanted suggestions on what to feed and I always worry about her especially in the winter.


Well, I don't think it's necessarily a good idea to 'chub' up any horse. Over the long term, being just a little too heavy is not a benefit to their overall health. It's not something to strive 'for'. Being 'just right' is.

But you could switch from oats which is more of an energy food, to a more nutritious ration balancer that perhaps has a higher percentage of fat and protein in it.

Sorry for my bad title, I don't want her fat just she is a tad bit thin. I don't want her with a big hay belly or anything, I have sadly seen what happens when you try to make a light built horse into a tank, a girl at the boarding barn has a 12 year old paint, he has joint issues and his owner is took narrow minded to see that he is too heavy for his tiny feet. Right now he is built like a stock horse, when he is suppose to be built like a thoroughbred. Sorry back to topic...but WB what would be some energy feed or nutritious ration balancers that I could switch her on?

[Gypsy Rose]

Very good point on the weight perception, WB. "Chubby" is a term normally associated with "overweight".

GrungeEquestrian, do you have pics?

Fats, protein and Amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. A good ration balancer generally has this. If you can't get a ration balancer, or prefer not to feed one, there are other combinations that can be tried as well, such as a good vitamin mineral supplement, flax, rice bran, etc.

No feed will do much good if the amino acid balance isn't there, lol!

[Gypsy Rose]

PeggySue put up a good thread a few days ago on Ration balancers- what they are, and how to locate them:

http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/showthread.php?t=776

[GrungeEquestrian]

Thanks guys so much for your help!

Here is a very recent picture of her, no one has said anything to me about her being too thin...and I do board at a very well opinionated group. But my dad came out with me last night and seems concerned...he isn't all knowing but it basically got me thinking about getting her on a more balanced feeding schedule as Gypsy said. I am just always worried about her not being the right weight...hooves in good condition etc.

http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2302

[GrungeEquestrian]

thanks for the link Gyspy it was VERY helpful....I know how I am going to spend my morning!

[Gypsy Rose]

If you need help choosing, let me know- in your case, I think the RB would definitely be the wasy to go.

I'll be around here off and on all day, lol!

[missdixie]

Switching Dixie to straight alfalfa really bulked her up ( not fat- just looking more like a stockhorse than a TB now ), she just gets about 20 lbs of high quality alfalfa and about 2 lbs of Strategy AX per day. I know alot of people ( outside of California ) don't feed straight alfalfa but I love it.

[Peggy Sue]

her weight honestly looks good... but she is lacking nutritionally although the rationbalancers are expensive to buy they are cheap to feed because you only need about 2 3/4 cups to make a pound... the best thing to do is buy a cheap scale from walmart and weigh it so you KNOW how much you are feeding

If you mare is getting 4 household measuring cups total a day she is getting alittle over 1lb of oats

I round up and say 3 measuring cups is one lb on most feeds some are a tad heavier then other and some are lighter..

[GrungeEquestrian]

Thanks peggy sue I was hoping you would reply to this thread. I have been looking into getting a good RB...I really liked Brooks but can't find any dealers in the U.S. I plan on putting her on one, she is worked regularly and I want to make sure she has the right amount of proteins etc in her diet!

[Peggy Sue]

being in IL you SHOULD be able to get the HOrsego32 that I use and LOVE !! I love the Kent company and they really stand behind their products... although I have NEVER had a bad bag of feed from them and have used their feeds for about ten years now with a short six month break when I used Buckeye..

Here is a link to thier page you have to click the product page for the analysis and stuff
http://www.kentequine.com/Products/Other-Equine-Products/HorseGo™-32.aspx