Skinny Horse:(

Hi,

No pics here that I can see. But first & foremost, arabs are fine-built horses & are not meant to be chunky. Also people are generally too used to seeing fat horses & don't realise that it's unhealthy for them, and that horses on the thinner side are generally better off. So, not assuming, but is it possible it's just your perception of him, and that he's actually a good weight? There are a number of areas on the horse to look at to evaluate weight, not just the ribs. Some horses can be fat & show a lot of rib, some can be too thin but their ribs aren't promenant. That said, you should generally be able to easily feel his ribs and just see them through the summer coat.

So... if he is skinny & in need of more weight, I'd first & foremost split his ration into as many feeds per day as you can manage - the more small feeds per day, the more he will get from them. I would consider adding some oil to his ration too - just a little.

I would avoid feeding anything starchy/sugary if his feed consists of this(eg. grain, molasses) and replace those ingredients with healthier alternatives. The beet pulp & alfalfa may have molasses, but you can bet mare & foal feed is high in carbs.

I would also add a good quality complete supplement, as he is likely lacking a range of nutrients and it may be nutrition that's causing him to be poor rather than lack of calories.

Failing all of that having the desired effect, I'd scope/treat him for ulcers & otherwise seek a good vet's advice.

Wouldn't the mare/foal feed be loaded with vitamins anyway?  I'm always paranoid of overdosing on vitamins.  I think it sounds like a really great feeding program.  You've covered all your bases.  Best thing is he isn't packing it on too fast.  I have some hard keepers.  I keep an eye on the hip bone and the rump.  If the rump is rounded at all, from the croup to the hip, then I feel like they're doing okay.  I don't like to see much hip bone sticking out but the rounded rump makes me feel better.  (one of mine looks downright awful)

Also, muscle tone means a lot.  Mine are out 24/7 so they move around a lot.

You might also try adding beet pulp to your horse's daily rations. You must soak it in warm water until the pulp is softened. I used this to fatten up a horse that I got that was severly under weight. You must put the weight on slow and steady or you'll have other issues to deal with. Good job with what you've done so far!

Um.... she DOES feed beet pulp!  []  

Don't up the feed, just give more time and exercise.  Arabs are a light horse, as has been said.  With my late Polish Arabian, Taz I judged his condition by his backbone.  It was normal to feel it but not normal for it to cast a shadow.  When he was in good weight and good condition there was a midline down his spine with a little bit of fat and muscle on each side but his spine was always above the ribcage no matter how fat he got.  Same with ribs, you should be able to see and feel where they are at but they should not cast a shadow. 

Watch the neck when you are feeding high rations.  A crest can develop at the root of the mane, this will be a plump bit of tissue that you can easily grasp between your thumb and forefinger and 'wiggle' the whole mane with.  If this starts to form you have a risk for founder on your hands.

Here are some pics of my late Mr Taz:

in PRIME condition after riding across Eastern Washington:






FAT in the late summer but still lots of muscle.  He is overweight, and looks 'good' to the QH people but his neck has a huge crest on it





Hope this helps

Okay original poster, come back and talk to us!!  Pictures would be great!!

Sorry it took so long to reply. I couldn't remember which web site I posted in  OK let me try to post the pictures again. I'm kinda new at this but I will get it right eventually 
 
I''m going to link the pictures to photo bucket.
It keeps telling me that the file upload failed.

 
 

My biggest concern for him is that winter is on its way and I live in WI They have shelter but Im not sure it will be enough if he doesn't have some weight to help keep him warm. I am not a big fan of blankets but I may not have a choice. He has lots of energy though. He acts healthy and so full of life. I have taken him on a few rides but not alot. I didn't want to ride him to much and burn off any more calories Maybe I should exercise him more. He has no muscle tone and maybe thats part of the problem. IDK

How long have you had him?  Have you seen ANY improvement?  Can you add alfalfa pellets to his feed?  I'd say you're right on about the blanket.  Maybe some probiotics....  ?
Bless your heart for working to improve his health.  He really IS a skinny boy!
 

I got him in the middle of May. I put him on round bales 24/7 and 2 scoops of feed twice a day and pasture grass 4-6 hours a day. When I noticed that wasn't working I added the beet pulp and alfalfa cubes in his diet. That was at the end of June and I still haven't seen much of a change.  I have never used the probiotics before but I see they have them in treat form He loves treats. I'm going to call around and see if any place close by me carries them.  Thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it. It makes me feel a little better about taking him in. I just hope I can help him.  He really is a nice horse and he doesnt deserve to be like this

Do you have any before and now shots?  I bet he's gradually putting it on.  Especially if he acts like he feels good, I'm sure you've done worlds of good for him!  Probiotics is like yogurt to us.  Friendly bacteria.  His digestive system might need a jump start.  I've used the powdered before.
 
Glad you're not giving up on him!! 

  When putting weight back on a horse, the most important feed you give him is the hay.  Hay will account for over 50% of the calories he ingests.  Unlimited RBs are of little value if they are mature, low nutritent and high fiber hay.  Even if you don't test it, he can tell you alot about it's maturity.  Does he eat straight through it or does he bore a hole and toss alot on the ground?
 
  He really isn't terribly underweight.  I would put him a 4 on the BCS.  His ribs aren't visible, his spine and tailbone are prominent but he has no muscle tone on his topline.   His hip bones aren't bad.  Remember, he's an Arab.  He doesn't have the layer of fat under his skin like a stockhorse would have.  He is finer boned and lighter muscled.  You do need to start working him.  It will improve his topline, appetite and overall mental health.
 
  As far as winter goes, if he's lived in the North his entire life, he's better equiped to deal with the cold.  Free choice hay, not fat, is what's going to keep him warm.  As the hay breaks down in the hindgut, it produces tons of heat.  Munching on hay and having something digesting constantly will keep him toasty.  What's going to make him cold is an inadequate coat (he needs the loft of the hair to insulate his body) winds and getting wet (he looses the ability to "fluff" his hair).  I would always have a dry blanket available just in case. 

[quote=2manyhorses]

  When putting weight back on a horse, the most important feed you give him is the hay.  Hay will account for over 50% of the calories he ingests.  Unlimited RBs are of little value if they are mature, low nutritent and high fiber hay.  Even if you don't test it, he can tell you alot about it's maturity.  Does he eat straight through it or does he bore a hole and toss alot on the ground?

He really isn't terribly underweight.  I would put him a 4 on the BCS.  His ribs aren't visible, his spine and tailbone are prominent but he has no muscle tone on his topline.   His hip bones aren't bad.  Remember, he's an Arab.  He doesn't have the layer of fat under his skin like a stockhorse would have.  He is finer boned and lighter muscled.  You do need to start working him.  It will improve his topline, appetite and overall mental health.

As far as winter goes, if he's lived in the North his entire life, he's better equiped to deal with the cold.  Free choice hay, not fat, is what's going to keep him warm.  As the hay breaks down in the hindgut, it produces tons of heat.  Munching on hay and having something digesting constantly will keep him toasty.  What's going to make him cold is an inadequate coat (he needs the loft of the hair to insulate his body) winds and getting wet (he looses the ability to "fluff" his hair).  I would always have a dry blanket available just in case. 


First and foremost, find an Arabian breeder and talk to them.  I was born in WI and lived there up until Nov. of last year when I moved to AL.  I have bred and raised my own horses, beginning with Arabians,  trained professionaly and taught riding for 40 years.  No matter what breed of horse I have had, there has been nothing that puts the weight on them better than green summer grass.  During the grass growing months, the grass has the nutrients all horses require to be healthy.  It is the horses natural , main food source.  I've had people tell me that no matter where I am keeping my horses, they always know which ones are mine as they are the ones in the best shape. 
 
There is one supplement that I found 40 years ago (calf manna) that I used to keep my mares weight up while she had a foal at her side.  Foals take an awful lot off the mare while nursing, but I found that putting her on calf manna just before the foal was due not only kept her from going way down in weight, but maintained her weight.  To this day I have never found any weight supplement or special feeding program that works better.  You can pretty much find it anywhere.  But please take note here, that if you want to try adding calf manna to his feed, be sure to ask your vet first.  That goes for changing anything with his current diet.  If your vet says that adding calf manna would do no harm, and you want to try it, then go ahead.  There is however, one exception to that rule that I would suggest.  Round hay bales are fine for feeding cattle, but have no nutrional value at all, and are often times from last years crop or even older.  There are many honest people out there that will not sell you round bales when you tell them it is for your horse, not cattle.  Find a hay supplier that you can get square bales from that are from this years crop, was not rained on before being baled and kept inside after baling.  Mold is the biggest concern when buying hay as it can cause colic, and if the horse colics badly enough, it will kill him.
 
It is also important to maintain a regular worming program, especially if you do not know if he was wormed regularly before you got him.  Worm him every six weeks, even through the winter, without fail, especially if he is with any other horses as he will pick them back up from the others when eating off the ground.  I personally have found Ivermectin does the best job, and often buy the Ivermectin Gold.
 
As far as how your horse goes about eating his hay, that is simply the individual horses preference.  My horse frequently uses his nose to toss his hay around because he likes the chaf the best.  So he goes back forth from eating the chaf and then the main part of the flake.  They have their own eating habbits just like we do.
 
It is always good to ask others for suggestions, you can learn a lot that way.  But all in all, I would suggest you go to the sources that would have the most knowledge concerning  your issues.  First your vet and then those who have years of experience with the particular breed of horse you have.
 
On last note, having lived in WI all my life, you definately want to blanket him this winter.  No matter if he is used to the cold winters or not, you need to keep first in mind the condition he is in.  A healthy horse can handle the winters up there as long as it is in good health and weight, has a lean to to get out of the wind and plenty of the right food.  I always addedshelled corn to my grain as it too provides extra body heat.
 
Keep us posted.