Having a horse that is underweight can be quite alarming. Sometimes this is brought on by eating the wrong kind of diet or simply from neglect from a previous owner. Horses are strong and have a lot of muscle that requires a significant amount of calories to maintain. This is especially true when they are more active. So if you have a horse that needs to put weight on, what can you do about it?
Best Food to Put Weight On A Horse?
One of the best foods to put weight on a horse is alfalfa hay. This can be bought in its natural state or as pellets and cubes.
Alfalfa hay is very high in both protein and calcium.
This can cause weight to come on rapidly, so it might be best to mix alfalfa hay with chopped grass hay. Mixing in some rice bran, flaxseed, vegetable oil, or dried granular fats will also add in bulk to their calorie intake and help them put on weight. Alfalfa hay can also be used as food for dairy cows.
Supplementation is always an option as well. Two trusted weight-gaining supplements for horses are Weight Builder and Triple Crown Complete. Both are from trusted, longstanding companies.
There are also a lot of cheap weight supplements for horses on amazon.
Bulk Up The Calories
The average adult horse requires anywhere from 15,000 calories to 25,000 calories per day depending on their activity level and work load. Working horses will require more and passive non-working horses will require less. And underweight horse should be more food gradually until they meet their ideal weight. A great way to feed your horse hay is to use a slow hay feeder.
Closely monitor your horse
As you change your horse’s diet, it is very important that you closely monitor them. You should make sure they maintain the same amount of exercise. You should also look out for any changes in behavior, such as changes in sleep patterns or laying down.
If you notice any changes in your horse’s behavior, you should consult with a vet.
Be Sure Not To Overfeed
While you might be enticed to simply give your horse more food, you should be cautions. Overfeeding a horse, even a thin horse, can cause major issues which is why it is important that you up their caloric intake slowly and stick to the basics. You should also make sure that your horse isn’t grass affected.
You can allow your horse to have fresh clean hay and water at all times but what you add into the diet from there should be increased slowly to avoid digestive issues. While hay will make up for most of their caloric intake, it is often not enough to help a thin horse put on a good amount of weight if they are already underweight.
Lastly, it is very important that you always provide your horse with access to fresh, clean water. If your horse starts eating more, they will likely need more water to help aid with digestion.
Consider The Cause
While it is not as common in younger horses, medical issues can arise in any age horse where it causes them to have a low appetite or their body is just not able to absorb what they are eating. The first step would be to get them checked by a licensed horse doctor to rule out any kind of medical conditions.
Rule out possible causes such as worms or dental issues. If the horse is found to be otherwise healthy, then it is likely down to a poor diet (a lack of proper calorie intake).
