hi, 2 months ago bought a 13 y.o.,16 H Qtr/?draft gelding. Vet. said he was about 200#s underwt. Had his teeth floated ( vet said it may have been the first time in his life because they were about the worst case he had ever seen). also he has been dewormed effectively ( had neg. fecal test). he is physically chewing better and is eager to eat his pellets and soft grass but only eats small amt. of hay from round bale. Maybe he hasn't fully developed his chewing muscles yet? a week ago i swithched him to platform equine senior. i am concerned because the Farnam literature says to feed 1.25-1.75 #s per day. My horse is currently about 988# and needs to be about 1200#s. if i'm calculating it right that would be about 18#s per day. i saw on your site that he should only be fed 3-3.5 #s per feeding...so that means i need to feed 5 times per day. i can't do that. should i add alfalfa hay to his diet? he might be more likely to eat that. is that to much protein for him? thanks for the info. dianne ( Gibbs, the horse).

Where are you from? texas

How did you locate this forum? luck, looking for equine nutrition answers

Hi Dianne,

Let’s use the mid-point of the suggested feeding – 1.5 lbs of feed per 100 lbs of body weight. At 988 pounds, that translates into 14.82 lbs of feed per day! So, yes, you calculated that correctly. Amazing, huh? I would never feed that much of a complete ration. And, that also means, that in order for him to get the vitamins and minerals that are added to that feed, in adequate amounts, you would have to feed at the recommended levels.

So, your innate wisdom has served you well! Here’s what I would suggest…

If you feed 3 times a day, let’s say, you can feed him 1 to 2 lbs of the Farnam feed at each meal, along with some flaxseed meal, for additional fat. The best way to put weight on a horse is with fat, since it has, gram for gram, more than twice the calories of carbohydrate and protein. Plus, flaxseed meal is high in omega 3 fatty acids, which will help his overall health and reduce inflammation. To this, I would suggest adding Ration Plus, to help him better utilize his feed, so he is more likely to gain weight.

And, to answer your question about alfalfa – yes, it would be an excellent idea to add alfalfa hay to his diet. No, it would not be too much protein to add a couple of flakes in addition to his grass hay intake. The only time it could be a problem is if he had kidney problems or if alfalfa were his only forage.

As far as his eating slowly is concerned – his mouth may still be sore from his bad teeth and the extensive work he had done. You might look into a grass hay pellet as a hay substitute for a while. Also, if you think he has sores in his mouth, a warm, saltwater rinse, twice each day, can be very healing.

Let me commend you for taking such good care of him. He is lucky to have found you.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

thanks for your advice and nice comments, Gibbs is a sweet boy. i hope there is not some other health issue that i am missing. sometimes he just looks like he's not feeling well. of course, it has been extremely hot and humid...i guess i'll try your suggestions and give him some time. how much flaxseed daily? how much ration plus? thank you so much, dianne.

Where are you from? texas

How did you locate this forum? luck, looking for equine nutrition answers

Hi Dianne,

I would suggest giving him 1 lb of flaxseed a day – so that’s 1 cup morning and 1 cup evening. And, then, give him 2 teaspoons of Ration Plus (the maintenance dose is 1 teaspoon/day). Shake it well before using it.

It wouldn’t hurt to have some blood work done on him just to make sure that his liver and kidneys are doing well, and to check his overall status.

Keep me posted!

Dr. Getty