Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Dr. Getty
hi my 20 year old thoroubred gelding has very dry flaky skin in his mane is there anything i can feed him to fix this? also his coat is a bit dull what can i give him to make him shiny? one more thing is that during winter he looses some of his muscle on his rump is there any thing i can feed him to prevent this from happening? i feed him 4kg of veteran nutri rice and shandy chaff and hay he is not skinny he is actually quite fat all through the year but in winter he looses muscle but not fat. thanks hope you can help 
Where are you from? margaret river
How did you locate this forum? google
Hi Vanessa,
Yes, there are a couple of things that will help. Are you able to get flaxseed (or linseed) meal? Make certain that it is not defatted.
If not, stabilized rice bran is also high in fat. This will add health and shine to his hair and mane.
To prevent loss of muscle mass, make certain that he is getting either a complete ration that contains vitamins and minerals added, or that you feed a high quality hay, including alfalfa, to provide the protein he needs. I would also recommend adding rice bran oil to his diet. This contains a compound known as gamma oryzanol, which will help him build muscle.
All the best,
Dr. Getty