Hi i have a 12hh welsh section A pony called ted. In his old home he was clipped and rugged but here as he is only riding once or twice a weak he isnt clipped and does not wear rugs. he has lost alot of weight and conditon do i need to rug him. He eats 1 scoop of happy hoof twice a day 2 scoops of alfa A oil twice a day codlivine oil and carrots plus loads of hay. The weight will not stay on him can u help?
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Where are you from? England

How did you locate this forum? interent

Hi Sandra,

If he is cold, he is spending a lot of energy trying to maintain a normal body temperature. So, it is a good idea to rug him if the weather warrants it.

I would suggest that you discontinue feeding the cod liver oil. It is very high in vitamin A and can produce a vitamin A toxicity when combined with the rest of his diet. Instead, give him some linseed oil.

Also, make sure he has access to grass hay at all times. This will also help him stay warm, as well as boost his caloric intake.

There is a product known as Ration Plus that is highly effective in producing weight gain. It is not available in England, but perhaps you can find something like it. I can ship it to you, but shipping costs would likely be high. If you want me to look into this for you, let me know. But, another route would be to feed a B Complex preparation to assist with boosting the health of the bacteria living in the hind gut. Let me know what you have available in your area for weight gain and I'll look it over for you.

All the best,

Dr. Getty