Hello,

You have helped me before with my two mares and I thought I would write about my new ahem "foster" child :)

On Sunday I took in a Standardbred that was going to be sent to a not so pretty place. He is only here temporarily as I cannot afford to feed 3 horses but I couldn't let him go some place horrible!!

He is 4 years old, wasn't working out on the track and has just been sitting in a field for the last several months. He's thin, he has a good butt and shoulders but he is very ribby, not an ounce of extra flesh on his ribs. His owner/trainer even admitted that he was thinner then he would like him to have been. He hasn't been wormed in several months, nor has he had his shots this year. He also needs his feet trimmed. Anyway, he has a vet appt tomorrow for some shots and a fecal to see if he has worms. He is a great boy.

When I picked him up I was given a bag of Horse Chow 200, but no one could tell me how much he was being fed. So I've only been giving him about 2 cups of the horse chow, which is a pellet. Plus hay. He isn't drinking water for me yet, but I have been soaking his hay and his pellets are being fed as mush to get water into him.

My girls are currently getting Purina Ultium, so I guess I was wondering if I should switch him over to that. I was also thinking of adding some sort of alfalfa cube or something to supplement some of my hay as I was not planning on taking on another horse and really don't have the money.

So any thoughts you could share would be great.

Thanks,
J.

Where are you from? NH

How did you locate this forum? Another website

Hi J,

First, let me thank you for doing this wonderful good deed. You are a kind and compassionate person to take this poor fellow under your wing.

Yes, the Purina Ultium would be perfect for him along with additional alfalfa. I am concerned that he is not drinking adequately. What did your vet have to say about this? Did he do any bloodwork?

I would add a tablespoon of plain white salt to his each of his meals. He needs the salt, and it will also encourage him to drink.

You'll want to have his teeth looked at. They likely need floating and this can have a dramatic impact on his ability to eat, and hence, gain weight.

So, keep me posted on how your vet visit went and how he is progressing.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, Colorado

Thanks. He has now been wormed, and I have switched him over to Ultium, and he is getting grass hay and some Alfalfa cubes (at night). He get's his teeth checked on the 25th. I hope his ribbiness goes away soon because I can't stand it

He has a blog now if anyone is interested in seeing pics http://dizareport.blogspot.com/

Where are you from? NH

How did you locate this forum? Another website

Hi JS,

Please keep me posted! Great blog site -- what fun!

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, Colorado

So I have had Diz for 3 weeks. He has been wormed, had his teeth floated and had his shots.

Currently he is eating 1 1/2 pound of Ultium and 1 1/2 pound Blue Seal Hay Stretcher in the morning and once again in the evening. He is also getting hay with those feedings. He is not on free choice hay yet because he was wasting his hay and pooping on it. As I am not rich I can't afford the waste. At night he is also getting some soaked alfalfa cubes. Probably about 3 really big handfuls. I also put him on Accel once a day and am now including a cup of BOSS at night as well.

I haven't really seen any significant weight gain yet, I know it can take up to four weeks or more. I have noticed that he looks less tucked up. He's not scrawny and wasn't starving but I can't stand seeing a horse with all of his ribs showing and not an ounce of fat on them when you feel them.

Is there anything else that I should do or change? Less hay stretcher and more Ultium??

Thanks
JS

Where are you from? NH

How did you locate this forum? Another website

Hi JS,

I think you're feeding fine, except perhaps there's a way you can feed him more hay without him wasting it. I use a hay feeder and this keeps the hay confined better than if you just put it on the ground, since as you said, they will mess on it.

There are two suggestions I would make. The first one is the most important, and that's to add Ration Plus to his diet to help him obtain more calories from his forage. This will make a significant difference in his ability to gain weight. Give him two teaspoons each day until he gains the weight you're wanting, and then cut back to a maintenance dose of one teaspoon per day.

The second one is not as critical but if your budget will allow it, would make a wonderful difference in his overall health and appearance. That is, the addition of flaxseed meal in the form of Nutra Flax. The omega 3 fatty acids that it would provide will add calories, but will also help his internal organs, his hooves, hair coat, and joints become healthy.
I would suggest adding 4 ounces twice each day.

I hope this is helpful. Thank you for the updates and please continue to keep me posted.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, Colorado