Hi Dr. Getty,
I have a 14yr TB gelding who recently has lost weight. He is 17 hands and normally weighs around 1100 looking more warmblood than TB.

Within the last month he has lost about 100pds which makes his ribs show. He is a hunter and goes to shows and also goes on trail. He usually gets more than enough bermuda hay that piles up uneaten. We also feed him at least 9pds of Strategy, broken into two feedings along with a 1/4 scoop of omega shine and 1 scoop of grand hoof each day.

Another issue is that he has an overbite but is up to date with his floating. He has never been a big eater.
He has in the past lost weight but usually gains it back with a week. I am also concerned about ulcers when he goes to shows because hes not a big eater and is anxious for the first day. Also, could the weight loss be because of worms? He is up to date with his worming.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

Thank you,
laura

Where are you from? Carlsbad, California

How did you locate this forum? Horse Chronical

Been looking at getting the "Ration Plus" and also the "Bio 20" for hoofs, after looking at your site. I have been using "Grand Hoof w/msm" and "Omega Shine". Do you think I could switch to the first two products, Have heard such great things about them both? I'am down to about a weeks worth of the supplements, would that give enough transition time?

Where are you from? Carlsbad, California

How did you locate this forum? Horse Chronical

Hi Laura,

Ration Plus is worth considering for weight gain because it helps the bacterial flora in the hindgut to more efficiently digest forage. BioFlax 20 is certainly fine for hoof health, but if you are looking to provide more flaxseed meal, go with Nutra Flax. The additional fat will help with calories. Give him 1 full scoop per 400 lbs of body weight.

I also recommend having some blood work done on him to see how he's doing on the inside. A complete blood count along with a chemical panel will rule out any infection, or liver disease.

And finally, if he has an ulcer, this will cause a decline in appetite and weight loss. Give him all the grass hay he wants along with 1 flake of alfalfa for every two flakes of grass hay. He should never run out of hay. Strategy is also not an appropriate feed for a horse with ulcers because it contains cereal grains, which increase stomach acid.

These are some suggestions and if you find that it would be helpful to visit over the phone, let me know. That way I can go over his situation in detail and customize a plan for him.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO