Standardbred/Weight issue

Question
Hello, I sure hope you can help.......getting desperate and scared....
I have been with and worked around Horses for 35 years. I have yet had to deal with this issue. My husband and I adopted a Ex-Pacer. He is 13 now. 15.3 hands. He weighed about 1100 lbs when I brought his home. 10-2005 ( I wanted to worm him and to get idea of his weight). Anyway...for a few months till February, he looked great...then (seemed) suddenly he dropped a total of about 150 lbs- Ish. I wormed him again with a different brand in early March... and we had his teeth floated, the last week in March.Also my Vet gave him a strong dose of Wormer. We started him on Steamed Barley and Beet pulp, 12% grain and MVP.
We rotate his grass pastures...and gets hay also. He weighs now about 908 lbs, or so and has since the end of March. My vet suggested that we increase his feed by 50%. Which brings the pulp to 4-5 cups and the others are 2 cups each.
I am really concerned now it has been so long...and since we live in Vermont, and he has thinner skin...than say our Appy...I am getting worried. He also seems to have a skin condition...in the saddle area...down his haunches...and rib cage. I have tried two different treatments...no changes. He is losing his hair...basically. He starts out with pencil eraser tip type sores. We were told Rain Rot...and this started before we blanketed him last Fall...it went away for the most part till about a Month ago it is three times as bad...HELP please...Pretty Please ?

Long question I know...I really appreciate your time...
thank-you
Gina Bordeaux
gbordeaux@pshift.com

61 Welch Rd
Waterbury, Vt 05676
802-244-7683  

Answer
Hi Gina.
  I do have a couple thoughts. The first thing I think I would do is have the vet or a good dentist take another look at his mouth. It's possible that there's a problem that just floating his teeth wouldn't correct. I would also have the vet draw blood for an SMA 18 and a CBC. And I would have a stool sample checked for Ova and Parasites.
  Does your horse have allergies? I haven't seen too many people feeding barley and beet pulp unless there was a medical reason for it. Is he cleaning up his feed? Is it possible he just plain doesn't like the barley and beets? I would consider a trial of adding oats and sweet feed to his meals. If he was on the racetrack, I can almost guarantee he was trained on them. (Of course you know to introduce them gradually to reduce the risk of colic.) You might also have some luck feeding him a hot bran mash every night.  I would be a little leary about increasing his grain 50% unless he was being ridden on a regular basis and pretty active. There are some wonderful supplements on the market for weight gain. The one I like the best is called Weight Builder. Used as a supplement, it provides 50% more calories than grain.
  The condition you describe re: hair loss does sound like rain rot. This usually responds well to baths with a good antimicrobial/antifungal shampoo but it might take a little time. Of course, keeping the horse clean, dry and out of rain and mud help too! May I ask what you've already tried?
  Please let me know how you make out. If you'd like to e-mail me privately, my address is Astep17427@aol.com.
Anne Stepien