16yr old gelding weight loss

Question
QUESTION: I have a gelding that is almost 17yrs old. He seems like he is loosing a little weight and I was wondering what I can do to put some weight back on him? I live in Michigan and I know they loose a little in the colder months so I am not sure. He is registered but the guy I got him from couldn't find his papers but said he was pretty sure he had some thorough bred in him. He is a quarter horse for sure and must have been broke young as he is a little sway backed but not real bad. Any advice you could give me would be great! Thank you!!

ANSWER: What is your deworming program? When were his teeth last floated? Those are two main culprits of weight loss. If those can be ruled out then you need to look at how many calories he is getting. What are the fat and fiber levels of his feed and how many pounds a day is he eating? If you are feeding a high fiber low fat feed then just switch him to a high fat lower fiber feed so he will be consuming more calories. As horses age, they lose condition because their digestive system becomes less efficient. It could just be a matter of switching him to a senior feed. Just let me know what he is currently getting and we can work out something to keep him healthy.



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QUESTION: I worm him monthly, but less often in the winter months. He just had his teeth floated a year ago. I feed him 2 cups of feed every night which is a mixture of oats, cracked corn and Purina strategy pellets. Now sure how many pounds it equals out to though, but I think it is pretty close to 2 pounds. He has access to a round bale from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily which is mainly grass content. My niece doesn't think he is thin but I do. I took a picture of him today and in a month I am taking another one to compare it to so that I can see if there is any change in his weight as I know sometimes the naked eye doesn't pick up on subtle differences. Could I put corn oil or vegetable oil on his feed? Does it have to be bought somewhere special or can I just buy from the grocery store? How much would I use? Thanks for all of your help!!

Answer
Purina strategy is a balanced feed. When you add the corn and oats to it you imbalance the minerals. Just feed the Strategy only. Feed it at a rate of.75% of his body weight to start. If he weighs 1000 lbs he needs 7.5# a day. He is not getting enough calories to maintain his condition and he is also not getting enough vitamins and minerals if he is only consuming 2#. Please do not add grocery store oil to his feed. That upsets the nutrient density to energy ratio and can create a protein deficiency. Your thinking is right-he does need more calories, but not empty ones from oil. He will benefit from the increased calories from eating more feed. I hope I have been of some assistance. Thank you for your question.