weight loss

Question
My horse is seven years old and I have had him since the day he was born.  He has dramatically lost weight over the past four to five months.  He was still growing teeth, then.  He started losing weight around that time.  He would gain a little back, then lose more.  Now he is so thin and looks extremely poor.  I started feeding him a little more hay and feed, but still no gain.  His coat is still colorful and he doesn't have the high spirit like he normally does.  He acts a little depressed.  What would you recommend?

Answer
Hi Meghan,

This sounds quite troubling and your question raises a lot of questions for me and before I can really give you an idea of what might be going on I need to know some more information.

What breed is he?
Is he in work?
How much do you think he weighs and do you know what condition score he is?
How much hay and grain are you currently feeding him and what types?
Did you have a vet look at his teeth recently?
Does he eat the feed you give him?
When was the last time you wormed and what product did you use?
What is the weather like where you are?

He might have worms and he might still be having issues with his teeth.  Or he may just need more calories.  His diet may also need to be balanced.  If the minerals that he requires are not present in the right amounts this can cause problems.  Another issue may be that he may have thyroid problems as is the case with humans thyroid problems can lead to weight issues and can also have an effect on behavior and might make him depressed.  

Have you had a vet look at him at all since he started loosing weight?  A vet could draw blood and send it off for analysis to see if he has thyroid problems.  I would be happy to provide more detailed nutrition advice and you can email me directly if you like at  info@equilibrateequine.com

Let me know how I can help you further.
Best regards,
Clair