Speedy's Been Eating Up!

6/22/2017

In May, I wrote about Speedy's weight loss and my plan for packing on some pounds. While he's not exactly round, he does have a bit more flesh on his bones.

Mid May

Mid June

These aren't great photos, and the difference is really hard to see, but I can feel it with my hands. In real life, his croup and hip bones are less pointed. The fleshy layer over his ribs now extends farther back towards his flank. His belly is a bit rounder, and I am no longer flirting with the eighth hole on my saddle's billets.

His current diet includes as much alfalfa as he will eat, which is not as much as I'd like. He gets a modest flake twice a day, but there's always a small pile left. He simply won't eat any more.

In the mornings, he gets three pounds of LMF Senior, about two and a half pounds of soaked beet pulp, and two scoops of Platinum Performance. In the evenings, he gets another three pounds of LMF Senior. In all, that's nearly nearly pounds of concentrated feed combined with what is essentially free choice alfalfa.

I had planned on seeing the vet at the end of June if I didn't see progress, but I think I can hold off on that for at least another month. I am hoping that by mid July, he'll be rounder still. I don't want him fat by any means, but I sure hate to see all of his bones so close to the skin.

Keep eating, Speedy G!

Jan link

6/22/2017 06:44:18 am

I'd try a month of omeprazole daily- and don't be afraid to get a compounded generic. I have one that I love and every horse that has tried it has had excellent results, if you're interested (I got 45 10mL doses for $224). There was a study that show horses reacted the same to 10mL, 5mL, and 3mL (I believe it was scoped racehorses that were studied). Compounded generics may not have as high a level of omeprazole (the one I used said it did), but I think you can beat that by dosing at 10mL. But that's just my two cents. I've had good results with it, so I'll keep using it. You do need a vet rx to get it though.

I didn't bother to have Penn scoped (I think that's a ridiculous requirement- just dose the horse and see if he feels better!). He did 21 days of 10mL of an omeprazole/ranitidine compound daily, then another 21 days of 5mL. About a week and a half into it, he started finishing his hay, ate his 5lbs per feeding of grain better, gained weight, and stopped stall walking. He leads a high intensity life because of the training goals I have, so I think it'll be something I do yearly for him. Or if he starts stall walking like crazy again, that'll be my cue that he needs his meds. I use this compound the day before we travel and daily when he's not at home too.

Bakersfield Dressage link

6/22/2017 12:44:44 pm

Thanks for the suggestion, Jan. I'll keep that in mind.

Darcy Safin

6/25/2017 07:43:46 pm

The LMF Senior is recommended to be fed at a 1.6-1.8 per 100lbs of horse... and the reduce 20-25% if you are able to feed grain.

I am not sure how big Speedy is, but my bigger bodied arabs range from 975-1100 lbs, so I will say 1000 just for ease of math

They want to have you start with 16-18LBS if you weren't able to feed hay a day and were using it as a complete feed. Reduce that to 12.8-14lbs depend on which you choose and how much you decide to reduce it by.

It already has beet pulp, so I am not sure you would want to dilute it more and it is a low fat grain, though decent protein as long as you are getting enough into him.

You may get more for your buck finding a more nutrient dense grain... my arabs don't like to EAT that much food. So I need to get them a high protein, high fat for their calorie needs. And no fillers please;)

6/27/2017 12:35:49 pm

Hi, Darcy! I actually spoke with an LMF rep about how I am feeding and what my goals were. She was the one who recommended the amounts that I am feeding. He gets all the alfalfa he can eat (which is not enough, apparently) and then 3 pounds of LMF senior twice a day. (there's no grain in the senior) In the morning he gets an extra 2 - 3 pounds of bet pulp.

It's a slow and steady plan as Speedy isn't under weight. I just know he looks better when he's a bit rounder. It's working though. :0)

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