ridecamp@endurance.net: Nutrition for abused horse

Nutrition for abused horse

ETRAIL@aol.com
Sun, 13 Apr 1997 11:00:56 -0400 (EDT)

Hi Everybody,
Just acquired a seriously neglected coming 5 year old Arabian gelding who
is approximately 200 pounds underweight. He's 14.3 and weighs 690 now. The
purpose of his purchase is to compete this ride season in some slow limited
distance rides with my boyfriend, who is a heavyweight rider (6', 185 lbs.),
but ONLY if the horse becomes physically ready this year.
He's bony and lacks muscle, but is a wonderful little guy.
For everybody's information on making nutritional suggestions, he was
raised at altitude in the Colorado mountains. My place is at 9400 feet and
it's still snowy and very cold (dipping to zero at night still), so I think
the altitude and weather need to be a consideration in getting him healthy
again.
We had a pre-purchase exam done on Friday and the vet says he'll be amazing
when get gets some weight and muscle put on him.
My question is, that while we all have ideas on how to bring some bloom
back on an underweight horse, this little gelding needs serious help and
needs to come back as quickly as possible.
We'll be worming him today, he's already been on good quality free-choice
grass hay, approximately 4 lbs. of sweet mix with Accel added. (We'll be
giving him a good dose of corn oil on his grain as well.) He has access to a
mineral block and warm drinking water.
My mares are so chunky that I've never had to worry about this kind of
stuff before, so any suggestions you all have would be so helpful.
Thanks in advance...hope all the rest of you are have a great time riding.
It's too damn cold here!
Laura MacCallum

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