proper weight

[Chelle Sherman <c.sherman@connriver.net>]

I've been reading all of the posts by your nutrition gurus and really enjoying the debate - a lot of really intelligent folks with good arguments to make and different perspectives. Life is good! Now, maybe you can help me with a simple nutritional question. My 6 yr. old Arab mare, who I bought a couple of months ago from a race breeder, is definitely the lean type. When she arrived, she looked healthy and strong, but I could easily feel her ribs, and could see them in the right light. Everything I've heard said that she should have more meat on her bones to do distance, so I've been gradually increasing her grain (she is turned out 24 hours on pasture). She currently gets about 3 quarts of a 5% fat, 12% protein sweet feed, 1 quart of beet pulp, and a 1/2 cup of corn oil, mixed up with water, twice a day, plus obviously all the grass she can eat. I am conditioning her for a 30 mile CTR to start out, and she is coming along very well, but basically still looks the same - a bit more muscular and maybe a bit heavier, but those ribs are still there. I don't want to overgrain her, but she is a very active horse. She does wind sprints back and forth across the pasture (by herself) just for fun, and walks all over the place all day long. She's quite calm under saddle and a total sleeper in the barn, so I don't think the grain is making her too energetic, she just likes to stay busy. She is not a picky eater and LOVES to eat and drink. So, in a rather long-winded way, I get to my question: How fat does she have to be? Anyone out there with slightly ribby but very muscular horses that are doing just fine? Should I up the grain just a bit more, and would that be advisable? Would it be better to increase the beet pulp? 

All you folks out there talking about how little you feed your horses have got me a bit unnerved - this is a really great horse in every other way - gaits, substance, personality, soundness. Anybody with less-than-easy keepers ready to weigh in? (no pun intended).

Thanks for all the great info. and wit!

Chelle Sherman and Dy (sweet and svelte)
Tunbridge, VT