Re: RC: fat/sluggish

[DreamWeaver <karen@chaton.gardnerville.nv.us>]

 >How to put weight on? Responders like rice bran, shredded beat
 >pulp, and a supplement called FatPack.

I can testify that the beet pulp and Fat Pak works.  Susan Garlinghouse 
recommended the Fat Pak product for my horse Rocky, who absolutely refuses 
to eat oil (well, maybe 1/2 a cup but certainly no more than that).  In my 
case, I did not want to increase his grain ration...just his caloric 
intake.  (we need to maintain orbit around Planet Earth!)

He had been keeping his weight really well then I did a few rides all 
stacked up (including a 100 and multiday on him all within a matter of 
weeks).  In only six weeks on the fat pak and beet pulp he had really 
plumped up.  I started him out with about a half a cup of FP and worked him 
up slowly.  The FP with the BP mixed together and soaked in water would 
fill up about a half of a 5 gallon bucket and he was fed that daily. (along 
with free choice grass hay)  If he got picky about that much beet pulp I 
would mix in some oat/alfalfa pellets.  I eventually worked him up to 2 c a 
day of the FP (the equivalent of 1 cup of oil, and it's a lot less expensive).

I sure haven't noticed any sluggishness in him though.  <bg>

One thing that I am in total surprise about.....is that once this horse did 
Tevis, I stopped feeding him the BP and FP completely.  I thought that he 
was perhaps a bit too heavy, and after doing T, he came home with perfect 
weight, and that is where I want to keep him.  Since then he's done one 50, 
and has maintained his weight on grass hay alone and about 1 pound of LMF 
endurance feed.  What I'm getting at is that after this horse has done over 
900 miles this ride season (including three one day 100's, two multidays 
and some other distances of 50 miles and over).....he is maintaining his 
weight farrrrr better than he did his first season or two when he only did 
a ride every couple of months.  I just think it's so amazing how they 
totally transform into such amazing athletes.  :-)

Karen
& Rocky :-) ....the horse formerly known as Alpo





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