In this blog, we want to give you tips on how to keep a thin horse at a healthy weight!

Losing weight in the winter is okay!

Remember that it is normal for horses to lose weight in the winter, it is part of nature and actually very desirable! In nature, horses become overweight in the summer due to the rich nutrients in the grass, but in the winter they lose weight because there is less food available. This is also a natural detox for horses and is actually beautiful when it happens! As horse owners, we don't like to see our horses lose weight, but as long as it stays within limits and the horse doesn't become too thin, it is not a problem!

Unlimited roughage!

The first step in keeping horses and ponies at a healthy weight is unlimited roughage. And this sounds logical, but unfortunately there are still many horses that do not have unlimited roughage. Horses that have difficulty gaining weight really need unlimited roughage, as they should have the opportunity to eat whenever they want. These horses may also have richer roughage than horses that are prone to overweight. For thin horses, hay that is slightly richer in protein/sugar is preferred. It is better to stick to unpackaged hay and avoid pre-cut haylage. Pre-cut haylage can make it difficult for nutrients to be absorbed as the horse's body becomes acidic. Therefore, always opt for good quality, unpackaged hay with an analysis that suits the horse. If your horse is kept where only thin hay is fed because other horses would become too fat otherwise, you will have to supplement with additional feed!

Grass is less nutritious in the fall

Thin horses are often put on grass so they can get enough nutrients from grazing. And in the spring and summer, this is true, as the grass is rich, grows fast, and can help a horse gain weight nicely. But in the fall, the nutritional value of grass decreases significantly and it contains almost no nutrients. Putting a thin horse on grass in the winter is possible, but it is advisable to supplement with hay.

Healthy supplements - extra proteins!

As a horse owner, you often have no choice but to supplement a thin horse. Roughage substitutes, slurries, beet pulp, mare feed, and senior feed are all used to help. But many products are filling products and not nutritious products, there is a big difference! You can fill a horse up without it being a healthy addition for horses. A horse may gain weight, but it serves no purpose in the body. Therefore, always be critical of what you give to your horse. Avoid large amounts of sugar/starch, a mare feed/sport feed or racing feed is quickly ruled out. It is actually about the extra proteins, which are the building blocks of the body and allow a horse to gain weight in a healthy way. Some products we like to help horses gain weight are: Agrobs Myo Protein Flakes, Vitalbix Breed & Grow, and Coolstance Copra.

You can also add alfalfa to your horse's diet, but a handful is not enough, you have to think in terms of kilograms and not every horse can tolerate alfalfa. Furthermore, it is usually so bulky that horses often do not finish it when combined with unlimited hay and possibly additional concentrates. A substitute, as mentioned earlier, is more effective.

Small portions per day!

But with healthy supplementation alone, you are not there yet. Helping a horse gain weight is gradual and the anatomy of the horse does not help. A horse's stomach is small, so it can only process small portions at a time. So, it is not useful to give the horse a full bucket of feed at once. There is a high chance the stomach gets overfilled and then empties suddenly, missing a large part of the digestion process and rendering feeding pointless because the nutrients are not absorbed. Instead, give smaller portions, distributed throughout the day. This way, the horse can make optimal use of the extra nutrients and actually gain weight. It is better to feed 3-4 times a day with 0.5 kg each time rather than giving 2 kg once a day. This can make planning more challenging!

Conclusion: healthy supplementation, multiple times a day!

Keeping a thin horse at a healthy weight is a challenge and requires a lot of management. Not only should you provide the right roughage, but also healthy supplements. And ideally, these should be given throughout the day in small portions. Don't be afraid to put a blanket on your horse! The less effort the horse has to put into staying warm, the more energy it has to maintain its weight.