my stallion is quite skinny :-(

[yankee_minis]

My stallion is just way too skinny. We're getting beet pulp tomorrow as that has worked for us well in the past.

I have a half bag of alfalfa pellets and was wondering if that would be good to give him too? I don't want to overload his system with too much protein...

How much alfalfa should I give him?

 

[justaboutgeese]

IMO none. Sorry but I am from the no alfalfa for horses school. If the horse is in good health (teeth, worms etc) he should be able to maintain weight on good quality hay and grain. Mine have been out on pasture and we have fed them nothing since may.

 

[Marty]

I have never seen alfalfa pellets (or alfalfa in any form) add weight to a horse. It does however cause them to drink a whole lot, thus causing them to pee considerably more often so you would have to watch his water intake. If it's over done, it will reike havoc on the kidneys. I wouldn't bother with this at all in your case.

I have had horses blow up with use of beet pulp. That's probably due to me giving them too much of it last year. This year, they look better on it but still are fat. I serve it up as a treat for lunch slopping wet. I do this to be sure they are drinking plenty of water during this heat wave.

I can assure you that feeding Calf Manna does add the pounds if you care to go that route.

I assume you covered all the bases first like teeth, de-worming etc. Maybe he is skinny because he is worried about mares and is pacing?

Hope this helps.

 

[yankee_minis]

I should have mentioned that he is wormed regularly and his teeth are okay. Just had a dentist out last week and he checked him.

He is a hard keeper. Got him very skinny, put weight on him and now he seems to be losing weight again. Vet suggested change to Demand when she saw him last.

 

[yankee_minis]

And yes, he is worried about mares and paces. I only have one mare to breed him to right now. Everybody else is either already pregnant for next year or reserved for my other stallion.

This guy is for sale because he needs more of his own mares. It is sad for him, and I know it. That's why he needs a new home. Meanwhile, I need to put weight on him.

Beet pulp has worked very very well in the past-- even on him when we first got him.

I'll look in to Calf Manna, Marty. Thanks.

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]What else are you feeding him?[/SIZE]

:Lyn

 

[Marty]

And yes, he is worried about mares and paces.

There is your answer. I'm afraid that as long as he worries himself like this, he will not maintain any weight no matter what you feed him because he will just pace it right back off.

You can try a few things to calm him down such as put him where he can see the mares.

Put him out of the sight of the mares.

This is reaching but you can try some toys, or one of those "Bizzy Balls" that are like a big treat.

But if he were my horse and this upset, I would put him on a training schedule and get his mind off of himself. I'd keep this guy busy with ME. Even if I didn't need him trained for anything, I'd be round penning him, teaching him to sidepass etc. go over obstacles every day. He'd be tired, and then I would do a really long cool down afterwards and then sit and vege with him.. Then I'd be washing him up using some Absorbine Refershermint and make him like a brand new little man. Then, the ultimate reward would be his grain and hay. This should slow him up a bit and give him time to get some meat on his bones.

I find that horses that have too much time on their hands, and are bored or like to worry, tend to be happier when they have a JOB. When they are forced to use their minds and keep thier minds on you instead of the mares.

 

[Boss Mare]

Some stallions can be so hard to keep weight on even given the fact they are completely healthy, just super active and/or have a high metabolism.

At one point my stallions were so hard to keep weight on they were getting the following, EACH daily:

-2 lbs. sweet feed, 12% protein/6% fat.

-1 cup BOSS (great source of fat).

-6-8 cups of beet pulp, measured soaked.

-1 lb. of Triple Crown 30% Supplement -- 30% protein!

-.25-.50 lb. Alfalfa pellets.

-Free choice grass or timothy hay.

*No pasture*

And they were FAR from fat.

 

[bevann]

Maybe you better send him to live with me in Delaware.Everything on this farm is TOO FAT including me.My stallions are getting only 1 cup of 12% sweet feed AM&PM and some are getting no hay-just pasture.1 with poor pasture gets 1 flake daily of grass-alfalfa hay.Some of my mares get only 1 cup feed daily with pasture.I think I have Air Fern Minis.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Rabbit paces, and so does Cody if he has a reason, even though he is out with the mares. I have only ever had one stallion who did not and he was as fat as butter!! When he was younger I gave Rabbit Valium, and still do if he gets hyper- you could look into it. It is NOT addictive in horses and does not cause any after affects, Rabbit has been on it, on and off, for over twenty years with NO side affects at all. (Except the desired one) It does not affect the sex drive either. I am feeding roughly what Boss is feeding, Cody gets less as he is on good pasture, and it keeps them just right.

 

[normajeanbaker]

Before we gelded out stud, he was on Demand. Demand works GREAT!! Before we had him gelded, he'd pace the fence line because he was no longer out with any girls...he never lost a pound being on Demand and good hay. We also use Select Nu-Image for his coat, and that has quite a bit of fat in it too. BOSS is awesome for putting weight on too..we had to take ours OFF the BOSS because they were getting too fat.

Jen

 

[mizbeth]

You might want to try some ulcer medications. Either the home remedy or gastroguard or one of those. Some probios perhaps?

Valium should work or anything that could calm his nerves, although I have not heard of giving horses valium. Perhaps call your vet?

Beth

 

[capall beag]

I have been feeding my guys Contender sweet feed, Hunter pellet and BOSS and beet pulp and of course hay. My stallion is very well rounded

!! He does not get the BOSS or the Hunter pellet because he is a little roly poly BUT my stallion is completely relaxed and does no pacing, in fact I have to encourage him to run around to get exercise!! He is funny!

But, my mares were very thin and this combo has done wonders for them and their coats!

I feed my 35" mare 2 of each in the am and pm, a total of 6 cups and beetpulp, a full bucket when soaked between the 4 of them.

Hope this might help!

 

[yankee_minis]

I know you're going to say this isn't enough to feed him (Lyn + Boss Mare), but we're giving him 8 cups of Demand a day-- 4 in the morning and 4 at night. Plus he gets BOSS, but only a 1/8-1/4 cup twice a day. (I am worried about it being too harsh on his stomach.) He gets a 1/2 flake of hay in the morning and closer to a flake at night.

You can't really see his ribs, but you can see his hip bones--I think they're pretty prominent. (and no worm belly)

He is in a dry paddock with a mare and her foal. She may already have caught with him. We'll see.

The paddocks are divided by cattle panels so he can see everybody. Only one mare is in heat right now. The other stallion is separated by a whole paddock so that's not agitating him.

We're going to let him graze too. That's a bit more tricky because we don't have a fenced in pasture. I'll work something out.

I'll try some ulcer meds or pro bios, but since he eats all of his grain, I am thinking that's not the problem.

We'll also increase his grain and add beet pulp. Getting Calf Manna today too.