Top Lines

[midnight star stables]

I have a show horse who has a hard time keeping weight on it's top line but seems to stay very well feed underneath. He gets plenty of grain and hay and I plan to add beet pulp soon too.

What do you use to level out top lines?

 

[txminipinto]

First, make sure you don't have a pot belly from worms. If you're on a good worming schedule, and it's not a hay/grass belly, I like to have a pretty good fat content in my feeds. I feed a 12% protein/6% fat pellet with beet pulp (wet). Certain horses get coastal or alfalfa (or both) and then I love the SmartPak weight supplement, CoolCalories. It's 99% fat and I swear by it.

 

[DarkhHorseFarms]

A topline is more than feed. A topline can be improved with conditioning. I equate everything to my "big" horses so when conditioning my halter horses, I would use some strengthen exercises along with a feeding program. It will take some time to see the results.

*Lunging with a bitting rig on so they learn how to drive under from behind, and round their body (don't lunge a baby).

*Backing up for a distance with their head below their withers and their back round.

*Long trotting with a belly sweat on

Also I would do a Power Pack wormer to rule out the possibility of a worm load.

I like a 12-14% protien gain mix and a high fat suplement. Our hay is an Alfalfa/Timmothy blend

 

[midnight star stables]

First, make sure you don't have a pot belly from worms. If you're on a good worming schedule, and it's not a hay/grass belly, I like to have a pretty good fat content in my feeds. I feed a 12% protein/6% fat pellet with beet pulp (wet). Certain horses get coastal or alfalfa (or both) and then I love the SmartPak weight supplement, CoolCalories. It's 99% fat and I swear by it.

Fat really? I have always tried to avoid fat as I guess I thought it would make them fat.

I use to use just a higher protein. I know of some good high fat feeds that I can use. He is on a 2 month worming schedule.

 

[Keri]

I have one that I'm having a hard time keeping weight on top. He was a stallion last year and got unlimited hay during the day, plus his beet pulp and such. But I gelded him and he was doing fine, but a bit skinny on top. I've increased his beet pulp and put him out on pasture. Pasture is the best way to do it and they lose that belly within a day or two of being taken off. But I don't really have pasture (its my yard), so I'm going to try an equine senior with him and see if it works.

 

[Leeana]

I started feeding beet pulp to help fill out the topic and add depth to the hip, its really worked wonders for me. I think conformation has allot to do with it though

.

I've always heard that feeding a high fat helps with the topline.

Fat is not bad, if you even out the fat and workload you should be fine. I feed a high fat suppliment (also high veg oil), but they also rounden ext a good amount each day.

 

[txminipinto]

First, make sure you don't have a pot belly from worms. If you're on a good worming schedule, and it's not a hay/grass belly, I like to have a pretty good fat content in my feeds. I feed a 12% protein/6% fat pellet with beet pulp (wet). Certain horses get coastal or alfalfa (or both) and then I love the SmartPak weight supplement, CoolCalories. It's 99% fat and I swear by it.

Fat really? I have always tried to avoid fat as I guess I thought it would make them fat.

I use to use just a higher protein. I know of some good high fat feeds that I can use. He is on a 2 month worming schedule.

Yes, fat. The combination of conditioning, protein, and fat is what "finishes" a show animal. You need fat and as long as you're conditioning (exercising) then you should be fine. Trotting builds more muscle than cantoring or running too.

 

[midnight star stables]

Thank you.

 

[Sunny]

Hi Des. Two of my favourite supplements when I was still showing were black oil sunflower seeds, and a Master Feeds product called Finishing Touch.

 

[wildoak]

I find that beet pulp helps too, seems to put weight on in the right places.

I've fed a higher fat in the past too for weight, coat & condition. I went to a seminar last weekend on a new feed, and their entire premise is different from anything I've heard. They maintain the fat is not in fact healthy, and that it hinders performance. It's a highly digestible extruded feed that is only 2% fat and yet, everyone I've heard from who feeds it says the horses will put on weight and look terrific with it because in part it's so completely digestible. It's aussielogic.com if anyone is interested. I have 4 horses here on it to test, will see how they act/look in a month or so.

Jan