How to Safely Build up an Underweight Horse

There are a number of different reasons a horse can become underweight, and not all of them are because of neglect. Stress can cause a horse to shed some pounds, as can a change in schedule, in feed, or in barn and turnout habits. Getting them to gain weight is much more complicated than feeding them more, though. The most important thing is to catch weight loss quickly. Once it's noticed that your horse's body shape in changing, you'll need to take steps to fix it.

Things You'll Need

  • Weight tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine why your horse is losing weight. Are you working him more and feeding him the same? Has there been a recent event that's increased his stress level, such as moving to a new barn, a herd change, or introducing him to a new horse or companion? Is he getting older and into the age range of being considered a senior? Is he showing signs of illness? Have his teeth been done lately? Has he been on a regular schedule of de-worming? If none of these questions can answer why he seems to be losing weight, consult your vet.

    • 2

      If your horse hasn't had her teeth floated in a year or so, call the vet out to have that done. She may be having trouble chewing, causing dietary issues.

    • 3

      Try to alleviate some of the new, stressful factors that your horse may be experiencing. For example, if you've just moved into a new barn, give her time to adjust, to settle down and get used to the new sights, smells and sounds of her new home before throwing her into a new herd. Turn her out somewhere she can feel safe, where she can "meet" her new stable-mates across a fence. If she's acting high-headed and nervous, back it up a step to let her start feeling more comfortable. This will give you an idea if the weight loss is a behavioral issue.

    • 4

      Make sure you're feeding correctly. Horses are creatures of habit; just look at one who's had a regular schedule for a few days. They know better than people when it's dinner time. Don't feed your horse once and expect it to last them all day. When left to their own devices, horses graze almost constantly. Of course, you're not going to be feeding constantly, but you should make sure that they receive their hay and grain rations on a regular schedule that includes feeding times of three or more times a day.

    • 5

      If they're on grain, you can increase this a little bit at a time. Some horses have a bad reaction to too much grain. If you increase grain rations, keep an eye on your horse's mental state and how well he continues to listen to you.

    • 6

      Look at what you're feeding. If the food is of low quality or incorrect for her age, it could be causing the problem. You may have to switch to a senior feed, or one of higher quality. While it's likely to cost more, it'll save a lot of health problems down the road.

    • 7

      Provide your horse with a salt lick, whether in the stall or in the pasture. The salt can help with any nutritional imbalance she's experiencing.

    • 8

      Keep an eye on how much water he's drinking in a day; for a standard sized horse, it should be several gallons. If he's not drinking enough water, that could be part of the problem as well. Add some molasses to the water to encourage him to drink.