How can you get a thoroughbred fat?

Question

I train Throughbred jumpers and I want to put a little more weight on them to build more muscle on them.
I feed Stradegy, Supplements and each horse gets about eight flakes a day. I must also mention, I feed them three times a day.

I think I am going to add rice bran to their diet.

I just don't want to make them too hot with so much grain.

Anyone?
Thanks
JumpThatTB

Answer 1

Thoroughbreds, if they have come out of race training you should try putting them on an anti-ulcer supplement. You should be able to get this from your vets. As a south african, i dont know your products with regard to feed, but oat hay, and lucerne(dont know if you get that....but i THINK you call it alfalfa) - both put weight on.
Again if they come out of racing, then you should look to putting them out to pasture for a few months, to allow them to "let down" bearing in mind that most Thoroughbred Racehorses are given all sorts of steriods, and "supplements" during their careers, so the few months off will give them time to get that stuff out their system, and put on weight naturally, thereby giving you plenty of fat to turn into muscle.
Try breaking their feeds up more, maybe 4/5 SMALL feeds, horses, in my experience, dont like huge meals.
I would recommend what we call a "warmblood" feed, it's fattening but non heating - maize free, dont know if you get that in the states, but im sure you have something similar.
Muscle, as you know, comes from work, alot of SLOW work will build bigger muscle, so doing "hill work" at a walk and trot will build up their hind1/4s etc....trotting polls tighten tummy muscle, but im sure you know all that already. Anyways, hope this helps.

Answer 2

I'm not sure you really want them *fat* to jump. Strategy is a good feed. You might add Athlete to it - it's a Purina product, high calorie for horses in training but doesn't make them "hot"...is about $20/bag and you feed like a cup a day per horse. It is *NOT* a complete feed...you feed in addition to a regular ration. Some use shredded beet pulp, thoroughly soaked (it swells). sounds like you have a good program. Some jumper people I've known put 1/4 cup of corn oil on the feed once a day. If stomach issues might be a problem add a tablespoon of baking soda once a day. (Knew a TB jumper who had ulcer issues...she gained weight with the addition of that in her diet).

Answer 3

I've had good luck with roasted soybeans, without the increase in "hotness" often seen with corn. They're fairly inexpensive too, at around 12 cents/pound. I don't know how many horses you're feeding, but I just buy it by the pound at the local feed mill. They measure it out of a 50 pound bag for me. If the beans are fresh, they should smell really good, like buttered popcorn.

Answer 4

A strategy that works for any horse of any age is to mix 3/4 of their normal grain with a 1/4 of Senior Feed. Senior feed is specially designed so that it is easier to digest and has more fat in it so that an older horse has an easier time keeping weight on. You can adjust the Senior feed accordingly, if tghey start to get too fat or if they arent picking up enough yet. One Saddlebred that I worked with was only 12 and he had soooo much trouble keeping weight on, we tried giving him some Senior feed in with his regular feed and it worked.

Answer 5

Make sure their teeth are floated regularly.

Add some table bran to their feed (dry or with a little bit of water & mix).

Don't mistake weight for muscle. They are not the same.

Answer 6

With horses probably the most typical option to being over weight is to quite simply activity them. Once you begin exercise him, the fats will start for use as vigour and muscle will start to construct. This in flip will burn extra vigour. Cutting again the volume of grain furthermore to the activity will accelerate the approach and take it farther than activity by myself might. Many of state-of-the-art horses are saved heavier than is obviously well for them. The further fats makes it elaborate for them to shed warmth whilst ridden in sizzling climate.

Answer 7

You may be working them to hard which causes them to burn energy to quickly.Or the grain your giving them doesn't have a very high fat persentage.If so slowly and gradually switch them to a higher fat food.You might want to take him to a vet because it sounds like you may be feeding him a little too much.

Answer 8

I had good luck with a product called 707. Also, have you had your hay/grass protein tested? If you feed hay, feed a low protein hay and a lot of it.

Answer 9

ya give them more apples a day:)

Answer 10

i dont know?!?!