# Feeding an underweight horse with Cushings



## Joanna710 (8 January 2013)

Hello, popping in for some advice! My friend has an old thoroughbred (rising 28) who has just been diagnosed with Cushings. He is really quite underweight and she isn't sure of the best way to feed him to add condition, without feeding him the dreaded sugar/ starch that come with most high calorie feeds. 

His teeth are in pretty good nick for a horse his age, so it's not a question of him struggling to chew, however he is bullied in his current field and so isn't getting as much haylage as he should. Moving fields and relocating/ adding haylage to the field isn't an option as we're on a big livery yard. 

Can someone please suggest a good feed/ blend of feeds suitable for an underweight, elderly Cushings horse?

Recommendations much appreciated  xx

(Put this in NL first but thought here might be a bit more appropriate!)


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## be positive (8 January 2013)

I have been feeding my cushings pony Baileys no 4 during the winter with no problems, he is under control with his prascend, does not suffer from laminitis and prefers cubes to any other feed I have tried and I have tried an awful lot. In summer he just gets ordinary cubes as the grass is better. It may not be ideal but I would rather he ate something even the "wrong" feed than nothing at all.

A high oil diet is safe, mine will not eat enough to make a difference, micronised linseed would be another way of increasing calories safely, plenty of  fibre and several small feeds rather than one or two larger ones.


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## Menolly (8 January 2013)

Do a search for micronised linseed. I read all the posts and ordered a sack about 4 weeks ago as I was struggling to put weight on my elderly cushings mare and needed a high fat but low starch feed.

I started off adding a tea mug full both morning and night to her feed then upped this to 2 mugs per feed after a week. - My thinking was that i could cut the quantities down if it worked!

 I have been amazed at the weight gain so would defiantly recommend it. It cost me about £25 to buy online but you may be able to get it ordered at a local feed store. 

X


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## Joanna710 (8 January 2013)

Ta for the replies!

Menolly - Funny you should say that, I recommended she try micronised linseed the first day I met the horse, months before he was diagnosed. My own boy gets it for hair and hoof condition, I rave about the stuff  

Be-positive - I've been reading up on the suitability of some branded feeds (Dengie, Spillers and Baileys) but the starch/ sugar content worries me a little :/ As it's not my horse I can only advise her, my thoughts were linseed and alfalfa but I'm no expert unfortunately! Really appreciate everyone's views though, this horse doesn't seem to be a fussy eater so might make transitioning to different feed a little easier xx


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## millimoo (8 January 2013)

My Shetland has just started having Fibre Beet - it adds condition, whereas as Speedi beet doesn't. He loves at, and is first one in for dinner now (he's a fussy little sod when it comes to his diet too)
He's not having anything else at present, but also has adlib Hayledge at night.
http://www.britishhorsefeeds.com/company-products/fibre-beet/

There's some FAQs at the bottom of the linked page


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## Roasted Chestnuts (8 January 2013)

Fast fibre, linseed, adlib hay/haylege and a plain alfalfa chaff was what I was recommended before I had my boy tested to see if he had it, thankfully didnt. All I would have been changing really was from Veteran Vitality to Fast Fibre


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