Weight Gain by the Numbers

If your senior horse needs to put on a few, first determine the number of pounds using the standard body condition score system (review the process at bit.ly/conditionscore). Then, use that score to determine how much to increase his feed. For example, for every condition score below 5 (can’t see ribs but can easily feel them with your hand), a 1,100-pound horse needs to gain about 45 to 50 pounds. Each 1-pound gain requires about 8,000 to 9,000 kcals over the calories needed for maintenance.

So, if your horse needs to go from, say, a 4 to a 5, he needs to gain about 45 pounds, requiring a total of approximately 380,000 additional kcals. To add that amount safely over 90 days, you’d want him to gain about a half a pound a day. To achieve that, you’d increase his feed by about 4,500 kcals per day—which could be accomplished by adding about 2 pounds of alfalfa hay and 2 pounds of a commercial feed. (Build up to that change gradually to reduce the risks of digestive upsets; learn more at purinamills.com.)

Share
Related Articles
HR-21WIN Equine Crisis_01
Your Vet, Your Ally, Your Friend
Grey flea-bitten half-arabian mare in the winter field full of snow in cold sunny weather. Animal portrait
11 Winter Wellness Tips for the Senior Horse
Close up of brunette woman forming bond with an anglo- arab horse behind a wood fence in a field
3 Common Causes of Equine Stress
HR_23WIN_Solutions_Winter-Blankets_01
Winter Blanket Solutions
Newsletter

"*" indicates required fields

Receive news and promotions for Horse & Rider and other Equine Network offers.
Name*
Country*

Additional Offers

Additional Offers
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.