Re: Re: mystery weight loss older mare

["Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

Merrie wrote:
You can add about 1/8 of a cup of corn oil 1 time per day ,for
consentrated calories , but be careful about giving more than that as too
much can interfere with absorption of necessary nutrients.

Merrie,
This is not true....oil will not interfere with absorption of nutrients.  I
add up to 2 cups a day of oil (a cup twice a day and sometimes during heavy
competition will add a third feeding with another 1/2 -1 cup)....this is for
our stallion.  Personally, I don't feel less than 4 ounces a day makes that
much difference.  I do believe you are right though that the teeth should be
one of the first things checked on horses who have lost weight...one of our
clients had a young yearling who looked AWFUL... undersized, scraggy,
skinny...they tried all the good stuff like beet pulp, oil and probiotics
with no improvement at all!  I finally told the lady to have his teeth
checked by the dentist.  The poor little thing had the biggest wolf teeth
the dentist had ever seen on ANY horse, let alone a yearling!  He took off
growing and filling out after that and you'd never recognize him now!!  One
of the first things I try to ask anymore is if the teeth have been done
FIRST...then suggest the beet pulp and oil and probiotics!!!
Maggie