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How To Put Weight On Underweight Horses

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Being underweight in humans is determined by the Body Mass Index, while in horses, it is detected by the Henneke Body Condition Scoring Scale. Horses which have obtained scores lower than 4 are considered as underweight. The scale ranges from 1 to 9, with 1 considered as the “walking skeleton”, while 9 pertains to obese horses.

Being underweight imposes health problems, as much as being overweight does. It should be clear that for the horse to gain weight takes more than just feeding the horse more. Prior to a common belief, being underweight is not just caused by underfeeding. It can also be triggered by other factors which may include dental diseases, parasites, infection, and GI conditions. The condition may also be caused by non-medical factors which may include age, use, breed, and the environment where the horse lives in. ^[1]

Regardless of the factor, it is advised that your horse should be examined by veterinarians regularly. A professional vet can determine if the condition is stimulated by an underlying medical condition.

In some cases, the condition is simply caused by inadequate nutrition. Vets can offer accurate advice on how to correct nutrition inadequacy. Depending on your horse’s needs, some vets would advice additional caloric or fat supplementation. ^[2] The horse’s diet may also include multivitamins, minerals, and fortified grains. The use of daily dewormer is also advised sometimes because it is believed to be effective at increasing nutrient utilization. However, for older horses, dental examination is advised. If a dental problem is identified as the root cause of being underweight, owners are recommended to switch their equine’s diet to a more digestible one.

When owning horses, it is important to take note of the changes which your horses exhibit in order to determine the root cause of the problem. Try to monitor the quantity and quality of feeds, as well as the amount of water given to the horses. Insufficient amount of water intake can actually caused health problems. ^[3]

In other cases, horses may suffer from being underweight due to too much stress, or if they have been working hard for a period of time. Like humans, horses need breaks too. ^[4]

Want to know more useful tips to put weight on your underweight horses? Visit this website http://www.thewayofhorses.com/weight_gain_0108.html and discover valuable tips on taking care of your underweight horses.

References:

[1] https://www.smartpakequine.com/content/underweight-horse
[2] http://www.thehorse.com/articles/15475/the-underweight-horse
[3] http://www.ehow.com/how_4516568_safely-build-up-underweight-horse.html
[4] http://hawkeyetack.wordpress.com/2013/05/23/what-to-do-about-an-overweight-or-underweight-horse/