How long until??

Question

how long does it take for a horse to gain weight?

condition of horse:

* could see all ribs

* back and hind end were sunken in but now his rear has filled out after 2 weeks

* his belly is also rounding out

it's been 3 weeks and his backbone is still sticking out

his ribs aren't sticking OUT but very noticable

how long until he gets nice and round?

i'm just curious i've never had to put weight on a hrose before

first time and i'm just wondering how long it usually takes

don't worry i have professional help and trainer help with him and vet care he was so underweight because his previous owners had him in a dry lot and no grass only hay and grained and he needs grass to keep his weight up

anyone know how long?

a couple months? how long did it take your horses?

thanks!

Answer 1

ive been training a 13yo qh for about two months, and he came to me pretty skinny. his butt and hips were bony, and his neck and chest were very slim. slowly start with a little bit more grain than usual, with 5min more of trotting each day you ride. if you can find some steep hills to walk up and down, that'd be really good. thats what i did with this horse. when i first got him, i couldnt ride him for more than ten minutes; he would be dripping sweat and he would just randomly stop cantering. and with gradual increase of exericse and feed (he's on two full scoops a day now), he's filling out and has more energy. so you should be noticing a difference from 1-2 months, with grain and exercise.

Answer 2

It takes about one year to get the horse to recover and you may not ever get the horse wright back to normal as the horse may be thin naturally.

Answer 3

Simple calculation from the Merck Veterinary Manual.

A horse can loose up to 50lbs in a day(Extremely hard days work, or stress)

At best a horse can only gain 3 lbs per day.

If you calculate the weight with this ratio you will be fine. Gaining weight is should NOT be a quick process, for this may cause founder. A steady gain over several weeks is the best method.

Answer 4

well it sounds like he has already begin coming back up it really all depends on the horse and how far down or how much wait he lost I had a horse that was about 500 pounds under wait and it took 3 mouths to get him to were your explaining and another 4 mouths to get him round and muscled out but good luck.

Answer 5

It really depends on what you feed him and how his body responds to it.  But you dont want to put weight on a horse too fast either.  Typically, you can start to see weight gain within a month.  Usually 2-3 months until you will really see a difference.  Putting weight on an animal that is not used to it can sometimes add strain to their joints since they have been so light.  Just imagine you were only 100 pounds then put on 50 pounds in a week.  Thats a shock to your body.

Because you are feeding more calories your horses body needs to adjust for the extra caloric intake and utalize the calories properly.  You dont want to just put fat on a horse.  You need the proper vitimans, minerals, some fats, fiber, carbs, sugars, starches, etc.

Sounds like you're on the right path since your vet and trainer are already helping and supervising.  You can do a body condition assessment ever 2-3 weeks to track the improvement, but you wont be seeing a huge difference right away.  Tracking it will also give you an idea if your feeding program is working and what adjustments need to be made where.

Answer 6

My mare was in the exact same condition - it took her about 4 months for me to notice a difference and now 6 months later she is at her ideal weight.  I know, it seems to take so long, but he will get there!

Answer 7

Yes you are spot on, two months and up to three months.

Answer 8

Using a chart in my horse magazine, it sounds like it will take 100 days, more or less, but on the right diet.