I know there have been a million and one threads about horses losing weight but I thought I'd start another one because it's Annapolis that's losing weight.

As you know he's always been a hard keeper but we had finally got him looking good with Nutrena Safe Choice and soaked alfalfa cubes (because he can no longer eat hay).  In addition, corn oil is added, as well as Strongid 2X and his One AC.  

When they make up the feed, the Safe Choice is sprinkled on top of the alfalfa "soup" and then the whole lot is upended into his feeder.  So the Safe Choice is on the bottom.

It's always taken him forever to finish his feed but recently Brody says he seems to have lost interest in the alfalfa part of it.

 He still noses around energetically, and eating all the Safe Choice but now he's stalling out before he finishes the alfalfa.  It's like he's just not interested in it.

I've got the vet coming out to check his teeth again and I'll discuss it with her, but I thought I'd run it by you guys too.  What other options do I have for getting fibre into him, considering he doesn't have enough teeth in his head to chew hay to the point it can be swallowed?

Amusingly, he still loves the taste of hay and grass and treats it rather like chewing gum.  All round the pasture I see wadded up bits of roughage that he has chewed all the taste out of before letting them drop to the ground.

You're probably feeding him the alfalfa for the protein and amino acids.

You could buy straight timothy pellets and soak them.  They soak up in about 10 minutes, unlike the timothy/alfalfa cubes.

 For protein you could buy Soy meal and I hate saying that.  I had to do that with my 26 yr old Arab for awhile.  Soy is higher in protein and amino acids than alfalfa.  My Arab's only 13.3H so I fed him two teaspoons daily.  Once his urine started to have a really strong ammonia smell, I stopped feeding the soymeal.

Also, I take it the Strongid is a daily feed thru?  He could be dealing with ulcers; either gastric stomach ulcers or hind gut ulcers.  At his age I think I would ask the vet if a daily feed thru is still a good thing.

These days, hind gut ulcers can be checked with a fecal sample.

http://www.succeed-equine.com/succeed-blog/2010/11/30/your-horse-ulcer-free-pt-3-colonic-ulcers-in-the-hindgut/

Where it says in part:  "If your horse is exhibiting any of these symptoms and testing shows that its manure pH is low, your horse is likely suffering from colonic ulcers."

My 25 yo with equine metabolic syndrome was diagnosed with hind gut ulcers using this method. He is on Succeed right now and hasn't looked or acted this good in many months.

Hope Annapolis gets his zest for eating back, soon:)

 Thanks for the info.  I'm at work right now, so I'll read it in detail when I get home.  It will also go on the list of things to talk to the vet about.  I think we'll definitely do the fecal sample.

Thanks again.

A fecal is a good idea but it sounds like his tummy might be bothering him.  Maybe not necessarily ulcers, but a probiotic might help.  A tube of ProBios from Tractor Supply might do the trick.  I just give it everyday until the tube is gone.  Works great for Boy when he's not colicky but not feeling himself and eating like he should.

eta:  IMO daily feed through wormers are a bad idea.  I feel strategic deworming with fecals and deworming for what they have is a better idea.  It's more cost effective, is more effective and is overall better for your horse.

Jayne-Admin:

 It will also go on the list of things to talk to the vet about.  I think we'll definitely do the fecal sample.

How's Annapolis doing by now?

 About a week ago, Brody and I were talking about complete senior feeds and I didn't realize it, but he already started switching Annapolis over to Triple Crown's senior formula.  He emailed me last night to let me know Annapolis seems to love it and digs in with gusto. Yay!!

The vet hasn't been out to see him yet - I'll still talk to her about the fecal sample and also ask for her recommendations on the daily deworming.  I'm not a fan of it myself, but I think all the horses at the barn are on it.

I haven't met a horse yet that turned their nose up at TC Senior.  It's great stuff!  I turned a whole barn of skinny horses around in just 6 weeks on that stuff after giving everyone a Powerpac. 

Another vote for TC Senior.

 My 25 yr old with Equine Metabolic Syndrome colicked twice between March and May - he's never had so much as a tummy twinge in the 22 years we've been buds.

Being the paranoid person I am, I took him off everything and started all over again; that included calling the nutritionist at Triple Crown to discuss putting Duke on their feed.

He is on 1 lb of TC 30% and 2.5 lbs of TC Senior at her recommendation.  He also gets 1/4 cup of rice bran, 1/2 cup of Omega-3 Horseshine, chastetree and his arthritis meds.

I am feeding him the microbial "Succeed" but I will be changing that to EquiOtic when the Succeed is used up.  Yes, the vet diagnosed him with hind gut ulcers:(

So far, Duke is doing wonderfully on the TC products.

 Thanks for the great recommendation.

 Soundsgreat - thanks!