I recently got an emaciated horse, need suggestions on proper feeding and watering, as I am a novice?

More details on the horse's condition would be good, but first thing is you should go to a vet and make sure there isn't serious problems as there usually are with horses in such condition.

A horse who is servely underweight should be put back onto feed slowly as well as water. Just make sure they get enough water each day. Several very small feedings a day work. Horses are supposed to eat very little amounts all day anyway. It's more natural.

Make sure he has salt and there are some nice equine vitamins you can add to their feed. Not knowing how the horse's feet are, I can't recommend grain. But I can recommend bran. It is safe for even a foundered horse. Make sure it is wet, but not dripping wet. Use hot water if it is cold outside. Makes for a better treat. Try to get it all damp, no dry spots, some are okay.

Then add those vitamins in low dosages. There is this senior pellet food that worked great on the horses I had. They were old, but if your horse is young it will work also. It has a REALLY rich smell to it.

Vaccines and wormers are improtant too, but a vet should be working with you on this. That is very important! Feeding and watering are things this horse needs, but he will need a whole lot more. At least call a vet and get advice or go to some horse rescue sight. These guys are good, www.savethehorse.com

When I was a kid, we rescued an emaciated horse, and fed him a lot...we lost him a yr later to liver failure...we did not know how to take care of an emaciated horse...I think we fed him too much too fast.

Contact your local SPCA or ASPCA....or a large animal vet...they will know how much and how often to feed the horse.

I think free choice coastal hay would be ok, but don't take my word for it...stay away from alfalfa for the time being....

Free choice water?!

Take notes on everyones advice, then contact the professionals in the field and ask them which is the best to follow.

It was hard putting "Big Ben" down, so take this advice...you need someone with experience bringing emaciated horses around!

You will need to contact a vet that specializes in horses. An emaciated animal needs special attention; food, medicines, care. They must be seen by a vet to ensure that they are gaining weight properly and that there aren't any other problems, like worms, that can further hurt the animals progress. Don't delay getting a vet involved, emaciated animals can die from their condition. They need the best of care and lots of love. I give you credit for taking on this poor horse, good for you!

Start feeding slowly.

Grass hay free choice fresh water at all times.

Feed three times per day

I like to start them on some type of senior pelleted feed.

I add beet pulp soak in water and add to feed it expands so put a couple of cups in a bucket and add some water let it soak for 30 mintues or more and then mix with the pellets.

You can also add fat the their diet to add calories with out making them hot. Start with 1/4 cup and work up to one cup over about two weeks. Give twice per day. Back off it they get loose poo.

Make sure to have the vet check them and float teeth.

This works well and does not make the horse hot. They need to gain the weight slowly and this will help them do that.

I never feed sweet feed as to much grain and high carbs can make them hot and excitable. The pelleted feed is better as it is easier for them to process and use the ingredients in it than the sweet feed.

I too got an emaciated horse about 20 yrs ago, I have had horses all my life but I had never seen one so skinny. He had no hair and every bone in his body was prominent.(he was registered QH from the King ranch in Texas) Vet said ti be careful feeding because it could kill him so I fed grain carefully and all the hay he wanted. Soon the weather started getting cooler and vet said first frost could kill him so we started puttting the food to him, vet said either cure him or kill him, by next spring he was gorgeous.

well trained too, 3 years went by and we really enjoyed him, all of a sudden he starting losing weight big time, in no time he had lost

alot of weight after throrough exam, vet said heart, lungs, liver and kidneys were failing and we would have to put him down soon, said horses cannot go up and down on the weight scale

it destroys their organs

take good care of your new horse and enjoy him, if this is the first time that he's gotten skinny then I'm sure you will have longer that I did

Good Luck

I would first have a vet come up and check the horse over - externally as well as internally; make sure to have his teeth checked. And, depending on his age, I would go to the local feed store and see what proper grain - whether he should have senior feed, or 16% feed, (I strongly recommend Triple Crown) and I would feed him only enough grain according to his current weight. Also, I would purchase Triple Crown Rice Bran and give him a cup twice a day along with his grain ratio. I would pick up some good horse vitamins, which should be fed to him according to the directions. I would recommend dac products -their oil works very nicely, I would also purchase dac Bloom - which is a fatty acid supplement for horses, and dac orange superior - has vitamins and minerals necessary for gaining weight. dac's number is 1-800-921-9121. If you follow this faithfully, you'll see a major change with your horse in 3-4 weeks. Also, make sure you're up to date with worming, and shots. Make sure you have plenty of hay and fresh water available. If you need any more help, you're more than welcome to email me! I wish you luck with your horse!

how did u get a horse that was emaciated?? if ur a novice?? ok well

plenty of hay. u dont want it to be too rich. if it is they can colic from too much too soon.

no grain for a little while.

water avalible all the time.

dont put him out in a pasture just yet.

call a vet as soon as u can. dont kill him with love. as in dont give him lots of treats or grain.

call the vet ASAP.

first off get a good vet to come out and check him,

second go to the feed store and get a dewormer. and it would not hurt to give him some enzymes.

when I need to put weight on a horse I feed the following (all can be got at a feed store and a grocery store.)

3 cups of alfalfa pellets

2 cups of beet pulp.(soaked in water for 1 hour.)

2 cups rice brain.

1 scope of wheight gain.

1 scope M.S.M.

1 scope cellinum.

1 cup rice brain

1 once red cell

1 cup powderd milk.

1/2 cup corn oil.

this is given in along with the evening feed. I also feed hey in the morning.

when you have the vet out ask him/her to check his teeth to see if they need to be floated.

if a horse gets long in the teeth they have a hard time eating and will drop wheight.

DO NOT feed this horse sweet feed. or oats. this will just hop them up and will drop pounds

after 2 weeks letting him stand put him in a round pin and start getting him exercise. start out slow and work him back into shape.

One last thing do not feed him off the ground.

they will eat dirt and this will bring on sand coalic.

If I can be of any father help contact me at montanotroy411@yahoo.com.

the horse should have water at all times. You need to get it wormed, and you need to give it free choice hay of a good quality. I would go with a good grass type hay, but make sure that it is not a fescue type of hay. Once a day give it a flake of Alfalfa hay and give it grain, but start it out small portions and go up from there. Have a vet come out to check its teeth to see if they need to be "floated" (filed down) because it might not be able to chew very well and that could cause a problem... If you want to, you can contact me and I can give you tons of pointers on this, I used to take in sick and abused horses and nurse them back to health...

In a situation like this is is important not to over grain him. It sounds like he has had none so far. He needs fat content more than calories. I would start him on a quart of 12% a day for now. Make sure you give him something to go with it to add the fat to him. I use a lot of corn oil because it is high in fat and not too many calories. The high fat content will hel[p him gain weight where as the high caloric intake will just give him nervous energy making him burn more weight. Just add a cup of corn oil on top of his feed and mix it in real well. (he might not eat it well at first). It is also important to give him all the hay he can eat. We as horse owners often overlook the importance of hay in our horses diets and tend to over grain and under hay.