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MinHe
Platinum Member
England
2927 Posts |
 Posted - 10 Aug 2014 : 11:59:22 AM
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Marimbah (aged 20) seems to have lost weight since his accident - he is being fussy about his hay (normal behaviour for him), so I have put him on to the Coolstance copra. My question is, how much should I take him up to per day? He is getting just the copra and chop at the moment - the Coolstance bag recommends a kilo a day for a performance horse in light work, which doesn't seem a lot.
ANy thoughts/suggestions? I'm going to get his teeth looked at as well and will worm him, even though it's not long since he was last done.
Keren
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2014 : 12:12:52 PM
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Have no idea about copra, we have never used it, (but is that recommendation about the amount added to other feed?) What about oil added to his ration? Would he eat that? Or micronised Linseed? or a general vit and min supplement? Was he given antibiotics for his treatment? If so something like NAF in the pink powder for veterans might give him a boost. I also like Allen & Page's Calm and Condition for adding a bit of flesh, you could add it to the chop and the Copra, and a bag goes a long way for one horse.
Edited to add that should be NAF In the Pink Senior to give it it's proper name |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
Edited by - Callisto on 10 Aug 2014 12:17:33 PM |
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Ari
Platinum Member
1657 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2014 : 1:01:39 PM
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| I have seen great results with Calm and Condition and they really enjoy it. It's amazing how much water it absorbs which is another plus for a stabled horse on a dry diet. A bag goes a very long way. |
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2014 : 1:55:48 PM
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I use copra meal with great success for anyone who needs to keep weight on in the winter. You soak the copra meal in three times the amount of warm water and it goes a long way. I would give it split into 2 or 3 feeds with the chop. Not sure where in the country you are but if you can get Mole Valley Farmers Alfalfa Plus you could use that as it will have more goodness and calories than just a chop which is usually mainly straw so no calories. I also agree that Calm and Condition is very good. Don't give more than the recommended amount of Copra Meal; it is very high in oil (so calories) and you should see a difference in a few weeks. Also great for the coat with all that oil.
Good luck.
Barbara |
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MinHe
Platinum Member
England
2927 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2014 : 01:42:36 AM
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Thanks for the info - I can't get Allen & Page easily round here, but I can get the copra. Also they don't recommend feeding it in conjunction with grain-based feeds, which is why I wondered about feeding it on its own. The vet wasn't too concerned about the weight loss - he said it was probably just stress from the injury and being stabled (Marimbah is used to being out 24/7 in summer). He's getting it in 2 meals a day: I wondered about alfalfa , but was concerned it might have too much protein and bring on lymphangitis (he had it with a previous leg injury).
Keren |
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pinkvboots
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3290 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2014 : 8:51:37 PM
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I feed copra Arabi has half scoop alpha A oil with a quarter scoop soaked copra, a bit of unmolassed sugar beet and about 100g linseed at the moment but his looking well so I have reduced it, do you feed a vitamin and mineral supplement? I only ask as I was told to feed one along with what I feed as they are really just straights with nothing added, copra coolstance do have a website they might tell you how much to feed, I am sure you can feed quite a bit of it though I would maybe just increase it slowly and see how you go.
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MinHe
Platinum Member
England
2927 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2014 : 11:55:20 PM
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I haven't been feeding any supplements as the Coolstance website advises there is no need - will think about the NAF Senior Pink Powder though. Their website suggests up to 1kg dry per day for horses in recovery, so will up him to that (he's on about 600g dry at the moment). My vet wasn't aware about copra as a horse feed, so ho input from him, though he did mention that Marimbah seemed to have lost more weight since Friday. Difficult for me to tell as I see him everyday and am really unhappy with his weight loss as it is! Hoping once we get the Coolstance up to 1kg wwe will see some difference.
Will probably get some Alfa A or equivalent when we run out of the chop.
Keren |
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2014 : 09:49:45 AM
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I would put the chop aside; you can use it later when he has put on some weight. Most chops are mainly straw which are useful as "empty" feed as they have no nutritional value; the last thing he needs at the moment. Another really good thing for weight gain is soaked barley rings. Mixed with warm water and the copra meal they are a great source of calories but don't over do them as barley isn't good to feed in large quantities.
Barbara |
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Cate
Platinum Member
Scotland
1785 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2014 : 12:29:52 AM
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| I use Copra with Timothy chop and sometimes add whole oats soaked overnight then rinsed. My sister, in NZ, used Copra on a really old pony which had spent most of its life being passed around the pony club out there being used and abused. She was late 20's if not older, and put on loan to my sister for her son who attended pony club. She came to her skin and bone, no teeth and just a mess. Not sure what else she added to the Copra. The mare gained weight kept her weight on while with them although I think towards the end it was becoming more difficult to keep her in condition. When her son outgrew her she had her put down so that she wouldn't be passed around any more; there were people wanting her for their children once they saw how good she looked. So, point is Copra is good. |
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Edited by - Cate on 27 Aug 2014 12:30:37 AM |
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Almaas
Junior Member
33 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2014 : 8:44:55 PM
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Hi
I only discovered copra last winter and my very hard to keep weight on mare with a multitude of health problems came into spring looking fantastic- I wish I had found it years ago.
That said a couple of years ago my 19yo arab started to loose weight and I put him on the high oil conditioning feeds (not wanting to give him to much concentrate)only for him to go downhill fast. I got the vet and got him blood tested and he turned out to have liver problems. As the liver is involved with fat metabolism the high oil diet was the last thing he needed. It's sounds like the vet is not worried about yours which is great but I do get mine routinely blood tested now.
Back to the copra I think it's fantastic, my mare has it with topspec balancer and a tiny bit of chaff, loves it and looks fantastic. It smells lovely too! |
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MinHe
Platinum Member
England
2927 Posts |
Posted - 11 Sep 2014 : 01:36:04 AM
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Just an update: Marimbah has now been on the full recommended ration of copra (1kg/day) for a couple of weeks and it's having visible effects! He's a long way from 'show condition' but he is making up weight along his topline and has a wonderfully glossy coat (the vet remarked on it on his last visit). I thought Coolstance was expensive, but when you only need to feed 1kg/day and it's a 20kg bag, it works out cheaper than the 'value' brands of ordinary pony nuts! We are feeding the Coolstance made up into a mash, so it's quite a substantial feed by the time he gets it (it swells up to 3x the bulk when you add warm water) and have changed the chop for Alfa A, just so that he eats it slowly and just doesn't woof it down.
On the injuries front, the massive wound in his upper thigh is now down to the size of my thumb, and the vet thinks we might only need another couple of weeks full leg bandaging, so fingers crossed!
Keren |
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 11 Sep 2014 : 09:15:42 AM
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Fantastic news, MinHe. Coolstance is great, isn't it. I wish I had found it years ago for my rescue mare, she is a different horse since she has been on it and I only give it to her in the winter.
Barbara
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 11 Sep 2014 : 4:33:17 PM
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So glad that Marimbah is doing so well - healing as well as condition  |
Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
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Feeding copra on its own?
