I have an older arabian horse, he has been under weight for years and i have tried EVERYTHING, i have his teeth floated, i have tried many different types of weight builder, beat pulp, corn oil, senior feed. The vet has checked him out and he has alot of energy and his coat is healthy. Does anyone have any suggestions, i would greatly appreciate it!

I've been reading a lot in this past year about older Arabs becoming hard keepers. It seems to go with the breed for some reason???

I rescued my Arab 18+ years ago as a starving horse poster child with a vertebra injury.

He will be 26 in April and has always been a hard keeper but getting harder.

He has four molars missing and gastric ulcer flare-ups (did you check your Arab for ulcers?) especially about this time of year until Spring and the grass comes on.

Like your Arab the vet checks him twice yearly, his coat and hooves have a beautiful shine to them, his 13.3H self is second-in-command to two big Tennessee Walkers, and he still is the biggest instigator for play in the pasture.

He had a nice chubby tummy a few weeks ago but as the grass wanes in the pasture (he's on 22 acres) his ribs are starting to show again.

I can only pump so much into him, so I am about to just heave a big a sigh and try to do what the vet said which, "not to worry about him so much".

I literally feed him more than all three of my Walking Horses combined; remember he's only 13.3H.

They all come in at night so he gets 5# - 6# of mixed grass hay every night.

2 lbs of pelleted rice bran daily.

3/4 cup Omega-3 Horseshine daily.

10 ounces of EquiPride daily which is a vit/min supplement with a pre-probiotic in it. It is soy-free and it's main purpose is for two other horses with metabolic issues.

Since the Arab probably could use the soy for more protein and amino acids, I make that up by also feeding him about 4# of well mushed timothy/alfalfa cubes daily. He would mutiny if I didn't feed him his mushed up cubes.

Then there's NSAIDS for the arthritis in that old vertebra injury and an herbal compound to help blood circulation that really does work.

His urine is perfect, his road apples are perfect, so without doing serious bloodwork to maybe learn about something I can't fix anyway, I am at a loss as to what else I can do.

I'm beginning to think (from what I've read on other forums concerning older Arabs) that I am doing all I can do and so are you.

My Arab will gain his weight back as soon as the spring grass gets here which, is right when I have to muzzle the two Walking Horses with metabolic issues. Talk about a contradiction.

I have been no help except to offer a comparison and maybe some support.

I'd be ecstatic if someone would come in with a Magic Bullet fix for these older Arabs.

I currently have two older Arabs both mares a 17 [I don't really consider old] and a 28.

First rule out any metobolic or gastric issues.
You've already stated that teeth are good, but do have a current fecal done.

The easiest way to supply extra calories to any breed is 24/7 quality hay.

Hard to recommend a specific diet without more details about your horse.
Age, workload, pasture [amount/type] region/climate, known medical issues, size

Thats so frustrating when they just won't gain weight. If teeth are OK and vet cannot find any issues, I have had great luck with Purina's Amplify supplement and smartpak's weightGain if that helps!