Help your horse gain weight – without compromising health

A horse that is too thin needs help – but it's not just about giving it more food. Too many calories, the wrong composition or high sugar content can do more harm than good.

At Regulator Complete, we help you support your horse's weight gain systematically and gently - with a focus on:
👉 Enough calories
👉 Enough protein
👉 Stable blood sugar
👉 Gentle raw materials
👉 Good well-being in both stomach and body

Step 1: Find the cause

Before changing the feeding, you should rule out:
• Dental problems – also in older horses, which often have reduced chewing ability
• Intestinal parasites – can impair nutrient absorption
• Stress or pain – e.g. from herd dynamics, stomach ulcers or joint problems
• Insufficient access to roughage – ad libitum is often necessary

👉 Once you have these conditions under control, you can start supplementing.

Step 2: The foundation – roughage + vitamins and minerals

Roughage is the foundation of any feeding plan. But:
• It often contains too little protein
• Rarely covers the need for vitamins and microminerals
• Does not always contain enough calories for a horse in a weight deficit

Therefore, we recommend that you provide a daily supplement with vitamins and minerals – and add calories and protein on top of the roughage.

Step 3: Watch your sugar and protein

Even if the horse needs to gain weight, you should still avoid feed with too high a sugar content.
At Regulator Complete we recommend:

👉 This applies to all horses in light work - but older horses in particular need more easily absorbed nutrients.

Step 4: Choose a supplement according to your horse's needs

🔹 Every Day Happy → For most horses in light to moderate work
🔹 Peak Performance → For horses in rehabilitation, recovery or with increased needs
🔹 Supreme Minerals → When you simply want to supplement with vitamins and minerals

Always remember salt : Horses need salt (link)

Step 5: Add calories – without significantly increasing the sugar

If you want to help your horse gain weight, choose gentle calorie sources such as fiber, oil and protein – easy on the body and good for digestion. (The amounts depend on needs, age and feed level)

📊 Extra calories and protein – per 100 kg horse per day

Step 6: Remember the blanket

Older and thin-skinned horses in particular use a lot of calories to stay warm.
👉 A blanket can help the horse save energy - and thus gain weight more easily.

Step 7: Exercise and horse friends – an important part of weight gain

Weight is not just about food – but also about well-being and balance in everyday life.
👉 A horse that thrives mentally and has the opportunity for natural movement has much better chances of gaining weight.

🔹 Make sure the horse goes out daily – preferably for several hours
🔹 Allow space for movement at different paces and on varied surfaces
🔹 Let the horse walk with one or more good horse friends, if possible

Exercise and social contact not only strengthen muscles and appetite – but also the joy of life. This can be seen directly in weight and well-being.

📀 Short summary

What if I can't measure or weigh my horse?

It is best if you can track your weight using a scale, a measuring tape or a body condition scoring chart. Body Condition Scoring Chart
But even if you don't use any of it, you can get really far just by looking and noticing:

- Look at the horse – and use your eyes and hands:
• Do you see clear ribs?
• Do the hip tips feel prominent?
• Do the hindquarters and topline appear flat and thin?
If you can answer yes, then it is a sign that the horse could use more calories and more protein.

How fast does the horse gain weight?

- It depends on age, health, the amount of roughage and how much extra energy you add. But as a rule of thumb:
• You can expect to see the first small changes in your condition after 2–4 weeks.
• Visible and noticeable improvement typically takes 6–8 weeks or more

Horses generally gain weight more slowly than they lose weight, and that's actually a good thing – too rapid weight gain can strain the metabolism and the body.

🔍 Keep an eye out for:
✅ Less visible ribs
✅ More fullness in topline and hindquarters
✅ Increased energy and well-being
✅ Smoother coat and better appetite

📸 Feel free to take photos once a month from the side and from behind and with the horse in the same position each time - this makes it easier to follow the development.

📩 Do you need guidance regarding your particular horse?

Book a personal telephone consultation , or share your situation in Regulator Complete customer experiences on Facebook - we will be happy to help you further.