15 feeds to help your horse gain weight and condition

Baileys Top Line Conditioning Cubes is a fully balanced feed that promotes weight gain, topline and muscle tone. It’s based on highly digestible micronised wheat, , which is prepared to be non-heating and suitable for all workloads. The cubes can also be soaked if needed.

This high-fibre feed is ideal for promoting weight gain and condition without excitability. Made from pure alfalfa, providing quality protein for topline and muscle condition, it is blended with a rapeseed oil coating to provide energy while being low in starch (2%) and naturally occurring sugar (4.5%).

The CoolCondition cubes from TopSpec are formulated for when extra condition and topline is required without the fizz. They are cereal-free, low in sugar and starch, and are non-heating. The cubes are a blend of conditioning ingredients, with good quality protein from high-oil soya and linseed.

Described as a ‘super fibre’ conditioning feed, Fibre-Beet contains all the benefits of the original Speedi-Beet product, with added alfalfa, which provides quality protein for muscle tone and function.

It has a high digestibility value, so provides slow-release energy without the fizz, and helps to generate heat to maintain core body temperature. It’s ready to feed in only 15 minutes when soaked in warm water or 45 minutes if soaked in cold water.

A high calorie feed, free from alfalfa, soya, molasses and whole cereal grains. This feed is suitable for those prone to laminitis and ideal for poor-doers who need to gain weight or more energy, while keeping starch and sugar levels low.

It contains high quality protein to support muscles, along with vitamins C and E to support the body’s immune system, antioxidant capacity and muscle function, plus pre-, pro- and postbiotics for digestive health.

This calorie-dense feed contains Equi-Jewel, which is a rice bran supplement that supports topline development. It includes super-fibres and oil to provide controlled energy release, support a healthy digestive system and promote healthy and shiny skin and coat.

Build Up Conditioning Mix from Dodson & Horrell is high in oil for condition, slow-release energy and controlled weight gain. It contains L-lysine to promote muscle condition and topline, probiotics to promote digestive health and a comprehensive blend of vitamins and minerals.

This palatable and fully balanced mash from Rowen Barbary is ideal for horses that need to gain weight and condition without the risk of excitability. It’s a high-oil formula with just 1% sugar, and contains added antioxidants, digestive enhancers and natural herbs to support overall health.

Low in starch and high in digestible fibre and oil for slow-release energy, these cubes from Spillers contain pre- and probiotics to support gut health and reduce the risk of excitability, as well as high quality protein sources to support good muscle tone and topline development. They are molasses-free and contain no added sugar.

This is carefully formulated feed for building muscle definition, outstanding shine and gut health. Includes key amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, tri-biotic blend and antioxidants.

This high-calorie pellet is rich in key amino acids and omega-3 oils, and is formulated to promote extra condition, muscle definition and coat health. It has a low starch non-heating formulation.

This feed is 20.5% fat, which safely adds weight without excess energy. Feeding fat does not cause undue systemic stress, such as kidney issues seen with protein-based feeds, or muscle and gastrointestinal problems correlated to high starch rations. With additional omega-3 and prebiotic, Cavalor WholeGain also helps strengthen immunity and improves gut health and digestion.

Mollichaff Condition Complete is a balanced blend of alfalfa, dried grass, oat straw, fibre pellets, barley, soya flakes, soya oil, mint and a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement. It also includes Yea-sacc and a prebiotic to help support a healthy digestive system.

Condition Mix from the Pure Feed Company is a complete, all-in-one feed designed to help horses maintain or improve condition. Formulated with highly digestible fibre, slow-release energy sources, linseed, rapeseed oil, and unmolassed sugar beet, it provides steady energy without spiking blood sugar.

The built-in balancer supplies essential vitamins, minerals, and trace elements, while gut support ingredients and biotin promote healthy digestion, hooves, and coat. Ideal for horses needing extra calories to maintain weight and condition.

Thunderbrook Gentle Gain is a forage pellet, based on sainfoin and rice bran, ideal for all types of horses needing to gain or maintain a healthy body condition. It provides a natural, grain-free solution to support healthy weight gain without compromising metabolic health.

H&H’s website editor Carol Phillips has used this feed to improve the condition of a seven-year-old thoroughbred mare.

“She has gained condition and her top line has improved considerably while feeding Gentle Gain alongside aid-lib hay, a vitamin and mineral balancer and chaff with daily turnout and appropriate exercise,” says Carol.

“There was clear improvement seen in one month, and after three months she had an optimum body condition score. She’s shown no signs of hotting up on this feeding regime, which really suits her.”