With winter on its way, it's more important than ever that underweight equines receive the right horse food and put sufficient weight on before the colder weather arrives. This is especially relevant if they are living out, as horses need to be carrying enough fat supplies to keep warm. In fact, horses and ponies that are turned out over winter generally require around 30 percent more energy, in order to remain warm and healthy.

If a horse is struggling to put on weight, there are a number of things that need to be checked.

Teeth - if there are any sharp edges, these will be uncomfortable and will mean the horse is both reluctant and unable to eat as much horse food as it should be. Poor dental health will also have a negative impact on digestion and feed efficiency. Most equines require an annual visit from the horse dentist.

Worming - every horse should be following a carefully thought out worming programme. If there is any chance the horse might be carrying worms, contact a vet to determine the best course of action. "Wormy" equines are often lighter in condition as the horse food is providing nutrition to the worms, rather than the horse.Work vs. feed ratio - occasionally, a horse's workload might have been increased but the levels of horse food have remained the same. It can be worth consulting an equine nutritionist or feed company if the horse owner is unsure of the amounts they should be feeding.

Disease - if every other cause has been ruled out, the reason behind a horse's weight loss could be more serious than simply increasing the amount of horse food. Always consult a vet if there are any concerns the horse could be ill.

If the horse simply requires a little more weight, there are a number of actions that can be taken. If the horse is not living out 24/7, consider giving it more turnout time, preferably on good grazing. If the grazing is not of a high standard or he needs to be stabled, supplement with high-quality hay or haylage.

Something else that can help is feeding more of the hard horse food that the horse or pony is already receiving or trying a conditioning horse food. These are designed to put weight on equines and can be highly effective. They are usually high-energy; nutrient-rich horse foods, containing plenty of protein. Most can be fed on their own or as part of an existing diet. A more traditional route is suppling straight horse foods such as boiled barley and linseed. They are both energy dense foods that are efficiently converted into body fat. Do be careful if the horse is fed more of these kinds of horse food though as they can lead to excitability if the horse doesn't receive adequate exercise.

On top of the additional horse food and checking the aforementioned health points, do ensure that the horse is well rugged when it is cold and is not put in a position where it will be agitated, such as being grazed away from its companions. Horses will lose weight quickly if they are struggling to keep warm and also if they are stressed.