Putting weight on a horse safely comes down to two things: enough good roughage, and extra energy that does not come mainly from starch. That second part is what feed makers mean by "cool" or "non-heating": the energy comes from fat and digestible fibre rather than grain starch and sugar, which is the combination most owners are after when a horse needs condition without the fizz. This guide walks through the three ways to add condition, what the makers' own numbers say about each product we stock, and how to introduce them without upsetting the gut.
Before you change the feed
A horse losing or failing to hold condition on a reasonable diet is worth a check before the feed bill goes up. Teeth, worm burden, pasture quality and the amount of work being asked all affect condition, and no bag of feed fixes a dental problem. A vet or equine dentist can rule these out quickly. Once they are covered, roughage is the base: the makers quoted below all put the minimum at 1.5 to 2 percent of bodyweight in roughage per day, which for a 500 kg horse is 7.5 to 10 kg of hay and pasture before any hard feed is counted.
Option 1: a high-fat supplement on top of the current ration
The lightest change is to keep the current feed and add a concentrated fat source. Hygain Tru Gain is the example in our range. Hygain lists it at 20 percent fat, 11 percent protein and 17.5 MJ of digestible energy per kilogram, with rice bran oil and canola oil as the fat sources plus natural vitamin E and bio-available selenium. Hygain describes it as a cold feed for horses that need weight gain, poor doers, sales and show preparation, and horses prone to tying up or stomach ulcers. Because it is so energy dense, small amounts go a long way; Hygain's instructions are to introduce it over 7 to 14 days, feed by weight rather than by scoop, and follow the feeding-rate chart on the bag for your horse's weight.
Option 2: a complete conditioning feed
If the horse is on a basic ration or you want one bag that does the job, a conditioning feed replaces the hard feed rather than adding to it.
- Mitavite Builda 25 kg: a fully steam-extruded conditioning feed. Mitavite's typical analysis is 16.5 percent protein, 6.5 percent fat and 13.2 MJ per kilogram, fortified with biotin, zinc and oil and with added prebiotics. Note the starch: Mitavite lists it at 30 percent, so it is a conditioning feed for horses that handle grain well, not a low-starch option. Mitavite's guide for a 400 kg horse is 1.5 to 2.5 kg a day at maintenance or light work, rising to 3 to 4 kg in heavy work.
- Mitavite Cool Vitality 20 kg: a micronised muesli at 15 percent protein that Mitavite positions as a cool, conditioning energy profile, with prebiotics and probiotics.
- CopRice Cool Conditioner Pellets 20 kg: built on rice bran and wholegrain rice, listed at a minimum 12 percent protein, 7 percent fat and 12 MJ per kilogram, for horses and ponies in light to moderate work.
Option 3: high-fibre, low-starch pellets
For horses that heat up easily, ponies, or any horse where starch is the thing you want to avoid, the fibre-based conditioning pellets are the safest starting point.
- Johnsons Every Horse Weight Gain 20 kg: Johnson's Natural Formula describes it as a high-fibre, balanced pelleted feed for body condition and muscle development with cool, sustained energy, suitable for horses and ponies in light to medium work, retired or spelling horses and competition horses. Its typical analysis is 9.5 MJ per kilogram, 13 percent protein, 4.4 percent fat, 32.8 percent fibre and 1.4 percent starch, built on oaten and lucerne hay, lupins, faba beans and full-fat soybean. The low energy density means you feed more kilograms than a fat supplement, but the starch figure is about as low as a conditioning feed gets.
- Mitavite Xtra Cool 20 kg: a high-fibre, low-starch complete feed for horses and ponies from paddock rest to moderate work, which Mitavite aims at pony club horses and horses that heat up easily. It maintains rather than builds, so pair it with a fat source if condition is the goal.
Straights that add condition
Some owners prefer to build a ration from individual ingredients. The ones in our range that makers position for condition are:
- Mitavite Extru Lupins 20 kg: steam-extruded Australian lupins at 31 percent protein, low in starch, with added oil and naturally high in biotin. Mitavite notes the low starch suits grain-sensitive and laminitis-prone horses.
- Green Valley Lupins, cracked, 20 kg and Green Valley Cracked Faba Beans 20 kg: plain legume straights for owners who mix their own.
- Green Valley Black Sunflower 20 kg: an oil-rich seed commonly fed in small amounts for coat and condition.
Plain oats and barley add energy too, but mostly as starch; they are the classic "heating" grains, which is the opposite of what most people searching for non-heating weight gain want.
Older horses and poor teeth
A senior horse can lose weight simply because it cannot chew hay or whole grain efficiently. Two feeds in our range are made for that situation: Mitavite Gumnuts 20 kg, a steam-extruded cool conditioning feed for senior horses and ponies at 16 percent protein that soaks into a mash, and Laucke Cool+ Pellets 20 kg, an oat-free high-protein, high-energy pellet where every ingredient is processed so it does not need chewing down. Both makers say to feed alongside roughage; for a horse with poor teeth that may mean soaked hay cubes or chaff rather than long-stem hay.
How to introduce a conditioning feed
- Change over 7 to 14 days (Hygain) or 1 to 2 weeks (Johnson's), mixing a little more of the new feed into the old each day.
- Weigh the feed. Every maker above says feed by weight; a scoop of extruded pellets and a scoop of fat supplement weigh very different amounts.
- Keep roughage at 1.5 to 2 percent of bodyweight per day and clean water available at all times.
- Split large amounts into small meals. Johnson's puts the line at 0.5 kg per 100 kg of bodyweight per day: above that, divide into more feeds.
- Check condition every two weeks with a weigh tape or body condition score and adjust, rather than waiting a season.
Frequently asked questions
What does "non-heating" horse feed actually mean?
It is the makers' term for feeds where the energy comes mostly from fat and digestible fibre rather than grain starch and sugar. Look at the starch percentage on the typical analysis: Johnsons Every Horse Weight Gain lists 1.4 percent, Mitavite Builda lists 30 percent. Both add condition, but they suit different horses.
Which is the best horse feed for weight gain in Australia?
There is no single answer. For a horse already on a decent ration, a fat supplement like Hygain Tru Gain is the smallest change. For a horse on a basic ration that handles grain well, an extruded conditioning feed like Mitavite Builda does the whole job. For ponies and horses that heat up easily, a high-fibre pellet like Johnsons Every Horse Weight Gain is the safer starting point.
How long before I see weight gain?
Allow a full 7 to 14 day introduction before judging anything, then measure fortnightly. Condition changes over weeks, not days, and a sudden jump usually means gut fill rather than body fat.
Can I use a conditioning feed for a laminitis-prone horse?
Check the starch figure first and talk to your vet. Mitavite specifically points to the low starch in Extru Lupins for grain-sensitive and laminitis-prone horses; a 30 percent starch feed is not the place to start for that horse.
How much roughage does a horse need while gaining weight?
The makers quoted here put the minimum at 1.5 to 2 percent of bodyweight per day. Roughage is not optional while feeding for condition; it is what keeps the gut working.
Shop next: Horse Feed · Hygain Tru Gain · Mitavite Builda · Johnsons Every Horse Weight Gain · Horse Health & Supplements
Sources
Product facts in this guide are taken from the manufacturers' own pages listed below and from the product listings on this site; general care points are given as practical guidance, not veterinary advice. Last reviewed 17 September 2026.
- Hygain: Tru Gain
- Mitavite: Builda
- Johnson's Natural Formula: Every Horse Weight Gain