:-) written and moderated by an equine veterinarian."> :-)">
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HorseAdvice.com » Horse Care » Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding » Feeding the Growing Foal, Nutrition for Young Horses »
  Discussion on Question for Dr. O :-):-)
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Member:
cmatexas

Posted on Monday, Sep 21, 2009 - 4:33 pm:

Dr. O,

Everything I read about finding just the right nutrition for a young horse always ends with "consult your vet". Problem is, my vets are very nice, but just don't know. :-):-)

We have excellent experience in fitting adult halter horses, but never a weanling. Bringing home new 6 month old baby next month. He was weaned at 3 months, and been fitted for Fall Futurities. We will not be showing him over the winter. I just want to feed him well, and give him just a few months off to be a horse and hopefully grow like crazy. :-):-)

We do not live at our barn, and one concern in the back of my mind always is colic, so I am VERY careful with starch overload.

We do not have access to good, fresh alfalfa year round. Our hay is okay, but not top quality. Regardless, I always think every horse needs some to munch on every day to keep their minds happy.

I understand to always watch a horse, and adjust feed accordingly. Our feedings are split into morning and night. He will have adequate turn out for 10-12 hours a day, and I will maintain a very light workout schedule several days a week.

This is my plan. Do you see anything you think I should add or subtract? This is for each feeding, not per day. He will be fed twice a day.

1/2lb Safe and Sound per month age (14%)
1 scoop alfalfa pellets (not cubes) mixed with 1 scoop shredded beet pulp, soaked in hot water
1 flake hay (for happy minds)

Once a day, he will get, per their recommended feeding rates:
Vitamin supplement (like Daily 72 or Dac)
Liquid Rice Bran Emulsion
Daily Strongid Wormer
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 22, 2009 - 7:36 am:

Michele, in order to evaluate this diet I would also need accurate weights of the feeds and supplements, the guaranteed analysis of the commercial feeds, a calculator, and several hours time. I have avoided doing such calculations do to time constraints and the questionable significance of the results. However you can do these calculations yourself and if you have any problems I will be glad to help with specific questions.

Instead of doing all these calculations and coming up with answers of questionable significance, I would recommend you follow the specific recommendations in our article on feeding young horses. The first thing I notice about the above diet is it seems deficient in forage unless pasture is available during turn out.
DrO
Member:
cmatexas

Posted on Thursday, Sep 24, 2009 - 9:16 am:

Thanks, Dr. O. That was all I needed - someone to glance over it and see if I am overlooking anything or doing anything radically wrong. :-):-) Once we run out of grass (and it lasts a while in Texas), we plant winter oats, and give free access to hay during turn out.
Member:
sodmonst

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2009 - 3:12 pm:

When I read the feed description, I wondered how much a scoop of dry pellets and the scoop of the dry beet pulp weigh.

For what it is worth, my 18 year old horse is thriving on a very similar ration. I do check the scoop wieghts whenever we buy new feed for our horses.
Member:
cmatexas

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2009 - 3:32 pm:

I have a bunch of plastic scoops I picked up at various shows. Each feed gets its own scoop, and we weigh it out, then put a mark on the scoop for the right weight. Does that make and sense??? :-)

I tried to follow the advice in the article about the appropriate weights, or what is printed on the bag of feed.
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2009 - 3:43 pm:

Susie,
The best thing I ever bought was an electronic postal scale. I weigh everything every time I change something. I have also been known to take whatever I want to weigh into the post office and get them to weigh it for me.

I bought the scale from the Post office and it was around $14.00. You can zero out whatever you are using as a measuring scoop and actually get the real weight of what you are weighing.

That how I figured out I was feeding 12lbs of feed a day versus the 8 lbs I thought I was feeding (big difference).

I even weigh my hay and my safe starch roughage, so I am not guessing.

Rachelle
Member:
sodmonst

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2009 - 8:55 pm:

I use a kitchen scale that has a big bowl on it. As you say, Rachelle, it's worth the price and time. We have a hanging scale for hay and tend to use it often but not daiy. The object is to control "drifting" into large increases in pounds. I'll bet the postal scale is pretty accurate, what a good idea.
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