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Discussion on Feeding a yearling
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Member:
Penner
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Posted on Thursday, Jul 31, 2003 - 2:20 pm:
Hi, I have a similar question. I just bought a filly yearling that was a late foal, born last July, 2002, so kind of small still. I think I am doing the right thing, (I read Dr O's Nutrition articles), but I want to make sure.
I have 2 questions:
1. How many pounds a day (of hay + concentrate)should I feed her?
2. When should I worm her (now I think, but using Ivermectin - how much of it? How does one tell how much a yearling weighs - use the wgt tape or is the tape only for adult horses?) She was roaming a desert 100,000 acre ranch - so I don't think she is real "wormy".
I measured her hgt & it is 52 inches or 13HH, so she should mature to around 14.2HH. She came to me & still is on the condition scale of a "3" - but I don't know if that scale is only for adult horses.
I feed 8# of Purina Equine Junior & 8# of grass hay in a 24hr period.
EqJr Ca++ is .7 to 1.0, P is ~.55. For a ratio bet. 1.2 to 1.8 .
My hay is grass hay & it was just evaluated by the Univ Extension to be Ca++ = .47, & P = .3, for a ratio of 1.5.
So I think I'm OK with those ratios.
I don't have the protein level # handy, but it was in the correct range.
However, altho she is getting 16# a day, I was feeding her (for a couple weeks): 8# Eq Jr & 16# grass hay for a total of 24# of food a day! & she was eating it all up! 24# seems like a lot - even my adult horses don't get that much - they get around 20# total / 24hr.
Should I feed her the 24# or even more hay if she wants? She sure was getting the young horse hay belly expansion, LOL!
She looks like the attachment, & she should more or less look like this as an adult (this is a full sister): https://www.leeranch.net/lady7.jpg
Thank you for your help!
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Member:
Dommay
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Posted on Thursday, Jul 31, 2003 - 4:46 pm:
Hi there,
I have a yearling gelding ..just about 18 months on 8/14.
I feed him no where near the amount you are feeding and he looks marvelous. He is however an hypp n/h so my potassium is very low in feed and try not to compromise too much protien through the most important part of his growing life.
He has free access to 3 acres of lush pasture w/another gelding and does not get hay during pasture season. He also gets maybe 3 lbs in a.m. and 3 lbs in pm of grain. He shows no ribs and looks great! Come fall and winter, he will get 2 flakes in a.m. and 2 flakes in p.m. plus whatever pasture is available. I can increase hay as needed and that should be the main portion of diet. I would think you may be giving too much grain, but I can be wrong. I am sure Doc will touch base on this too.
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Member:
Dommay
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Posted on Thursday, Jul 31, 2003 - 4:59 pm:
penner
forgive me as I read your post incorrectly! duh...
i thought you were giving a total of 16# grain!!!!so sorry for that.
I dewormed first after bringing my boy home with only a 1/2 doze of Strongid. Then the other 1/2 a couple days later as not to cause too much commotion with him. then I dewormed the next month with Ivermectin.
For his weight I did use the tape.
He is about 14.3 and 800# right now. Hoping to hit 16hh.
Hope some of that helped.
I did this same method with my 11 yo when he came home.
I give daily strongid in feed in a.m.
Free pasture
Hay during poor pasture conditions.
I have even brought my yearling down a bit on grain and the grazing does work well with him.
each horse is a different keeper. My 11 yo gets a little bit less of a large coffee can {2 almost 3lbs} a.m. and p.m. and he is worked for barrel racing. he is fat with that and pasture.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Aug 1, 2003 - 7:52 am:
Hmmm....yearling QH at 13 HH's and thin (yes the condition scale applies to young horses) probably weighs about 500 to 600 lbs. You should get a weight tape to verify this. So using the articles numbers you are in the correct range of concentrate. But as the article also explains whether this is the correct amount of grain depends on whether you are accomplishing your goals, which right now sould be improved condition. Is he improving and have you given this level of feed enough time to evaluate it?
Also the article is quiet clear on the amount of grass hay: yes after a period of adaption to the increased amounts I would let him eat hay free choice: I suspect some of the glutonny is trying to make up for deficits and best is to let him do this with relatively energy light grass hay, you can limit it to 16 lbs to prevent a huge hay belly. But again you have to look at your goals, if you are trying to get this guy ready for halter classes this might not be the best plan.
By all means this little fellow needs deworming and can be some of your trouble. Stomach worms are gotten from the mares milk and the habit of foals eating their mares feces greatly concentrates their exposure. Follow the recommedations in the deworming articles on deworming young horses.
DrO
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Member:
Penner
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Posted on Friday, Aug 1, 2003 - 8:47 pm:
Thank you for your quick reply!
I just was being overly careful & needed confirmation on what I am doing, as she is the first baby horse I've ever had.
I will up the hay amt for my little glutton (just kidding, she is a very sweet filly!) & worm her right away.
I am not going to do Halter with her. My goal for her is to be a roping heel horse, & then a broodmare eventually, as she has some pretty good percentage roping bloodlines.
What do you think about the "Caslick" procedure at 2 years old, for performance mares? I'm assuming its reversible after several years??
Thank you again! 
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, Aug 3, 2003 - 8:45 am:
Yes the Caslick's is reversible. For the majority of unbred mares this is unnecessary as the hymen prevents air sucking when running hard. Bred mares with good conformation usually don't have a problem wither.
Because the hymen is very variable in its completeness, for some it is a problem however: you can hear the air being expelled forcibly. We don't recommend it without an indication of a problem but many do this so it is one less reason to worry.
DrO
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Member:
Pinkapp
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 15, 2005 - 8:31 am:
Dr. O,
I've just read through probably every feeding article and post on this site and can't say that I've found anything that really matches my situation enough to make me feel comfortable in making my own decisions. I have an 11 month old Appaloosa gelding that, unfortunately, got a rather poor start in life. His dam was troubled by crescendo-ing bouts of chronic laminitis throughout her pregnancy, the last three months spent on as much as 4 gms. of Bute per day and BID applications of Nitro-paste. The foal experienced a relatively low birth-weight and appeared, overall, smaller than the other foals. His dam produced an adequate, although not stunning, supply of milk. He was able to suckle until 2.5 months of age when the mare's laminitis progressed so severely that we were forced to put her down. Since that time he's been raised on one flake of alfalfa and a flake of 2nd cutting timothy/clover mix in the AM and then 2 flakes timothy/clover in the PM. In addition, he's been receiving a 12% sweet feed mix.
The grain is where the problem is rooted. Although I've been dealing with it for the past 11 months, I don't think I can handle what the addition of grain is doing to this chap's attitude any longer. Even the TINIEST amounts of grain send this boy into orbit. And when I say tiny, I'm even talking about just a handful! He becomes extremely flighty and tense, not to mention extraordinarily pushy, nippy, and down-right dangerous to be around. Once the 12% sweet-feed is removed he is an absolute angel -- well-mannered, sweet, no longer biting or rearing in front of people and no longer pushy.
Several days ago I removed him completely from grain because of his wild behavior and did not make any other feed changes for approximately 4 days. By the end of the 4 days, he'd calmed to the point of being an absolute puppy and I decided to try adding in an extra flake of alfalfa to offset the loss of the grain. I was certain he'd start acting silly and dangerous in short order, but I was willing to try it. I'd like to report that he has NOT returned to being unmanageable and he doesn't appear to be psychologically missing the grain.
His sire is 16.2 hands and a refined, hunter-type Appaloosa. His dam was 15.2 hands and had a very successful career as a Halter horse. My little guy is currently standing 13.1 hands and the weight tape suggests he is approx. 555 lbs. Although that weight makes him sound thin, he is not. His withers are nicely rounded and he has just enough of a "channel" on his buttocks that a marble could rest there briefly. He does not have a corresponding channel over his back that would suggest he is obese. In fact, my vet says he's looking just the perfect weight right now. The vet also commented that he's rarely seen alfalfa at such a high quality as the alfalfa we're feeding.
My questions are these:
This 11 mo. old's current condition was attained while feeding the 12% feed and I've just dealt with the fact that it turns him into "Rosemary's Baby". If I stop feeding him grain and add in the additional flake of alfalfa, is he likely to lose weight or stop growing? He'll be getting 2 flakes Alfalfa/day along with 2 flakes 2nd cutting Timothy/Clover per day. Is this diet nutritionally sound for a growing gelding?? Considering his dam's history with laminitis, is this gelding at anymore risk for developing it than any other youngster and is the diet I've outlined increasing those chances? Is the above diet adequate and acceptable for a 3 year old if it's not getting grain? What about aged horses, say 15-30 years?
I apologize for the length of this post but I was trying to supply you with as much info. as possible. Thanks, Dr. O., for your time and energy in addressing my feeding confusion and concerns.
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Member:
Deggert
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 15, 2005 - 4:49 pm:
Hello Maureen
I would see what Dr O thinks but I would have him on a non-sugary growth product. Nutrena has safe choice, or some companies have a "dry" mix, no molasses. I bet it is the sugar causing some of the problem. My yearling is on 60/40 alfalfa and orchard totalling 10 pounds a day. He also gets 3# of PUrina Equine Jr and a multi vitamin (Platinum Performance) If I fed him the recommended amount of JR he would be a blimp, but it is a complete feed so I think it is fairly safe as opposed to straight grains. He looks wonderful. He is almost 9 months and I would guess 550 pounds. We have no pasture here. If he does not get out at least 5 times a week he is a bit obnoxious. Good luck with your colt.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 15, 2005 - 6:35 pm:
There is not much doubt he in moderately fleshy to fleshy, but then again this is where a halter horse has to be to do well.
I think using alfalfa for a grain substitute is fine as long as the calcium / phosphorous is balanced. So instead of trading the alfalfa for the grain on a lb for lb basis I would substitute a 2 parts alfalfa and 1 part bran (by weight) for the grain on a lb for lb basis then adjust the amount depending on the horses response. This would apply for any age horse.
DrO
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New Member:
Sueb2
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Posted on Sunday, Oct 9, 2005 - 6:01 pm:
Hi, Hope I can get some good advise here.
I just bought a colt who has just been weaned and hasn't been delivered yet. The former owner noticed the colt is having a big growth spurt and has developed tight tendons in all four legs.
I might add the mare has always had an apply supply of milk, "to much so " My question is: what is the best ration to feed him when he arrives. I have heard Copperquine is good for this problem , but do I feed him straight grass or 1/2 ?? I put up our own grass hay but do not know what percent protein etc it has.
Thank you
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Sunday, Oct 9, 2005 - 7:00 pm:
I can't give you the % of protein etc... What has worked for us is plenty of free choice grass hay, a feeding of alfalfa a day and PURINA 12/ 12 minerals... I breed Warmbloods and we feel that keeping them on the light side is far better then letting them get fat as a rule.. Much easier on the joints as they grow tall fast...
also let them live outdoors 24/ 7 with a safe babysitter...
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with SPOTS..
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