# Best feed for foals



## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

all the hay he can eat with a good vitamin/mineral supplement or a low grain/no grain formula feed that is high in nutrition

You want as close to 2 to 1 ratio on the Ca/P as yuo can get and keep the sugars/starches as low as you can


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## katie8758 (Sep 29, 2008)

I asked my vet the very same question you are asking here while he was out to take a look at my foal. He told me that he always recommends Senior Feed for foals. He said it's much more "nutritionally complete" than the creep feeds/foal specific feeds on the market. 

I currently have my foal on Senior feed (2% of his total body weight) per day, along with Grow Colt nutritional supplement and 24/7 hay.


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

please be careful asking ANY vet what to feed they get very little nutrition classes in college and very few have taken to the time to keep up on it ... I had an equine vet referring people to me and I don't have a degree at all.. just two semesters in college and lots of time researching the latest studies adn information


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## fuji24 (Jul 6, 2009)

I asked my vet the actual aforementioned catechism you are allurement actuality while he was out to yield a attending at my foal. He told me that he consistently recommends Senior Feed for foals. He said it's abundant added "nutritionally complete" than the edge feeds/foal specific feeds on the market.http://www.amfedrine.com


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Senior Feeds are meant to be fed in very large quantities. I would be scared about feeding that much hard feed to any horse, let alone a foal, no matter how "nutritionally complete" it is.

May last BO raised a gaited foal every year. He breeds and trains field trial horses, so they need to be healthy and strong to stand up to that much work. He fed just free choice hay, a small 1lb can of whole oats, some alfalfa pellets (2-3 cans), and a complete vitamin/mineral supplement. They all grew up very healthy with good muscle tone and great feet!


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## aabqh (May 22, 2009)

Peggysue said:


> please be careful asking ANY vet what to feed they get very little nutrition classes in college and very few have taken to the time to keep up on it ... I had an equine vet referring people to me and I don't have a degree at all.. just two semesters in college and lots of time researching the latest studies adn information


No argument there depending on the interest of the vet of course, some are great, others concentrate elsewhere and have little interest. Here are a few articles that can answer alot of your questions.

Feeding the Mare and Foal After Weaning 

Library Search of articles


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## msuhighfrequincy (Jul 7, 2009)

Five years ago we had a yearling filly that grew so fast she got seriously sore in her joints and was always in pain and didn't even want to move some days. We took her to the vet twice and followed their recommendations of good grass hay and no oats. She just got skinny and no relief from the condition (has a name but for some reason I can't think of it at the moment but it's a growing thing) We added plain oats, viamins, minerals etc. and tried a dozen other remedies with no change. A friend recommended TDI feeds (Google if interested). I called the rep and he told me exactly what to feed her and how much and within a week she was feeling better and two weeks she was sound. It was truely amazing. I feed all our foals this stuff for their first 2 years now. They look great and grow tall.  I know this sounds like and advertisement but I am just a big fan. lol


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

msuhighfrequincy said:


> Five years ago we had a yearling filly that grew so fast she got seriously sore in her joints and was always in pain and didn't even want to move some days. We took her to the vet twice and followed their recommendations of good grass hay and no oats. She just got skinny and no relief from the condition (has a name but for some reason I can't think of it at the moment but it's a growing thing)


Developmental orthopedic disorders (DOD) other orthopedic problems, contracted tendons and bone spurs. 

We creep feed our foals with a YOUTH formula as soon as they show an interest in mom's grain.


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

mls said:


> Developmental orthopedic disorders (DOD) other orthopedic problems, contracted tendons and bone spurs.
> 
> We creep feed our foals with a YOUTH formula as soon as they show an interest in mom's grain.


 
Some youth feeds are not that great either


IMO the goal is to provide the nutrition without the sugars and starches and plenty of clean fresh forage and water at all times 

in the "ideal" world we could all afford to test our hay and grass and soil and build from there .. but we all know that is not possible


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## msuhighfrequincy (Jul 7, 2009)

Developmental orthopedic disorders (DOD) other orthopedic problems, contracted tendons and bone spurs. 

Yes, Thankfully no permanent damage seen in her radiographs. We still have her. She grew till she was five. She's in training for huntseat and western pleasure and doing great, totally sound and strong. The special feed were told to give her must have balanced her minerals etc. It was really surprising to see the rapid improvement and return to good health once she got the right formula for her.


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