# Need help feeding! WB foals 5 and 6 months old!



## fireinthedisco (Feb 17, 2009)

Any advice for hard feed would be appreciated as like any mother I would like to see my babies grow up healthy and strong


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## Jenna (Feb 24, 2009)

I don't know what sorts of feed you can get out there, but I'd try and get some sort of 'stud mix' specifically for young horses - that's what I feed my youngsters on. You're doing the right thing by feeding them little and often.

Oh, and can we have some pictures??


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

Definitely want pictures... babies are cute. 

I have a stud colt (FriesianxGerman Warmblood) that I purchased as a 4 month old. Going to be a year this month, but I'll share my feeding stories.

1) Look for a feed for yearlings. Should be high in protein, about 14-15%. Feed the recommended doses on the back of the bag (If you feed less, your horse isn't getting the required amounts of nutrients the bag suggests). Don't pick the cheapest one... the WORST thing you can do to a weanling is feed them incorrectly, or cheaply. Probably going to be looking at around 5-8kg of food a day, for each, and break it up as much as possible--their stomachs are small. 

2.) Do not stall your weanlings. It is a MAJOR killer of bone density in horses, and will make them more susceptible to injury when full grown. If you have to, then plan on hand walking them 20 minutes a day. They NEED turnout!

3.) 60% feed, 40% hay is a nice ratio to start with until they are 1 year. After that, strive for 50/50. If you are feeding what the bag says, and enough hay, and they still look too thin, try using alfalfa cubes for a better quality hay.

4.) Put the filly on a milk replacer, as a supplement. There have been studies that say weanlings do better (bones and growth wise) with a milk replacer supplement until 6 months of age. I got mine in powder form (smelled like a milk shake!), and just scooped the amount onto his feed. He loved it. 

5.) Do not. And I repeat. DO NOT. Let them get fat! Weanlings do best with a little bit (LITTLE.) of rib showing, or a thin covering over the ribs. If they start looking fat and pot-bellied, you're going to run into bone problems later on (3-4 years old) in life. So, 1) deworm as a precaution to pot-bellied babies and 2)don't let them get fat!

6.) My short yearling is getting put on an 'exercise regime', which includes handwalking a few times a week. MODERATE, no-circle work is GREAT for their bones.

7.) Important--if they are thin, you do NOT want to put weight on them 'as fast as possible'. This creates growth spurts, and growth spurts tend to be BAD. (Bone grows faster then the tendons... it's as bad as it sounds!) Gradual is just fine.

8.) Get a weight tape--they're like 3 dollars, and will give you a good idea of how they are growing. Then chart their growth, and watch for spikes and dips: http://www.foalcare.com/pdf/Foal_Growth_Chart.pdf
That's what I use. For warmbloods and slower-growing horses it doesn't seem to work so well (my colt is in the 'average size' horse category, and will be maxing at 16.2-16.3, and will be thick!), but it is a great way to watch the growth of your horses to make sure you are always on top of it!

I think that's it... lol! Feeding weanlings is something you have to do carefully, not a 'ah just throw something out there'. 

Hope this helps... If you have any questions, feel free to ask.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

One thing I learned about WB youngsters and that is to be very, very careful about graining and the level of protein given not only for young WBs but older ones as well.

Good quality hay should always be your first route to go with grain as more of a supplement than the central feed.


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

free choice hay and good vitamin/mineral supplement would be the best you can do by them... 

if you can get HY-gain they make a great balancer pellet that woudl be perfect ..

Sugars and Starches have been linked to OCD's which most foal/growth feeds are loaded with sugars...


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Keep up with the grass hay and lucerne (Alfalfa) hay. The lucerne should provide all the protein they need for growth. I would add a vitamin/mineral supplement designed for young horses, mixed with some chaffe (chopped hay).

Horses are meant to eat hay and grass, not grains or concentrates. Feeding 60% or 50% of the diet as grains is just plain NOT healthy... It's one thing if you have a high performance horse, that actually NEEDS that much energy during very heavy competition or training, but for young growing horses or horses in light to moderate work, hay, pasture, and some vitamins is really all they should "need." Too much grains is linked to colic, founder/laminitis, ulcers, growth problems in young horses, and behavioral problems.

Ask your vet about proper deworming. Parasites can cause poor condition, so you want to make sure they're not a problem.


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

Whilst I agree that a horse should be able to get all it's requirements from pasture and hay, I don't think it's realistic unless you have a huge amount of acreage, or get your hay tested. We have taken them far out of their natural element. My colt is on pasture 24/7, and would get no where near the amount of vit. and minerals and protein that he needs from it. And since he's not a huge eater, I don't think he'd be able to eat enough hay.

He gets about 3 pounds of grain at feeding twice a day, and lots of hay, on top of the grass. No problems at all. Many other top breeding farms that turn out TB yearlings for sale also feed in much the same way (minus pasture) and they usually go into training without any problems. ...Don't usually come out of training that way, though.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Lucerne (Alfalfa) hay provides a LOT of protein, more than a horse needs if fed as the only hay. As long as she's feeding 30-50% of their hay as Lucerne, then they are getting plenty of protein.

As for the vitamins, I did recommend giving them a supplement with some chopped hay. There ARE good quality high potency supplements out there that you can buy pretty readily.

If a horse won't eat enough hay to sustain weight, then you can give hay pellets.


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

Terribly my bad, then--was unaware that lucerne is alfalfa! In my area it is hard to come by especially at a reasonable price. And feeding it in hay pellets or cubes defeats the purpose if you're feeding it as the main roughage, since there is no 'long stem' roughage in the pellet or cube form. I don't always offer it as a 'complete hay' because it has been known to create stones in the colon if fed over more then 50% of their diet. Interesting!


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## fireinthedisco (Feb 17, 2009)

Thanks everyone! Pics coming soon I promise I just have to figure out how to take them off video as other camera was not working.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

mayfieldk said:


> Terribly my bad, then--was unaware that lucerne is alfalfa! In my area it is hard to come by especially at a reasonable price. And feeding it in hay pellets or cubes defeats the purpose if you're feeding it as the main roughage, since there is no 'long stem' roughage in the pellet or cube form. I don't always offer it as a 'complete hay' because it has been known to create stones in the colon if fed over more then 50% of their diet. Interesting!


Sigh... I did NOT mean to feed pellets as the ONLY form of hay. One can SUPPLEMENT a horse's diet with hay pellets, to help increase calories and nutrients, without the negative effects of high grain diets.

Also, cubed hay does provide long stem fiber.

http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/Symposium/1998/Evaluating Hay for Horses.htm



> Question: _"Can I feed alfalfa cubes instead of alfalfa hay?" _Yes. Alfalfa cubes are an acceptable alternative to baled alfalfa hay. Voluntary consumption may be higher when alfalfa cubes are fed than when long hay is fed. There are two potential advantages of alfalfa cubes over baled hay. The first advantage relates to dust; hay cubes usually have less dust than long hay. The second advantage relates to waste; there may be less waste when hay cubes are fed. Currently, hay cubes are used more commonly in the Western U.S. than in other areas. However, even in the West, only about 10% of horse operations include hay cubes in their feeding program (NAHMS, 1998).


It is true about the stones, though they are rare. I prefer to only feed 1-7 lbs of alfalfa max, <5-30% of the total daily forage intake


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## fireinthedisco (Feb 17, 2009)

Thanks everyone! I am trying a product called KER all pahse. Has any used or heard of this product?

I am a little sceptical of feeds due to OCD, so I am trying to go with something that has a low protein level (14-17%) and no added sugars or extra salts that I don't know hence why I turned to the all phase.

I am currently feeding the weanlings (each)

4kg Good quality grass hay
4kg Prime 3rd cut lucerne
1kg KER all phase
750gr Steamed rolled barley

And the 2yo on

4kg Good quality grass hay
4kg Prime 3rd cut lucerne
1kg KER all phase
1.5kg Steamed rolled barley

They have access to a horse block and there likit's! 

Thanks again for everyone's advice and help, I have found it really useful! Thank you!


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Looks good to me! I'd feed the 2yr old less barely and more grass hay though. You should be giving the horses 2-3% of their body weight in hay everyday.

We need pictures!!! ;-)


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

'I did NOT mean to feed pellets as the ONLY form of hay.'

I know, I was just saying it defeated the purpose of feeding it as a roughage, is all.

And I read through parts of the link... it doesn't say cubes are long stemmed? I'm not trying to argue or anything, it's just that after the hay has been cut and cubed... how CAN it be compared to long-stem grass or other hay? There are no long stems... ^^; Does it provide fiber? sure.  Roughage? Yup. Long-stem? I'm not so sure.

That's what I do too, when I get my hands on that stuff.


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

fireinthedisco said:


> Thanks everyone! I am trying a product called KER all pahse. Has any used or heard of this product?
> 
> I am a little sceptical of feeds due to OCD, so I am trying to go with something that has a low protein level (14-17%) and no added sugars or extra salts that I don't know hence why I turned to the all phase.
> 
> ...


 
Protien has NOTHING to do with OCD's and it is vital for muscle developement 

Barley is about 56% sugars and starches I would not be feeding it, if you feel you MUST feed a grain go with oats at 50% sugars and starches and digest in the stomach not past it and much healthier then barley nutrition wise


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## fireinthedisco (Feb 17, 2009)

Peggysue said:


> Protien has NOTHING to do with OCD's and it is vital for muscle developement
> 
> Barley is about 56% sugars and starches I would not be feeding it, if you feel you MUST feed a grain go with oats at 50% sugars and starches and digest in the stomach not past it and much healthier then barley nutrition wise


:shock: Crud! :? Okay well I am pretty happy with the all phase pellet what would you suggest for weight gain?

Or what is hygain grotorque like? it has a higher protein level?

I give up with feeding glad I am asking questions!:wink:


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

I would feed free choice grass hay (or grass if possible), 3 kg of Lucerne daily and a vitamin/mineral supplement or ration balancer.
The hay will take care of the basic weight gain and just serve as volume in the stomach. Lucerne provides calcium to improve the calciumhosphorous ratio, but also has protein which we really need to be careful about over feeding in ANY horse. A vit/min supplement developed in your area will just cover all your bases, like a daily multivitamin for kids. It can be fed with rice bran, or a soy hull based feed, or beet pulp. These three are fairly benign food sources and will only add weight, which is what you want. The ideal if you are really having trouble with wieght is to find a ration balancer with a vit/min supplement in it. I use a soybean hull based ration balancer with all the vit/mins in the pellets and have found it to improve overall health and add weight to most horses.
Good luck with your new horses!


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

fireinthedisco said:


> :shock: Crud! :? Okay well I am pretty happy with the all phase pellet what would you suggest for weight gain?
> 
> Or what is hygain grotorque like? it has a higher protein level?
> 
> I give up with feeding glad I am asking questions!:wink:


Give me somem tie to find the ingredients LOL I like thier balanced  havent' looked at the Grotorque let, the feeds there take me forever.

I would use one of those and add in some speedi beet I think it is called, you also have Corpa which is low NSC and higher calories( I would LOVE to try it) 


do you have a link to the All Phase you are feeding??


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Yup, more grass hay. You can add a fat supplement like corn oil to increase the calories.

Just keep in mind that horses should gain weight SLOWLY .


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## fireinthedisco (Feb 17, 2009)

Kentucky Equine Research, Inc. This is the link for "all phase" PS

I will try some copra with them or the speedi beet, if they don't eat it I know the 4 horses that will!


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

OK use that and your hay as your base and add calories I just wanted to make sure before I commented LOL 

use beet pulp, copra or rice bran for added calories OR you can use oil but it has been shown to interfer with the digestion of other feedstuff


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## fireinthedisco (Feb 17, 2009)

Head shots! The darker bay is the colt his name is Clark Kent as in super man as his sire was Hero. The lighter bay is the filly and she is Candy Magic

Will take some pics of 2yo tomorrow on the lunge, just started to break him in and he is great! he has put on some weight but has a long way to go, the foals look heaps better! So I will get a few more shots of them and have recent before and after snaps

Till then enjoy!


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

Now those are some pretty heads!!!!!


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

HA can you get this stuff?? 
Ridley AgriProducts | Barastoc Groom

a person on another forum uses it and is seeing amazing results with it!!


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