Laney (*filly* 4/10-Tinkerbelle) *New pics pg 187*

[Wings]

With weight building one of the first things I up is roughage, usually the hay portion. SInce the roughage won't tend to 'heat up' behaviour it's always a good start.

I LOVE oil! Taken from someone better at phrasing this stuff then me

When starch (typically in the form of grain), is fed to horses in large quantities, there is a risk of starch overload into the hindgut. This can culminate in "fizzy" behaviour, which can result in stressful and dangerous situations for both horse and rider. The risk of starch overload can be minimised by replacing some grain in the feed with oil, to provide energy. Oil provides a source of ‘cool' energy, which is not associated with ‘fizzy' behaviour.

So the oil tends to not heat them up, can be very cost effective and is also a great coat conditioner

 

[MeganH]

How much oil do they get each day/feeding? And what type(s)?

The only thing I hate about him being boarded is that I am not feeding him.. so I have to trust they are doing what I am telling them to do. I don't like this part at all. They do give them all beet pulp with their feed and I think they wet it down.

Cassie- How much are you feeding Smartie every feeding/every day?

I am going to weigh the feed today. According to Purina Jake should eat about 10lbs of feed and 10 lbs of hay. He get's 2 big flakes of hay a day (at about 5 lbs each).. we will see how much each scoop of feed is.

I am so obsessive with my animals (and kids lol).. I have to do lots and lots of research and make sure I take good care of them. I do wish we could move soon so I could be feeding Jake and not worry how someone else is doing it.

 

[AnnaC]

I dont think he is getting enough hay Megan (unless he's out on good pasture for at least half the day) Did you say that he is around 15 hands? Back when I had 'big' horses (sorry I keep harping back to the past) we used to work on a very basic "double the horse's height for the amount of food it should be getting", obviously depending on whether it was a good or bad doer and the 'work' it was doing. So you could say that Jake should be looking at an overall amount of 30lbs of food a day. So 10lbs of feed would need to be balanced with 20lbs of munching fibre - good grass or hay. Also a horse should not receive more than 4lbs of hard feed in any one meal (preferably a little less) so Jake should have his main food broken into 3 feeds not 2 - do you know if they feed three times a day, some yards do and some dont, but it might be worth asking because a horse's stomach can only hold so much food at once, any extra food will simply get pushed on through before it is digested and can lead to colic quite apart from the fact that it wont be doing the horse any good if undigested.

Hope you can make sense of this LOL!! I know how difficult it is for you at the moment and how frustrating because you cant have Jake home with you. But just do your best for now, he certainly wont be getting any worse with what you are asking them to feed him, and before too long (hopefully) he will behome and under your care and attention.

 

[cassie]

Smartie gets 2scops white chaff 2 scoops Lucerne chaff 2 scoops mitavite gum nuts ( which is a pellet feed designed for older horses) I have also just added a cup of rice bran oil morning n night and some speedi beet at night... He is on good grass 24/7 and he ets 2 big flakes of Lucerne hayn two big flakes meadow hay during the day...He is only 14.2 hh but lost quite a bit of condition over winter n I'm building his weight backup Hope that helps you a little...

 

[MeganH]

I appreciate all of the advice (I really do!

)

Jake is 15.2 hh. I know they don't feed 3 times a day- only a few horses get feed twice a day (Jake and 2 or 3 others) at the farm, and they hay all of them twice a day. I am using the recommendations from Purina and Jake's specific feed- then we will go from there on how he is gaining/holding weight. He is turned out 24/7 on acres and acres of grass as well. This is the chart Purina gives for his feed:



I know every feed is different and every horse is different too, so I am trying what they recommend and then seeing how he does with it. It is more then what he was getting according to the riding barn owner. The previous owner said he was an easy keeper- but I want him a bit meatier then they were keeping him.

I am going to look into that oil for him too

 

[cassie]

yeah I think its really great stuff!!! Smartie is so funny with it!! I mis it more into his feed now, but the first time I just poured it over his feed n he took a big mouthful of feed got a big taste of it and put his head high and bared his teeth (you know how horses do that LOL) never know quite how to explain it LOL but he does it quite alot and I laugh every time

let us know how you go with getting that oil from what Bree says the Rice bran oil is the best one to get... I'm going to try get it in a bigger and cheaper tub as the one I have isn't big enough and quite expensive LOL

 

[MeganH]

Laney is 282 days today!! Yesterday she had exactly 2 months till her due date! She will be on Mare Stare in less then 20 days!

Here she is this morning

And of course- Ricky wondering what is so interesting about Laney that I had to take pictures of her and not him lol

 

[Eagle]

not long to go and we are counting the days

Megan

what happened to her mane?

 

[MeganH]

not long to go and we are counting the days

Megan

what happened to her mane?

?? It's the same as always. The darker hair is much shorter then the light. She is pintaloosa and appys can have short, sad manes lol Her's has always been like that. go to the very first post on this thread and you'll see her older pictures are the same.

 

[a mini dream come true]

Laney is looking good and s so is Ricky

 

[MeganH]

The lovely Diane looked at Laney's history and we now know Laney has had 4 colts.

Last year she had a sorrel colt (I am not sure the father's coloring as they haven't registered this foal yet- I saw him at the farm)

in 2010 she had a bay appaloosa colt when bred to a chestnut appaloosa stallion

in 2009 she had a sorrel/chestnut pinto colt when bred to a chestnut pinto stallion

and in 2008 she had a sorrel chestnut pinto colt when bred to a solid black stallion

Interesting to know- we shall see what she has this year after being bred to a black and white pinto stallion that is homozygous for black factor and the tobiano genes

 

[Eagle]

Sorry to panic you Megan,

I thought you had cut it all off, it must be the angle of the pic or maybe me

 

[AnnaC]

So after all those colts ahe has been saving up her special DAUGHTER just for you!

 

[MeganH]

Sorry to panic you Megan,

I thought you had cut it all off, it must be the angle of the pic or maybe me

lol its ok. I ran out to check her after that. I think the angle and the lack of light since she was under her shelter makes it look like theres nothing there.. but her little mane is still there

 

[MeganH]

So after all those colts ahe has been saving up her special DAUGHTER just for you!

The nail test did say a filly is on the way. I am sure Ricky doesn't care as long as he has another friend

SO excited to see though!

 

[Eagle]

Oh contraire! I am sure Ricky would much prefer a filly

 

[MeganH]

He probably would love a filly as long as her belly wasn't bigger then his so she wouldn't get more attention then he does. He watches me rub and check Laney over everyday like "WHAT is so special about her? Come love on me so I can nip you"

In TWO WEEKS from today Laney will be on camera on Mare Stare!!

She is 285 days today!

She is such a lovely girl- she lets me rub her and check her over everyday without protest now. I think she enjoys the belly scratches.

That baby loves to move around and kick whenever I feel for it too

I put some pictures on facebook but here are two from last night when my son rode Jake for anyone who couldn't see

 

[Eagle]

two weeks so lets start the count down.

Austin looks like he is having fun, it does frighten me a bit though

he would have a long way to fall

sorry it is the mum in me that makes me worry. I have no idea how my mum survived all my adventures, I was up to something with my horses daily and it was usually no good.lol

 

[MeganH]

I have always worried about him falling- even on the pony/horse cross he normally rides at the horse farm. Diablo (the pony cross he loves so much) has a mind of his own, will buck, and moves FAST! I wouldn't ride him but Austin does great on him. Jake has a lot more sense then Diablo and does not go fast so it makes me feel better about him being higher up on him.

Here is him on Diablo- fast little booger he is. He and Austin are a good team though. They have similar personalities.



I am getting so excited for Laney

I can hardly wait. I know-I know.. I have a month and a few weeks but still!!

 

[AnnaC]

Cant wait for Laney to be up on camera.

Great pictures of Jake and Austin, they both look very happy.

Just one thing - has Austin been instructed to ride 'English' by pushing his heels down? The 'grip with the knees and push the heels down' way of teaching went out of the window years ago here in the UK. To grip with the knees makes the lower body stiffen up and pushes you up out of the saddle so that you 'bounce', especially at the canter, but worse still, to push your heels down stiffens the ankle and forces the lower leg forward in front of the vertical and therefore your weight to the back of the saddle, making it much more difficult to do the rising trot. In the late 1940's and 50's (when I was taught and regularly riding with the local Pony ahd Horse Clubs) this was the style of riding taught, But by the 60's things had moved on to the balance and relaxation way of modern riding and, boy, did I fid it dificult to change and relearn!! Just wanted to make sure that Austin moves in the right direction while he is young enough to adapt - but perhaps that will also depend upon what Jake is used to in style from his rider and how he has been taught the aids?

More pictures of the sweet Laney and that pickle Ricky when you have time please.