nutrition issue with yearling gelding

[Pleasant View Farm Mini Tack]

Hello everyone,

I am asking for help, suggestions or advise on what to feel a yearling gelding who just doesn't seem to put any weight on. I sold a foal to a newby and have been trying to help her with him so she can get his show ring ready. She has been feeding him grain and hay all along. He stays thin, his backbone is up, but has a fairly round tummy. She says she has been worming him. I started her out with youth horse feed and told her to monitor his growth, if he needed weight, increase the amount he is given along with hay. She tells me she is up to 4 cups morning and night and she is giving him twice the hay that she is giving a two year old filly, but his backbone is always up. She was advised by someone else to give him a senior feed. She exercies him, so I guess that is not part of the problem. Please if you have a suggestion or solution feel free to email me or post here.

thank you kindly

[email protected]

 

[Leeana]

What grain is he eating? Four cups imo of most any type grain is not enough for a yearling. My yearlings that i am showing get 6 cups of Omlene 200 2x a day along with beet pulp, rolled oats and vitamins.

Up the grain (slowly...), beet pulp and add in a good weight suppliment that is higher in protein / fat such as Buckeye Ultimate Finish. I prefer for weanlings/yearlings higher protein grains such as 14% - 16%. Im big on getting good quality nutrition into the weanlings/yearlings and junior horses ...its a really important time in their life nutritionally

 

[maplegum]

Beet pulp

 

[Intexas2stay]

Beet Pulp and adding corn oil to his feed. Also look into Purge Worming, to make sure not just the worms but larve are killed. Good Luck!

 

[StellaLenoir]

I would also say to look at him all over for a level of fattness or not. Is it just his back bone that sticks out some? or also hips, ribs ect?

I ask because I have some conformationaly challanged minis, who even at a plump weight will have a bit of a spine hump. They are roached back mildly. my vet and farrier say they are fine, but I see it. They are a good weight, but still you can see tiny bit of spine. Hard to explain but not an under weight problem.

Good luck with your little guy.

 

[Matt73]

What grain is he eating? Four cups imo of most any type grain is not enough for a yearling. My yearlings that i am showing get 6 cups of Omlene 200 2x a day along with beet pulp, rolled oats and vitamins.

Up the grain (slowly...), beet pulp and add in a good weight suppliment that is higher in protein / fat such as Buckeye Ultimate Finish. I prefer for weanlings/yearlings higher protein grains such as 14% - 16%. Im big on getting good quality nutrition into the weanlings/yearlings and junior horses ...its a really important time in their life nutritionally

That is a TON of grain. IMHO you're asking for trouble down the line...

Not sure about how much six cups of Omolene 200 wieghs, but I'm thinking it's much more than the recommended 1lb or so recommended. Are you feeding hay/pasture AND that much grain? Just curious.

Here's a chart for recommended feeding for minis: http://horse.purinamills.com/products/Mini...mmendations.pdf

 

[kaykay]

How tall is he?? And what kind of grain is he on?? I prefer equine Jr for all young horses. Keep in mind though equine jr is a complete feed and already has beet pulp etc in it. What kind of hay is he on?? Some hays especially with the bad hay year last year are really poor quality so he may not be getting much nutrition from that.

I wouldnt though work a horse that is already underweight. she probably needs to stop working him and just let him gain weight.

 

[nootka]

Just based on my own experience/observation's recommendation:

Cut out the exercise. Allow him lots of room to run in a pasture or paddock.

Free choice, good quality hay and/or pasture, and get a good idea of what his projected, mature weight will be. You feed them based on their mature weight, not the current weight.

That being said, I have fed yearlings as much as 8 cups of feed a day, and had them still be thin. NOT worms, nothing wrong metabolically, just very active young men that run and pace and play all day, and don't sit and munch on the grass or hay as much as, say, a portly little broodmare.

I've only once had a colicked horse in 22 years, and I have NEVER foundered a horse (knock on wood).

There are many points for assessing weight on a horse, along the topline of the neck, behind the "armpit" area, along the ribs for some more. If these are bony, then he is indeed thin.

Assessing them weekly is a good idea when they are in this stage. They can slow down and need less quite abruptly, but just as abruptly start losing condition.

Your vet's a good person to consult if you feel that there is a problem, but first off, I would definitely cut out the exercise until you have a nice layer of fat (a little, not a lot necessarily) and then build back up slowly.

Liz M.

 

[Casnos Minis]

Hello everyone,

I am asking for help, suggestions or advise on what to feel a yearling gelding who just doesn't seem to put any weight on. I sold a foal to a newby and have been trying to help her with him so she can get his show ring ready. She has been feeding him grain and hay all along. He stays thin, his backbone is up, but has a fairly round tummy. She says she has been worming him. I started her out with youth horse feed and told her to monitor his growth, if he needed weight, increase the amount he is given along with hay. She tells me she is up to 4 cups morning and night and she is giving him twice the hay that she is giving a two year old filly, but his backbone is always up. She was advised by someone else to give him a senior feed. She exercies him, so I guess that is not part of the problem. Please if you have a suggestion or solution feel free to email me or post here.

thank you kindly

[email protected]

We started a full sized 2 yr old QH on some sunshine plus (Blue Seal outs it out). He's doing wonderful on it. We have alot of the full size horses on just that (like 3 cups/2 times a day). Beet pulp will help also. Maybe a weight gain spplement? Grass will also help him plump up.

Christy

 

[Leeana]

What grain is he eating? Four cups imo of most any type grain is not enough for a yearling. My yearlings that i am showing get 6 cups of Omlene 200 2x a day along with beet pulp, rolled oats and vitamins.

Up the grain (slowly...), beet pulp and add in a good weight suppliment that is higher in protein / fat such as Buckeye Ultimate Finish. I prefer for weanlings/yearlings higher protein grains such as 14% - 16%. Im big on getting good quality nutrition into the weanlings/yearlings and junior horses ...its a really important time in their life nutritionally

That is a TON of grain. IMHO you're asking for trouble down the line...

Not sure about how much six cups of Omolene 200 wieghs, but I'm thinking it's much more than the recommended 1lb or so recommended. Are you feeding hay/pasture AND that much grain? Just curious.

Here's a chart for recommended feeding for minis: http://horse.purinamills.com/products/Mini...mmendations.pdf

Matt ,

I do not feel that six cups is to much for a yearling, atleast not my babies. Mine get only a handful of hay and are on drylot. My yearlings IMO are right where i want their body and they are healthy, happy and look good to me. They also get Beet Pulp, rolled oats and other suppliments. My yearlings are not fat either, they are in shape and condition. Matt, i remember reading that you feed a ration ballancer Buckeye Gro N Win, i use to feed that as well.

Here is my yearling that is on 6 cups of omlene 200 2x a day, oats, beep pulp and Buckeye Ultimate Finish ...i think he looks good.

 

[Matt73]

What grain is he eating? Four cups imo of most any type grain is not enough for a yearling. My yearlings that i am showing get 6 cups of Omlene 200 2x a day along with beet pulp, rolled oats and vitamins.

Up the grain (slowly...), beet pulp and add in a good weight suppliment that is higher in protein / fat such as Buckeye Ultimate Finish. I prefer for weanlings/yearlings higher protein grains such as 14% - 16%. Im big on getting good quality nutrition into the weanlings/yearlings and junior horses ...its a really important time in their life nutritionally

That is a TON of grain. IMHO you're asking for trouble down the line...

Not sure about how much six cups of Omolene 200 wieghs, but I'm thinking it's much more than the recommended 1lb or so recommended. Are you feeding hay/pasture AND that much grain? Just curious.

Here's a chart for recommended feeding for minis: http://horse.purinamills.com/products/Mini...mmendations.pdf

Matt ,

I do not feel that six cups is to much for a yearling, atleast not my babies. Mine get only a handful of hay and are on drylot. My yearlings IMO are right where i want their body and they are healthy, happy and look good to me. They also get Beet Pulp, rolled oats and other suppliments. My yearlings are not fat either, they are in shape and condition. Matt, i remember reading that you feed a ration ballancer Buckeye Gro N Win, i use to feed that as well.

Here is my yearling that is on 6 cups of omlene 200 2x a day, oats, beep pulp and Buckeye Ultimate Finish ...i think he looks good.

Hey Leeana

He looks gorgeous, as do all your horses and ponies. The reason I asked if they were fed hay in addition to what you are feeding them is that with pasture/hay that's a lot. If you're only giving a handful of hay with all that grain, then that's different I guess. I was just always taught to have the majority of a horse's feed be forage (hay/pasture). Even high performance horses (Grand Prix jumpers etc.) aren't pumped full of the equivalent of the amount of grain you suggest. Anyway, I'm aware that many mini show horses are fed that way; If it works, it works. I know it gives a lean look etc., I just wonder how healthy it is.

P.S. No slight against you Leeana, just thinking aloud. Maybe I'll do some more research. My little band are definitely not as lean as yours. But...they don't need to be right now.