Advice Feeding my yearling colt ?

[baby_wispa]

I have bought a yearing heavyweight cob colt standing at approx 13.2 or thereabouts.. he's living at the yard where i bought him - i can't take him to our current stables until he has been gelded (which won't happen until the weather cools off around Autumn unfortunatley).. for now he's getting plenty of haylage in the stalls but no turnout which means no grass for about another two weeks.

I really want to start feeding him small amounts of hard feed now to get him in good stead for the winter, he's not underweight - but he has no condition even for a young horse having only ever lived on grass before now..

I've been advised to feed him 3lbs stud mix (not cubes) to every 100lbs of body weight, 5lbs chaff to every 100lbs of body weight and small amounts of oil and water - but i'd really like some extra advice!
He will be turned out onto good grass in two weeks, and will still be coming in to have his haylage and hard feed (when i'm happy i know he's getting the best)

When we move him in the Autumn he will still be on daily turnout onto good grass, coming in at night with haylage but i'd obviously want to keep him on the same hard feed.
Advice greatly appreciated! x

 

[Twirly]

Jesus that's a lot of food over the summer for a yearling! Hello DJD!!!

My colt (11 mth old 14hh part bred Andalusian) has two feeds a day totalling 1/2kg Copra meal + couple of handfuls of plain Alfalfa chaff & 20g Equine Answers complete supplement. He's on ok pasture supplemented with around 4 sections of hay a day.

He looks fab, lean but growing well, lovely glossy coat and plenty of energy.
I really do think the diet you've been given sounds like one for a TB yearling who wants rapid growth, certainly not suitable for a HW cob about to go out on good pasture

 

[Bosworth]

I would leave him on the haylage and simply add in pink powder to some hi fi lite. don;t go to hard feed he simply doesn't need it. Pink powders will make sure he has everything he needs mineral and vits wise, you want him lean going on to good grass otherwise you will be welcoming in a laminitic or risk him succumbing to DJD. It is only June, the grass is in full flush and will be for a while. as he is a HW cob type it is extremely probable he will be a good doer and you will be spending the rest of his life restricting his feed intake.

Yearlings rarely look good, especially if you are not showing them ( show horses tend to be overblown a little as yearlings to ensure they are covered for the show ring. i prefer mine to look a little lean, far far better for their joints.

 

[K27]

My yearling cob has 1/4 cup of Spillers Stud Balancer with a small handful of happy hoof chaff twice a day, (he's not out on lush grass or anything) and fed good quality meadow hay (we soak it for about 5 mins before he has it), he looks just about right on it- not fat and not underweight either. Agree as above it's best to have them lean than looking too good as otherwise it's the joints that will end up taking the strain, whether it's now or further down the line.

When I spoke to various feed companies they told me to feed him way too much, one told me to give him 6 cups of balancer!!!, and balancers you do have to be careful with regards to the amount fed and ingredients in them!

 

[jakkibag]

I too have a yearling hw cob, and to be honest i wouldn't start giving him any hard feed if he is about to be turned out onto good grazing. Perhaps a vits and mins lick,or a tiny amount of balancer (to make you feel better as unless quants are right they have little effect )
The other thing to take into account is your vet may advise you to withdraw any hard feed for up to two weeks after gelding anyway so he wouldnt get it then.
As others on this forum have said before, grass is the way forward, with a good worming programme, good grazing you really shouldnt need to be feeding hard feed through the summer (for his type), re-asess again autumn time and make your decision then.
Judging by the high jinks and hooning round my yearling does id be loath to give him anything that will up the energy levels
He also didnt have the greatest of starts, but wasn't rugged during our bad winter, had ad lib haylage and has since blossomed on grass alone.