Advice

[Englishcowgirl91]

What are peoples thoughts on this;

I’ve been told where I’m keeping my foal now that at this age “weanlings 8 months”
Don’t need anything other than forage and grass. All kept in a barn at the moment 24/7 and no grass or licks just the haylage.

Has given me feed to feed them all but literally less than a handful each but it’s conditioning cubes.
Only reason they make me feed them is to see if they are sick or not as they won’t eat.

In the wild they wouldn’t have their feed, have heard in the past all theSe feeds are a con and bad for them but why do so many people say they need to have them?

I’m very conflicted.
My foal has lost condition, bullied off the feed won’t gain anything just on forage.

I’ve ordered him Dodson & Horrell but now feeling doubt in myself again.

Am I thinking wrong or right..

Are those happy healthy hair foals you see out in the field all weather on ad lip and nibbles of grass or are they fed!

Why is mine in 24/7 and not out half and half?
Why are people saying they can’t be out in this temperature when they have a completely different way of regulating temperature.

No where near me has been suitable or worked out. I’ve followed and gone against most of my own thoughts to follow what the noise says and it’s led to not suitable environments!


I’m so stressed at this point and I need some sort of insight!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

If his loosing weight his not getting enough food and off course foals can go out in a field in winter but in freezing or wet weather thet need shelter of some sort.

If you want to feed him a bucket feed do so his your horses it's not up to anyone else to tell you otherwise it sounds like you need to speak to whoever is running this place and ask them these questions.

Is he in the barn with other young horses?

 

[Englishcowgirl91]

If his loosing weight his not getting enough food and off course foals can go out in a field in winter but in freezing or wet weather thet need shelter of some sort.

If you want to feed him a bucket feed do so his your horses it's not up to anyone else to tell you otherwise it sounds like you need to speak to whoever is running this place and ask them these questions.

Is he in the barn with other young horses?

I have asked these questions but I get told weanlings don’t need to additional hard feed. And it is better for him to go into summer skinny and into winter fat. So in my mind that’s starve of appropriate feed in winter and let the horse be overweight in the summer to go in to the winter to have a low amount of food.
He is in the barn with another foal and two other horses but all run around at feeding times, kicking each other and him and running him off it and each other. They paw the ground and become agitated which tells me that they are anxious around feed times. I normally remove him from the barn at feed times.
I have ordered some food for him separate as his weight and condition is off!

 

[Englishcowgirl91]

If his loosing weight his not getting enough food and off course foals can go out in a field in winter but in freezing or wet weather thet need shelter of some sort.

If you want to feed him a bucket feed do so his your horses it's not up to anyone else to tell you otherwise it sounds like you need to speak to whoever is running this place and ask them these questions.

Is he in the barn with other young horses?

He has had a worm count with vets and a full check over and he is 0 on the worms.
He has EHV and pneumonia so the barn has been good for recovery but he’s not out at all at the moment so all confined in the barn.

 

[AmyMay]

He needs to be moved. Which is easier said than done I know.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I feed my foals a good quality stud mix until they are two whereupon I change to a good quality young stock feed. I feed by eye and adjust quantities accordingly. Forage is very variable in nutritional values. Native Foals will do better on a forage only diet than foals with more blood. I would advise you to trust and follow your instincts over and above what you are being told by this person.

 

[Englishcowgirl91]

He needs to be moved. Which is easier said than done I know.

I completely agree. Every set up I have tried has been completely against him. So many have suggested studs and foal’s but unfortunately most studs where I am DO NOT live up to the expectations.
The equine world is so loud.
I have tried to put him in the places where there is the young stock and it backfires. Most of the time they are chucked in a field with horses not foals maybe one.
When I have tried to do it other ways and go against tradition I’ve been told I’m wrong and he needs to be with the foals. All well and good when there is a perfect place and set up but I haven’t come across a place where it is natural and he can be a foal but have a good setup.
Most young horses I’ve seen are underweight and unhappy. They don’t look like pure spirited, natural young foals!

 

[Englishcowgirl91]

I feed my foals a good quality stud mix until they are two whereupon I change to a good quality young stock feed. I feed by eye and adjust quantities accordingly. Forage is very variable in nutritional values. Native Foals will do better on a forage only diet than foals with more blood. I would advise you to trust and follow your instincts over and above what you are being told by this person.

Thank you this is reassuring.
And I agree with you. I needed a place to rant because this journey has been stressful.

 

[AmyMay]

Where in the uk are you based, perhaps members can help?

 

[Englishcowgirl91]

West Sussex

 

[Quigleyandme]

Thank you this is reassuring.
And I agree with you. I needed a place to rant because this journey has been stressful.

You rant away. This is a listening, supportive, if sometimes painfully frank, space for all contributors.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I have asked these questions but I get told weanlings don’t need to additional hard feed. And it is better for him to go into summer skinny and into winter fat. So in my mind that’s starve of appropriate feed in winter and let the horse be overweight in the summer to go in to the winter to have a low amount of food.
He is in the barn with another foal and two other horses but all run around at feeding times, kicking each other and him and running him off it and each other. They paw the ground and become agitated which tells me that they are anxious around feed times. I normally remove him from the barn at feed times.
I have ordered some food for him separate as his weight and condition is off!

Poor little thing I would try and find somewhere else hopefully someone on here can help.

In the meantime can you take him out of the barn and feed him on his own?

My thoughts are that if they are frantic and fighting at feed times they are hungry and in this cold youngsters need ad lib forage and it should be available all the time.

 

[TheMule]

West Sussex

There are loads of studs near you. I would start by contacting Sussex Equine vets and ask for recommendations as they do a lot of stud work. My suggestion would be Cranbrook Stud, if they have space/ are still taking youngstock liveries

I don’t have a problem with youngstock being in a large enough barn and kept properly for the worst months of winter (though I choose to winter mine out) But where yours is doesn’t sound like a suitable set up. I don’t routinely feed my weanlings very much, but I do like them to have a mineral supplement and a bit of extra feed when it's very cold like this

 

[Englishcowgirl91]

There are loads of studs near you. I would start by contacting Sussex Equine vets and ask for recommendations as they do a lot of stud work. My suggestion would be Cranbrook Stud, if they have space/ are still taking youngstock liveries

I don’t have a problem with youngstock being in a large enough barn and kept properly for the worst months of winter (though I choose to winter mine out) But where yours is doesn’t sound like a suitable set up. I don’t routinely feed my weanlings very much, but I do like them to have a mineral supplement and a bit of extra feed when it's very cold like this

There are loads of studs near you. I would start by contacting Sussex Equine vets and ask for recommendations as they do a lot of stud work. My suggestion would be Cranbrook Stud, if they have space/ are still taking youngstock liveries

I don’t have a problem with youngstock being in a large enough barn and kept properly for the worst months of winter (though I choose to winter mine out) But where yours is doesn’t sound like a suitable set up. I don’t routinely feed my weanlings very much, but I do like them to have a mineral supplement and a bit of extra feed when it's very cold like this

Believe me
I have tried a lot near me and there were none to help. I have had sussex equine out to check him over and they have suggested some but none could take. Cranbrook came up however I went there and the lady said she had already established her youngsters.

 

[Englishcowgirl91]

Poor little thing I would try and find somewhere else hopefully someone on here can help.

In the meantime can you take him out of the barn and feed him on his own?

My thoughts are that if they are frantic and fighting at feed times they are hungry and in this cold youngsters need ad lib forage and it should be available all the time.

Yes they are I don’t feel getting enough. They have ad-lib in there and this feed they are given but it isn’t near enough or of any use to them to be honest. I take mine out to feed and use something else but causes the others to go frantic and kicking running around ext. i agree this is because they don’t know where they are coming or going with feed. Unfortunately I cannot alter their set up but with mine I am trying my best.

 

[Englishcowgirl91]

What are peoples thoughts on this;

I’ve been told where I’m keeping my foal now that at this age “weanlings 8 months”
Don’t need anything other than forage and grass. All kept in a barn at the moment 24/7 and no grass or licks just the haylage.

Has given me feed to feed them all but literally less than a handful each but it’s conditioning cubes.
Only reason they make me feed them is to see if they are sick or not as they won’t eat.

In the wild they wouldn’t have their feed, have heard in the past all theSe feeds are a con and bad for them but why do so many people say they need to have them?

I’m very conflicted.
My foal has lost condition, bullied off the feed won’t gain anything just on forage.

I’ve ordered him Dodson & Horrell but now feeling doubt in myself again.

Am I thinking wrong or right..

Are those happy healthy hair foals you see out in the field all weather on ad lip and nibbles of grass or are they fed!

Why is mine in 24/7 and not out half and half?
Why are people saying they can’t be out in this temperature when they have a completely different way of regulating temperature.

No where near me has been suitable or worked out. I’ve followed and gone against most of my own thoughts to follow what the noise says and it’s led to not suitable environments!


I’m so stressed at this point and I need some sort of insight!

*added info* the yard I’m at is in Horsham and I have two Shetlands there in a separate livery agreement.

 

[MissTyc]

Could we worth trying Bea Fuller's stud farm - I think that's Uckfield Way.

Or else, any traditional grass livery with appropriate land and a nice herd would be my preference over what you've described. We've joined them as young as 6 months into our established older herd. Sometimes needs must.

 

[mini-eventer]

I don't think a barn with adlib hay and other youngsters is a bad set up. It sounds like the previous illness's have taken it our of your foal. EHV and pneumonia will have been very tough on such a young horse. Under these circumstanced I would want to keep him sheltered. If you can get a bit of additional hard feed into him that would be a good compromise.

 

[P.forpony]

I have 2 weanlings right now of similar age but fortunately have the choice of having them in or out as I please. They are getting ad lib good hay and a stud balancer and mostly turned out but brought in daily to handle and check etc.

I wouldn't be averse to a barn set up though, given that you have the ability to bring him out to give him additional hard feed as necessary. It sounds more like the atmosphere is more difficult for you than the actual setup itself.

Like you say, you can't change how other people's horses are managed but it sounds like you're doing all the right things with yours. So just stick to your guns and do your best to ignore everyone else's noisy opinions!
Easier said than done I know but they're not youngsters forever.

 

[tristars]

what you need to feed depends on the breed, native, blood horse have different needs

i would always feed youngstock, for god sake they Need Protein, vits mins, and the best hay!

getting fatter and thinner is a bad thing, the idea is steady development without huge swings in condition, steady growth is the thing to aim for, at certain times of year yes you can back off for while , too fast growth is bad , and avoid over feeding, but foal to yearling is a rapid growth period so feeding needs to keep up the supplies, then there is a need for warmth and energy for play

what a worry for you, hope something comes up soon to help, but by may grass will be here