Feeding a 2 year old.

[mandy4727]

I have always owned veterans in the past and for years and years and years fed
Bran
Mollichop
Sugar beet
Coarse mix.

They always looked well off it and were the grand old ages of 29 and 40 when they passed away last year and this.

As many of you know I have a 2 year old now. So as my only experience is veteran feeds I would like to know the best things to feed her on. Feeds have changed so much over the years since I first got my oldies (I was 13!!!!ekkkk) and there are so many different feeds on the market.

I do like the idea of straights and would like to feed them the most. Not bothered about the cost but just want to get it right.

 

[Tia]

I'd cut out the bran. It isn't that great for youngsters.

My 2 year olds are fed the same as all of my others LOL!!

Soaked oats
Black sunflower seeds
low protein coarsemix
hifibre pellets

and of course - adlib top quality hay.

 

[filly190]

What you are feeding, sounds ideal for any age of horse. I am feeding my yearling, sugar beet, alfalfa, leisure mix and she is doing really well.

 

[Tia]

Everything but the bran sounds good. You shouldn't feed bran to youngsters.

 

[Peasfriend]

My rising 2yo has D&H Suregrow, KwikBeet and D&H Just Grass, along with almost ad lib hay (in at night, out during day) - he looks, and is doing, great

 

[joanne1920]

Depends what breed and type he is, my 2 year old gypsy cob who is a good doer, is on, 1 and 1/2 scoops of dengie hifi good doer, with a mug of baileys lo-cal balancer with a small scoop of limestone flour twice a day, in his evening feed he also gets 25ml pro pell plus ( trying to bosst immune system as has poor past) and a scoop of mint to help his digestion, and he gets ad lib hay.
I wouldnt feed bran though...

 

[Halfpass]

My rising 2 1.2 year old is on 2 round scoops D & H mare and youngstock and 2 round scoops alfa a oil divided into 2 feeds she is looking great on it.

 

[paintsplat05]

the colts at our yard get a scoop of Meadow Mix(Bailys i think) and Alfa-A twice a day

 

[Ginn]

Having spent much timing thinking about the same thing I'd say feed according to condition and use common sense! Also, be prepared to experiment.

Except in the late autumn and winter Tills just gets a "token" feed (handful of chaff and a handfull of h&p mix). Atm she has dropped a little condition so its adlib hay, chaff, topspec conditioning flakes and speedibeet, and then I adjust things depending on how she looks.

I found some things completely blew her brains, especially the youngstock mixes! Soaked oats did too and she dropped weight on them but I know others hve had much sucess with them.

Just be careful that you don't overfeed and stick to high fibre - you don't want her too conditioned as it'll put more strain on her joints and you want to encourage slow steady growth rather than piling food into her and have her grow too much too fast!

But, imo, know your horse and use common sense!

 

[Theresa_F]

Stinker being a gypsy cob doesn't need a huge amount.

He has has been fed a fibre diet - now on lucie stalks and green gold (alfa a), a little speedibeet, black sunflower seeds and total eclipse supplement. Before that he was on alfa a lite, speedibeet, bs seeds and had equimins youngstock supplement instead of the Simple Systems products. Also get low cal nuts in his ball.

Ad lib hay - he is growing well and carries no excess weight.

Personally I would not feed bran or mollichop, change the sugar beet to speedibeet and try a no sugar and starch diet - keeps them calm and make sure she has a good vit and min supplement.