Feeding a youngster

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Char0901

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So next week/weekend I'm moving my yearling to a livery yard. (I say next week, but with the weather how it is I really want to get him out of their field and tuck him up in bed! Add: He's fine btw, I'm just soft)

Last winter (his first winter) he was on what looked like a lot of feed. He was at my friends yard with her yearling and she dealt with feeding etc as she's done it for years. He was by no means overweight, but his feed bucket morning and night was heavy!

He's been turned out in a little herd of 5 since April/May time. My friends land is a working farm so they have fantastic grass, also they've alternated between fields every 4 weeks so have always had the best grass.
He's looking brilliant at the minute, yes a gangly yearling, but weight wise looks spot on... from only grass.

My question is what should I feed him when I move him to the yard? He'll still be regularly turned out but as its a livery yard their grass doesn't look as good. Obviously he'll be having hay too whilst in his stable.
He's a big lad, bet he's standing at 15hh at the minute.
I don't want to give him nothing, because the rest of the yard will obviously be fed breakfast/dinner. So even if its just a handful of something to make him feel included (see said I was a softie!) but still I don't know what.

Any advice?
x
 
He really needs to live out all the time. Failing that he needs to be out all day, every day. It is vital for youngsters that they get exercise so they develop healthy bones and joints. Can he not stay where he is and live out all winter?
If you really want to stable and feed him I would just give him a handful of unmolassed chaff and a vit/min supplement. Ad lib access to a decent salt lick and ad lib forage.
 
No he can't stay where he is all winter.
He developed really bad mud fever last year, when only tuned out daily for a few hours. His other herd mates are going back to their homes and my friend is selling her yearling which would leave him on her yard alone with only her stallion for company. Last winter her fields were knee deep in mud and her outdoor arena was flooded. Which meant all I could do with him was walk him up and down her lane!
So this year he's going to a yard that has winter turn out when suitable but failing that has two outdoor arenas, a round pen and an indoor that the youngsters can play in when fields aren't useable. It also has lots of leading friendly hacking so he can have more walks in hand, rather than up and down a drive.
He will be by no means stuck in a stable.
This is better than last year.
 
I would leave him where he is, too. If only him and a stallion, the fields are not so likely to get anywhere hear as muddy.
Also, I personally would be doing nothing more with him than bringing in to check him and just the occasional lead out. He is a baby and unless you're showing at top level, being turned out in a field is the best thing for a youngster.
It will cost you a fortune in feed if the grass is poor at new yard, too.
 
He would be going back to the stables at her house. All their fields are rested in winter but for the one at her house. He can't be turned out with the stallion so he'll be turned out alone and it wouldn't be all the time away. Last year the fields weren't muddy because they had more than two horses on them.
And if we do have a bad winter, he's stuck in a stable again. At least at this new place I have some options.
Or should I leave him alone in a muddy field with severe mud fever?
I asked about feed. Why do I bother? Wish I could just delete the thread.
Thanks for your help.
 
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Could you not look for another option entirely - grass livery, perhaps? That way, you'd get 24/7 turnout and save yourself some money into the bargain.
 
His mud fever was far too severe last year to consider this. And by severe I mean swollen legs, vets out, antibiotics etc, it took about 8 weeks to clear up.
 
Put him out with company as much as you can. When you bring him in give him hay/haylage and a handful of chaff or balancer. I fed Top Spec stud balancer which was great. You dont want to feed too much hard feed as that will lead to problems later on with his joints. My youngster did not live out, as I bring my other horses in and it has not done him any harm.
 
Hi,

I put a post on here about the same thing and was recommended D + H Suregrow. My youngster is 15mths and similar height to yours and it seems to be suiting her. I wanted a balancer because the grass in my opinion very good quality. You feed 250g per 100kg of weight (I hope I've got that the correct way) and it shouldn't make them put on weight as it's a balancer, not a hard feed so will only get all the vits/mins etc they require and you can adapt it as they grow. SHe's looking very well on it so I'd recommend that.

I'm also debating whether to move her to a yard to have grass livery 24/7 throughout the winter or stable at night, which will mean (hopefully) not rugging her. But it's the rain that's the issue up here with little shelter in the fields.

Good luck, do what you feel is right and as long as he's turned out all day and in at night, I don't see what the harm is, if you cant get 24/7 turnout. :)
 
Don't worry I'm a softie too :) I would just feed him maybe some hi-fi/chaff with a balancer or general vitamin mineral supplement! And obviously a large haynet and maybe a salt/mineral lick. Hope he enjoys his cosy stable :)
 
Thank you guys, this is what I was looking for.
He doesn't need anything for his weight so a balancer sounds ideal.
He'll be turned out with a sensible buddy (hopefully sensible!) and YO didn't seem worried about finding a few that will be suitable friends for him.
RockyHorse14, my boy is 15 months old too, so D & H Suregrow sounds good. I don't know a lot about nutritional values in horse feeds etc and theres so many out there that all seem the same to me!
Jazmyn101 he'll have his hay net as full as possible at all times. I'll put a salt lick in his stable too, although last winter he wasn't interested in it at all! He does however love those vit/min licks that come in the tubs and smell/look like liquorice... He manages to cover himself in it... and yes, he is of course grey!...
 
Haha so does my mare, she is on box rest at the moment and every time I come up to the yard she is covered in sticky likit..she is blue and white so I feel your pain!
 
Char0901 said:
He would be going back to the stables at her house. All their fields are rested in winter but for the one at her house. He can't be turned out with the stallion so he'll be turned out alone and it wouldn't be all the time away. Last year the fields weren't muddy because they had more than two horses on them.
And if we do have a bad winter, he's stuck in a stable again. At least at this new place I have some options.
Or should I leave him alone in a muddy field with severe mud fever?
I asked about feed. Why do I bother? Wish I could just delete the thread.
Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...

Ok you asked about feed, the best feed for a yearling is ad lib grass, topped up with hay-if he is to be stabled hay fed from the floor is safer as most youngsters will play with everything and feet and legs caught in haynets can cause serious injury.
mud fever is usually a sign of something else being wrong (possibly diet) just because he had it last year does not mean he will get it again.

my mare live out 24/7 till she was 5 she had terrible mud fever at my friends the winter she was 5 and was coming in at night for the first time ever-she has had one winter out since then and one in at night and has not had mud fever wither time
 
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OP, I feed my yearlings ad lib forage and a handful, and I mean a handful of whatever my big horses have with aloe vera gel as balancer.
They do come in when I need them to come in, they need to learn at some point in life that being stabled is a necessity, sooner the better.
 
martlin said:
OP, I feed my yearlings ad lib forage and a handful, and I mean a handful of whatever my big horses have with aloe vera gel as balancer.
They do come in when I need them to come in, they need to learn at some point in life that being stabled is a necessity, sooner the better.
Click to expand...

Thank you martlin. How does the aloe vera gel benefit? Not heard of it before.
My head has been all over the place with what is best to do for him and I feel like at least at this yard I will have options, which I think is key.
He's (hopefully) going to be my competition horse and you're right, he does need to learn to be stabled.
It'd hard to explain in writing what I want to do with him whist he's a youngster, because people read things differently.
He's not going to be locked up, wrapped in cotton wool in a stable! He's going to have a mix of turn out, stabling, handling, walks, shows etc. I personally believe that learning to live how I want my horses to live as competition animals is as important for them to learn at a young age as learning how to be led!
I'm sure others believe otherwise...
Thanks again :)
 
He'll be fine coming in at night. All my youngsters live out until they are 3 years old as I have loads of land with many youngsters living out in different-age-group-herds together. Providing they've had their first year out 24/7, by yearling stage it would not concern me to be bringing a yearling in at nights. Make sure he gets as much turnout as possible every day and he should be fine. As to feed, a balancer is all that is required to help grow properly. You don't need much of it but it will give him all the 'right stuff' he needs to grow correctly.
 
Thanks Spring Feather.
Yeah he spent last summer (his first) turned out with him mum and another mare and foal from the age of 3 weeks old. He was weaned at 6 months and turned out whenever possible last winter although it wasn't a lot. He was turned out for summer in April and hasn't entered a stable since.
I guarantee he'll get more turnout at this new yard as if not in the field, there is at least the large indoor which is safe to turn out in for a few hours which is better than nothing.
 
Char0901 said:
Thank you martlin. How does the aloe vera gel benefit? Not heard of it before.
My head has been all over the place with what is best to do for him and I feel like at least at this yard I will have options, which I think is key.
He's (hopefully) going to be my competition horse and you're right, he does need to learn to be stabled.
It'd hard to explain in writing what I want to do with him whist he's a youngster, because people read things differently.
He's not going to be locked up, wrapped in cotton wool in a stable! He's going to have a mix of turn out, stabling, handling, walks, shows etc. I personally believe that learning to live how I want my horses to live as competition animals is as important for them to learn at a young age as learning how to be led!
I'm sure others believe otherwise...
Thanks again :)
Click to expand...
Aloe inner leaf gel has over 200 different vit, mins and micro-elements, it's an allround supplement, helps keep the gut healthy, stabilises immune system and improves quality of hair and feet - just a good egg :) Hope that helps, if you are interested to hear more, just give me a PM, I don't want to advertise here ;)
 
I feed all mine all natives from foals to veterans on a diet of soaked grass nuts, Linseed meal, alfalafa chaff and half measures of topspec leisure time.
250 grm of grass nuts
stubbs scoop of alfa oil or local equivalent
125 grms topspec
200 grms of linseed
small scoop of brewers yeast
Adlib hay for the ones that can eat it but in the main it gives them the runs hence the fibre rich bucket feed.
They are out 24/7 365 days a year but appreciate that isnt possible for some horses or owners I wouldn't keep a horse at all unless it had at least 8 hours per day in free space 10 minutes run around in a school is not enough but that is my take on the welfare laws
 
Char0901 said:
So next week/weekend I'm moving my yearling to a livery yard. (I say next week, but with the weather how it is I really want to get him out of their field and tuck him up in bed! Add: He's fine btw, I'm just soft)

Last winter (his first winter) he was on what looked like a lot of feed. He was at my friends yard with her yearling and she dealt with feeding etc as she's done it for years. He was by no means overweight, but his feed bucket morning and night was heavy!

He's been turned out in a little herd of 5 since April/May time. My friends land is a working farm so they have fantastic grass, also they've alternated between fields every 4 weeks so have always had the best grass.
He's looking brilliant at the minute, yes a gangly yearling, but weight wise looks spot on... from only grass.

My question is what should I feed him when I move him to the yard? He'll still be regularly turned out but as its a livery yard their grass doesn't look as good. Obviously he'll be having hay too whilst in his stable.
He's a big lad, bet he's standing at 15hh at the minute.
I don't want to give him nothing, because the rest of the yard will obviously be fed breakfast/dinner. So even if its just a handful of something to make him feel included (see said I was a softie!) but still I don't know what.

Any advice?
x
Click to expand...


1) Ask your friend what he's used to having bucket wise as it may well be suitable and at least you know that he eats it. You may be surprised how picky youngsters can be about new food! Mine did very nicely on a small feed of Allen & Page Calm And Condition with NAF Mare, Foal and Youngstock supplement, plus grass and hay. Agree that avoiding excess sugars and cereals is good. Post pictures.

2) Give him as much turnout as is possible; believe me it is vital for their physical and mental health. Too much time in will only stress you both, and you can prevent mud fever by drying off his legs and applying barrier lotion regularly - Lincoln make a good one. This also gets him used to having his legs handled :) Post pictures.

3) Ad-lib hay or haylage when he is in, and a salt lick. I cannot stress how important it is that you ensure that he is given ad-lib as opposed to "oh but this is what the other horses all get" - he is a baby and still growing. Don't be bullied into limiting his forage ration and don't be swayed into giving him large amounts of hard feed "because the others all have it". If need be he can have a big trug of hay for breakfast/dinner - mine did at that age. He was perfectly happy with this. Post pictures.

4) Be picky about who he is turned out with or stabled next to. Don't let him fall in with a rude horse or allow him to be turned out with one that actively bullies others etc. He will learn from the company that he is given, so a well mannered older horse is to be valued here. And triple check that the fencing or hedging etc is secure and high enough. And that there are no gaps or electric tape without any electricity. Post pictures.

5) Be firm, fair and consistent with his handling, and always end on a good note. Don't let others spoil him - he will only get bigger and manners are vital. Have patience but do not coddle him. Give him boundaries; don't let him throw his weight about. Don't be pressurised into rushing him either - yes he is big, no you can't sit on him, iyswim? Be prepared for someone to ask this! Post pictures.

6) Get him used to rugs and rug him if he needs it but ONLY if he needs it. Be prepared for him to outgrow everything as soon as you buy it. Whatever he doesn't outgrow will probably be chewed up, tossed into muck heap when you pause to blink, etc. Buy cheap and replace as needed. Post pictures.

Mine is now two, already pushing 15.3hh, and will (hopefully) be out 24/7 this winter, but he has a stable all set should he need it. I'm on really good grass, so am only feeding hay and salt when he is in. He currently needs 10kg a day of foraqe - this equates to about half a small square bale of hay. Obviously less when you deduct grass - I count it as half a kilogram of grass per hour of grazing. So if out for eight hours that means he has already had 4kg of forage, and will need 6kg hay whilst in; about three slices of small bale. If I decide to put him back onto the Calm and Condition, this will be deducted from the total amount fed too.

I asked my vet to help gauge his weight for worming, and have been basing my calculations on that; 2% of overall bodyweight as he is growing :) If I recall correctly, Dodson & Horrell have a guide chart on their website that may be helpful re amounts.

Did I remember to mention posting pictures? :D
 
Should have said the diet I use is high in oil and protein low in sugar and starch and gives them wonderful coats and the building blocks for good muscle developement so they grow well and even without laying down lots of fat
 
Arizahn what a fantastic comment! Thanks for taking the time, I appreciate it and it made me smile.
In response...

1) Will find out what he was on last winter. He's looking so well weight wise at the moment I think what he had last year will be too much... But like you say at least I know he likes it so could always just cut it way down.

2) He'll be out whenever he can be. I discovered pig oil & sulphur at the beginning of this year, unfortunately it was too late really to be much use this time. It did however help loads in the last few weeks of winter when he was on daily turnout, a couple of hours a day. I'll apply this before he's turned out when it's wet, I just feel it wouldn't be good for him to be out 24/7 in mud. Just to add re the leg handling... if made him worse! He was perfect before he got mud fever, but I think he got fed up with the scab picking, creams etc! Hopefully he's forgotten over summer...

3) The yard has no restrictions on how much hay/hayledge you can give. Literally can top up whenever you want and feed as much as you want... Not like an old yard I was on where you had to weigh your hay net! :)

4) Yes, I'll definitely be picky... I'm a bit worried about this! I don't want to tell someone 'Sorry, I don't want my horse turned out with your horse!' haha. But I know what you mean. He's with a lovely herd at the moment, oldest being 3 yo. All very mannerly. It's a big yard so hopefully there will be one on there who will be nice to him, yet keep him in line. YO didn't seem worried about finding someone suitable. Fencing is electric tape and always switched on.

5) He's well handled so far. Can do bits and bats with him. Very relaxed. There will be a polite note on his door asking people not to feed him treats etc. (Meanie mum aren't I? ;) ) I'll not be pushing him at all, everything step by step. He'll be ready when he's ready. He's not going anywhere, theres no rush :)

6) He's used to rugs... Well he was before he was turned away in April, may have forgotten. Yep, he's not getting anything new! Which I'm finding really hard! In the past I had a mare that wore 6'3/6'6 and his mum was 6'6/6'9. I've still got all these so future rugs aren't a problem. I have rugs that I think will fit him roughly this winter... that have kindly being donated from a friends youngster last year! He's not gonna look pretty or fashionable but I refuse to spend money on something he'll grow out of!

How do you work out the weight of a horse? I'll have a look on Dodson & Horrell website. Thanks!

PICTURES!...
I'll have to get some more recent ones tomorrow! SORRY! :D
 
I have two youngsters that have lived in since 5 months old... Now 2 years old and they're still happy, healthy and well mannered :) Like you, I dont really like mine to go without breakfast if all the others are being fed. Mine are Shetlands so their 'food' is something that most horses would spill out of their buckets and leave!!

If you don't think he needs hard feed leave some hay in a trug to be given at feed time. Make sure he has ad lib hay and a bit/min lick. The one hard feed I would recommend is D&H Suregrow, it put so much condition onto mine!
 
Thank you muckypony. I think I will go with D&H Suregrow, read lots of good things about it online. What would you add if he did start to drop a bit of weight? I'm aware the grass isn't as good as where he is now so this may happen. I've been spoilt for 18 months or so by being on farmers land with wonderful grass!
 
As Twiggy has said, please don't use a hay net, he will play with it and could get his legs caught.
Molassed licks are like feeding your toddlers McFlurrys, I would just get a plain one. Mine have both a rockies lick and a himalayan salt lick thing in the field.
 
Char0901 said:
Thank you muckypony. I think I will go with D&H Suregrow, read lots of good things about it online. What would you add if he did start to drop a bit of weight? I'm aware the grass isn't as good as where he is now so this may happen. I've been spoilt for 18 months or so by being on farmers land with wonderful grass!
Click to expand...

No worries.

I wouldn't worry too much about dropping weight - as long as he has good quality ad-lib hay at night he should be ok. I would feed it with some chaff though if you are worried. Make sure its un-molassed - I use TopChop Lite at the moment (purely because a friend gave me a whole bag for free) But any one will do.
 
If its just a token feed your after I would just feed a handful of Fast Fibre. If you see him dropping off through winter and think he needs a bit more I would then add a balancer.
 
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