Feeding youngsters

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nicnag

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Looking for a wee bit advice/ discussion...for the first time in my 40 plus years of horses I have found myself owning 2 youngsters! Both are 18 months, a welsh sec D filly and a little cob colt. The filly is in good condition but the colt looks a little leaner but by no means thin just been in mud and a bit pot bellied looking. They are arriving in a couple weeks, I plan to worm on arrival. Both have had ad lib hay and that will continue. 12 hours turnout with hay available then 12 hours stabled. I have good quality hay and was looking at a youngstock balancer with chaff? Would this be adequate? I have contacted spiller helpline but just thinking ahead. I've mainly dealt with sports horses and thoroughbreds since coming off ponies 30 years ago so reckon things have moved on! The balancers don't seem to have an obvious age changeover ?
 
I'd feed Suregrow and wouldn't bother with chaff personally.

My Welsh cob has got by on a daily double handful of Suregrow and good hay and looks fab as a 4yro.

They might look a bit rough until the grass comes through in the spring but I wouldn't rush to feed them any more than balancer and hay.
 
Are they both coming from the same place? Can you check what they are on currently and continue with that and monitor?

Both my youngsters (now 4 and 5) have wintered very well out 24/7 on ad-lib hay on a small feed of spillers gro n win balancer and a handful of chaff. Both are welsh (1 C & 1 D). I did rug them both well for the first couple of years.

Reggie was a little tricky to get on top of the worms when he first arrived (took about 8 months before I was happy) and usually requires more rugging than the others to keep the weight on him.

The pot belly might just be a hay belly rather than worms, which is always my first worry.
 
Mine had Suregrow until around 2 years old and then he just got quality hay and a token of fibre cubes and chaff when the others got fed.
 
dorsetladette said:
Are they both coming from the same place? Can you check what they are on currently and continue with that and monitor?

Both my youngsters (now 4 and 5) have wintered very well out 24/7 on ad-lib hay on a small feed of spillers gro n win balancer and a handful of chaff. Both are welsh (1 C & 1 D). I did rug them both well for the first couple of years.

Reggie was a little tricky to get on top of the worms when he first arrived (took about 8 months before I was happy) and usually requires more rugging than the others to keep the weight on him.

The pot belly might just be a hay belly rather than worms, which is always my first worry.
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No, coming from same area but one direct from breeder and other from a private yard. Wee guy has been rugged and in my opinion doesn't need to be as his coat is about 6 inches deep ! The filly is in perfect condition i would say. She was getting youngstock balancer and chaff, he was just getting chaff
 
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