Increasing calories in foals feed

[jessss]

Enzo is now 4 months old - he still feeds off mum but is eating hard food and hay. Atm he has 2-3 small feeds a day (depending on whether I can leave work for half an hour to go and feed at lunch). He's having recommended amount of baileys stud balancer, a few handfuls of alfa a, and a scoop of stud and young stock mix in his feed split between feeds (all recommended amounts). My other horses are kept elsewhere so can't really increase the amount of feeds he has

They have ample hay which he picks at, and there is little to no grass in the field.

I can feel his ribs though (through the fluffy coat) and want to increase his calories ideally.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this? I thought adding oil might work (but is this okay in a foal?), and have just ordered a conditioning mash

 

[ihatework]

Honestly I already think you are feeding more than enough (more than any of the young stock I’ve dealt with, tbs aside, get). They go through ribby spells, it’s normal. You need to be careful not to over feed and potentially risk growth disorders

 

[TheMule]

Completely agree with IHW- now is not the time to give calories. Has he been wormed every 6 weeks?

 

[Clodagh]

As has been said, I’d avoid hard feed. I’m sure I caused the OCD my yearling had by letting him scoff mums food.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Sure Grow at the correct ratio to body weight is all you need, together with Mum feeding him and whatever he picks from her hay.

Push his growth at great peril to his future health and soundness.

 

[jessss]

Completely agree with IHW- now is not the time to give calories. Has he been wormed every 6 weeks?

Yes I'm alternating Panacur and Strongid every 6 weeks

I didn't realise they went through ribby phases - thanks for the advice everyone. Is sure grow similar to baileys stud balancer? That's what I'm feeding at the correct ratio to body weight currently

 

[TheMule]

Yes I'm alternating Panacur and Strongid every 6 weeks

I didn't realise they went through ribby phases - thanks for the advice everyone. Is sure grow similar to baileys stud balancer? That's what I'm feeding at the correct ratio to body weight currently

He will go through a million ribby phases and that's normal and good! So long as he has energy and is behaving like a normal young horse just let him grow up on grass, hay and a bit of Suregrow or the Baileys (Suregrow is a lot cheaper)

 

[ihatework]

Yes I'm alternating Panacur and Strongid every 6 weeks

I didn't realise they went through ribby phases - thanks for the advice everyone. Is sure grow similar to baileys stud balancer? That's what I'm feeding at the correct ratio to body weight currently

The baileys is fine, he shouldn’t need anything other than that hard feed wise

 

[millitiger]

I would ALWAYS want to feel ribs on any horse and I would ALWAYS expect to actually see ribs on anything under 4yrs old.

As long as they have good quality feet and coat and a bright eye, I definitely wouldn't be looking to increase calories through hard feed.

You can expect many ugly duckling stages over the next few years and that is completely normal.