people are saying he's growing too fast

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daisalph

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What do you think? I've had warnings from three people 'in the know' about the size of my baby colt. I was giving him a little handful of stud nuts twice a day but have cut it out now as I'm afraid of bone/joint problems later in life if he grows fast. One breeder said that her vet has recommended weaning her foal at 3 months as he's a big boy and should be growing more slowly for maximum health. Mine's nearly 12 weeks and measures 12 hands at the wither. His overall breeding is 2/3TB, 1/3ID. He is by Masterpiece out of an IDX mare.
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I'm no expert but I measured my 12 week old filly yesterday and she was 12hh. I admit your boy does look bigger but that is probs cos he has more bone. My filly is out of a tbx, dad is an Arab. See what you think?
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She looks a bit of a scruff at the moment cos all her coat is falling out lol
 
I think she will be bay although she looks nearly black in places. Mum is bay and dad is chestnut. She only gets a handful of stud balancer once a day. I wouldnt worry too much as long as you arnt stuffing him full of hard feed. I was starting to think mine wasnt big enough, so youve put my mind at rest lol
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Yes similar size possibly smaller than mine!! my boy was 13hh at 14 weeks old out of a 15.2 mare!!! He was a big foal though breeding is movistar/parkhall seymour (he hasn't grown in the last week or so but has bulked out a little, I think now he's reached 3 months his growth will slow down!!!!) My boy litterally only has 1/2 a baby (human!!) cup of suregrow and half stud mix once daily and even then mum tends to finish it off!! so only really on mums milk and grass!!
 
i defenitaly don't think he is growing to fast. ellie is 11 weeks and is standing approx 13/13h2 her dam is 16h1 and her sire is 17h2. i am not overly worried anout it as she has growen at a steady pass but to be on the safe sid eshe won't be getting huge amounts of hard feed. she is also on grass only at the moment as is her mother and they are out 24/7 in a nice herd of mares and foal and 3 yearling fillies
 
Hi there, Just a small word of warning about foals growing too quickly. Watch how they stand and move, if they start to look like they are walking on their tip toes (like a little ballet dancer) or if you have JUST a nagging doubt that their heels are not touching the ground when they are standing on a hard surface ( not in the field on the soft )....get your vet and farrier involved. DO NOT put it off thinking it will get better, things can go from bad to worse very quickly. Some foals can grow too quickly even if they or their mums are not being fed at all / or not very much.
 
Could i just say whoever suggested weaning your foal at 3mths is talking rubbish... idealy foals should be on their mum for at LEAST 6mths.

Their guts are designed to take milk for 7.

I weaned my last 2 foals at a year old lol! (and rode the mare out and left foals behind!)
 
I was advised by a very senior vet. who is an expert in bone matters to wean one at 4 months for the very reason of her growing too fast. It stopped her and we prevented further damage (we were onto matters with vet and farrier as it was).

She grew into a normal sized happy sound mare. What about orphaned foals, they often have no choice about having their mothers from an early age.

I don't think he is too big at all, just be sure to monitor the heels and limb deviations, as has been said.
 
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I was advised by a very senior vet. who is an expert in bone matters to wean one at 4 months for the very reason of her growing too fast. It stopped her and we prevented further damage (we were onto matters with vet and farrier as it was).

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Same with my foal last year. She had no hard feed, her mother looked like a hatrack yet she was a monster at weaned dead on 4months old she stood at 14hh (mum and dad both 16hh!). It was the best thing for her, although at the time I was absolutely devastated, mainly due to people putting pressure on for them to be on the mare for at least 6 months. It's different for everyone and every case has to be judged on it's own merits. I would now not hesitate to wean early, although ideally I'd wait until at least 4 months, if the foals best interests were at heart.

Although to the OP I don't consider your foal to be overly big, as I say my filly last year was huge in comparison and my 14 week filly this year is about 13hh now (mum 16.2 dad 17.2). Try not to worry and just keep an eye on her limbs for signs of her going upright, this can happen overnight to quickly growing foals.
 
When my Masterpiece foal was 5 1/2 months old he had a growing spurt which made him very upright in his pasterns, we called the vet and they advised to wean ASAP as mums milk was too rich. we had to be carefull the whole time he was a baby as recmmended by the vet, the mare is a very good doer which didnt help. the vet came to see him a month after weaning and was happy with his progess and we didnt need any further intervention. Just keep a close eye on him and call you vet if in doubt. Personally I wouldnt wean before 5 months, at 5 1/2 we werent happy weaning Nico, we only did it a the vet insissted.
 
Another thing to look out for in terms if growth problems is puffy / swollen joints. I would say the foals featured above look good at present but I would be wary of giving any Dam with an overly big foal additional hard feed. keep it simple. grass and hay if necessary.

Echo the others. iifin doubt get a vet out and I'd also say avoid high protein stud balancers and mixes at all costs.
 
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