What to feed a chunky yearling?

AdeleSK

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Hey,

I have recently got a little crossbreed Yearling. I think he's part cob, but even so he's quite chunky for his age. He has never had hard feed, just hay or haylage and carrots before I bought him. At the moment, he's grazing the dregs of the winter field 8 hours a day, and then stabled with a slow feed net of haylage, with another pile thrown in for breakfast.

What should I do? Keep feeding haylage and restrict his grazing (there is a starvation paddock in the summer field which he will. move to in three weeks for 24/7 turn out) or feed him wet haylage, or buy in hay myself? I'll be far less concerned in a few weeks when he is out grazing 24/7, but for now I'm worried about how quickly he moves through the haylage at night in his stable. Is he at risk of Ulcers? The haynet is double netted but even so he's a little muncher.

Any advice is welcome!

A
 

splashgirl45

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could you give a larger net of hay rather than haylage , or if not, mix some straw in with the haylage to slow him down a bit..why would you restrict grazing for a youngster? dont forget they need plenty of feed for growing so better to have grass than any hard feed ..the youngsters on my yard are fed huge nets of hay for overnight and are also getting feeds of balancer...how much does the net weigh? you may not be giving him as much as you think..
 

AdeleSK

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could you give a larger net of hay rather than haylage , or if not, mix some straw in with the haylage to slow him down a bit..why would you restrict grazing for a youngster? dont forget they need plenty of feed for growing so better to have grass than any hard feed ..the youngsters on my yard are fed huge nets of hay for overnight and are also getting feeds of balancer...how much does the net weigh? you may not be giving him as much as you think..

Thanks for the response!

So, maybe I was a bit too kind in saying he is 'chunky' - basically he's a rescue who is overweight, and that's why I'm looking for solutions. I know it's not good for youngsters to be overweight due to the pressure on their joints etc, and he's already rising 14.2hh. He's only going to be stabled for another 3 weeks before he'll be out grazing 24/7, but I just wanted to know if I should feed him a larger amount of wet haylage, or just give him hay instead. Does that make sense? Sorry if I'm not articulating it well!
 

AdeleSK

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could you give a larger net of hay rather than haylage , or if not, mix some straw in with the haylage to slow him down a bit..why would you restrict grazing for a youngster? dont forget they need plenty of feed for growing so better to have grass than any hard feed ..the youngsters on my yard are fed huge nets of hay for overnight and are also getting feeds of balancer...how much does the net weigh? you may not be giving him as much as you think..

Sorry - I also meant only to possibly restrict his grazing for part of the day when he's out 24/7 in summer. Not restrict at all while he is stabled.
 

TheMule

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Is he rising 2 rather than a yearling this year?
I would not restrict forage in any way- maybe don't give him the top quality stuff, so if you can feed hay rather than really nice haylage that might be best. I wouldn't feed a youngster from a net, especially not a very small holed one due to the strain put on the neck and back.
 

AdeleSK

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Is he rising 2 rather than a yearling this year?
I would not restrict forage in any way- maybe don't give him the top quality stuff, so if you can feed hay rather than really nice haylage that might be best. I wouldn't feed a youngster from a net, especially not a very small holed one due to the strain put on the neck and back.

Hello! Thanks so much for the kind response =)

He will be 2 in June/July I think so yes. Hay sounds like the best way forward. Had concerns about the hay net to be honest as I know it's also not their natural forage position. Do you think it's worth investing in a sturdy hay saver that can be put on the ground in his stable in that case? Or just give him a load of poorer quality hay in a bucket so he can munch til his heart is content? Just hate the idea of him in the stable with nothing to munch. Though he has a lick and a big salt block.
 

TheMule

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I think the tub hay saver things are a good solution,they will slow him down a bit but without the negative muscle strain- feeding from the ground is definitely your best option
 
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Leo Walker

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I'd mix the haylage with straw to slow him down and then feed him chopped oat straw. I'd add a balancer and a handful of linseed to a tiny feed as well. when you restrict them they dont get everything they need and its obviously important in a growing baby. For spring I'd have him in the starvation paddock supplemented with hay or haylage etc.

I've got a hayball which is brilliant for really slowing them down and keeping them moving. My adult horses have all loved it, I reckon it would be even better for a curious youngster. I'd invest in one of those as well and use that in the stable and starvation paddock.

I'd walk him out in hand as well or pony him off another horse. You will do no harm with walking with no weight on him, so the more you can do the better.

How much weight does he need to lose? If you can get him to a good weight over the next couple of months you will probably find he can go out normally and be carefully fed ad lib as hes still growing. The tricky bit is getting the weight off while making sure he always has forage and is getting everyhing he needs
 

splashgirl45

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i dont understand why a young horse who is not yet 2 should go in a starvation paddock and be supplemented with hay. why cant he go in a normal field 24/7 and have no hay as supplement...he should also have at least one other youngster to play with . we have 4 all approx the same age at my old yard and they play quite a lot during the day so will be shifting weight as normal youngsters do...and in summer will be out 24/7 on good grazing with i small feed of balancer...
 

AdeleSK

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i dont understand why a young horse who is not yet 2 should go in a starvation paddock and be supplemented with hay. why cant he go in a normal field 24/7 and have no hay as supplement...he should also have at least one other youngster to play with . we have 4 all approx the same age at my old yard and they play quite a lot during the day so will be shifting weight as normal youngsters do...and in summer will be out 24/7 on good grazing with i small feed of balancer...

Yes I have had so many conflicting reports about the starvation paddock from a wide variety of experienced horse people, which is why I came here to seek more advice - and even the few replies here I've gratefully received here (thank you all) the advice is still conflicting, so you can see my dilemma!
He is in a herd of six at the minute, with a four year old and three other horses under ten years, including his best pal, so plenty of liveliness and play. As I said he'll be on 24/7 turn out in three weeks, so there is the option to just let him graze with no hay and a balancer to see what happens...
 

AdeleSK

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I'd mix the haylage with straw to slow him down and then feed him chopped oat straw. I'd add a balancer and a handful of linseed to a tiny feed as well. when you restrict them they dont get everything they need and its obviously important in a growing baby. For spring I'd have him in the starvation paddock supplemented with hay or haylage etc.

I've got a hayball which is brilliant for really slowing them down and keeping them moving. My adult horses have all loved it, I reckon it would be even better for a curious youngster. I'd invest in one of those as well and use that in the stable and starvation paddock.

I'd walk him out in hand as well or pony him off another horse. You will do no harm with walking with no weight on him, so the more you can do the better.

How much weight does he need to lose? If you can get him to a good weight over the next couple of months you will probably find he can go out normally and be carefully fed ad lib as hes still growing. The tricky bit is getting the weight off while making sure he always has forage and is getting everyhing he needs

Thank you very much for your response! He would indeed love a hayball - he is very curious and playful! Walking sounds like a lovely plan, we have nice quiet roads also to get him used to the odd car etc.
 

Cortez

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If he's fat at rising two he needs to be fed considerably less, not more. NO hay, NO haylage, perhaps a balancer, and let him have some clean straw to pick at. If he is fat, he is eating too much.
 

windand rain

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I agree with Cortez if he is fat he needs less food. Soaked hay and a good vitamin mineral supplement would be my chice I am also a fan of supplying a trug full of pure oat straw in a corner manger in a stable. Most dont like it and will only eat what they need but have forage available at all times. I will confess to having bought a humungously fat 2 year old and simply turned her out 24/7 over winter with very little hay she lost over 100 kg in her first winter and is now a good weight will have to cut her back as this mild winter has meant she hasnt lost as much this year so will be sharing a slice of hay with the highland mare who although old holds her weight so half a slice of hay out in the field every day there is a small amount of grass to pick at. Basically my fields look like a well mown lawn
 
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