Why feed a balancer with youngtock cubes? Also does what i feed my youngster sound okay?

[Jxmxg]

Hi everyone, I'm just curious as I've seen on here allot of people tend to feed the young ones a ration balancer aswell as youngstock pellets or cubes and was wondering why? The description on most youngstock cubes sounds like it does the same as a balancer? I've got my 2yr old cob on equimins tip top powder vit & min supplment that gets dampened down with half a scoop of dengie molasses free chaff (I also add a small handful of bruised oats) and he also has access to a himalayan salt 24/7. Would anyone reccomend something better for my geldingor does this sound good? He is also on grass pasture and will get lots of hay when grass isn't that good anymore.

 

[P.forpony]

Just remember to feed according to condition and workload and you’ll be fine ?
Youngstock mixes and cubes are predominantly aimed at TB breeders producing youngstock for sales in the racing industry where they want lots of solid growth and condition.

I’d steer well clear for your lovely little cob he’s very unlikely to need additional calories to the fibre sources he already has.
A balancer for vits and mins in a bit of chaff is perfect but I wouldn’t bother with the oats, extra calories in, without much in the way of nutritional benefit and an incorrect calcium phosphorus ratio.

 

[Auslander]

Was about to say pretty much what P4P said. What you're currently feeding sounds fine (although I'd knock the oats on the head)- he doesn't need feeding like a young sportshorse.

 

[TPO]

As above, what you are doing sounds pretty much spot on. I'd just add a tablespoon of salt to the feed.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Because unless the bagged feed is fed at the correct weight ratio's the horse will not receive the correct level of vits and mins. Most leisure horses don't need the ratio's recommended on the bagged feeds so a top up via a balancer or supplement is used.

I raised all my youngstock on SureGrow and good hay, no bagged youngstock feeds or cubes. I would recommend Suregrow to anyone, it is excellent and so easy.

 

[ihatework]

He’s a little cob, vits and mins fine. Ditch the oats.

The stud cubes/mixes would generally be used for racehorse prep and, imo, misguided sporthorse/show producers.

Youngsters need good grass and hay and most do just perfectly. If you have poor grass or in mid winter a top up with balancer only

 

[Gloi]

You are going to be spending his life trying to keep him slim so hay and the equimins in chop should suffice. He doesn't need feeding up on hard feed.

 

[Jxmxg]

As above, what you are doing sounds pretty much spot on. I'd just add a tablespoon of salt to the feed.

I add a tea spoon of crushed himalayan salt. He also has a block of it in the field

 

[Jxmxg]

Thanks for everyone input. I only give a small handful of oats so he has something more to chew and taste but once they are gonna I won't get more.