Yearling a bit ribby - thoughts?

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Switchthehorse

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Just interested in everyones thoughts, had my girlie since May she was 11 months old. She was kept over winter in a barn so was quite ribby and lacking a bit of sparkle when she arrived, has been out 24/7 ever since with LOADS of grass and gets one hard feed a day which we make sure she eats.

Wormed her when I got her (May), since then has definitely got more condition and shiny coat etc but is still quite ribby although not 'poor' looking. Randomly she is more ribby on one side than the other?

She has grown about 3/4 inches in literally 2 months so my head says its just that all energy is going into growing up rather than out... and not overly keen on worming again so quickly.

Worm count was my next idea but she is in a c. 30 acre field with three others and will she poo to order NO! :)

Wondered what you would do? To worm or not to worm? To panic or not to panic!?

Thanks!
 
They can go through ribby stages, I agree.

I'd speak to your vet about what to worm her with next (what did you do it with in May).

But she's probably fine.

Piccys???
 
Thanks! She was given eQuest in May - spoke to vet who wasn't unduly worried about her and said if it would make me feel better to worm her again but I could also just wait for a bit.

Re piccies: I think she is gorgeous, but she is going through that ewe neck, croup high, legs all over the place stage so I might wait for a bit :) she is the weirdest colour tho, changes colour literally daily and no idea how she will turn out (prob grey WAIL). Also slightly concerned she was supposed to make 16.1 but her hocks are already above my knees and i am tall!! :) She will be my second big grey monster!
 
They all go through that giraffe phase and do often look ribby - which I prefer as it means less pressure on growing joints as they shoot upwards!, they do grow out of it eventually!!!:D
 
OP, re: piccies, I wouldnt worry about a yearling looking less than attractive or a bit ribby, Im sure its not as bad as you think :)

I took some photos of our 2 year old the other day, and boy is he fugly, I was sat giggling at the photos (possible slight hysteria perhaps ;))

I prefer to embrace the fuglies and slight ribbiness than try to fatten youngsters up to look better, its much better for them in the long run :)
 
Yearlings are meant to be ribby.

And the fact that she has grown so much in such a short space of time completely explains it!

Please don't try to force weight onto her with hard feed, you will only exacerbate the problem and potentially cause growth abnormalities like physitis or OCD. To be honest, good grass and access to a vitamin and mineral block should be all that she needs. Sometimes less is more.

The only thing I would add is to make sure she has been wormed for tapeworm this year (should have been done in the spring but unless the 'Equest' was Equest Pramox, I'm guessing she hasn't been done?)
 
I would prefer to see a rib on a yearling TBH, being fat at that age is not going to do her joints any favours later on.
 
I was planning to 'Pramox her' but thought best to leave it for a couple of months after the initial worming so as not to over burden her.

Photo wise -

The day she arrived:
http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd461/DarcyandMe/IMG_0578.jpg


she doesnt look ribby if the sun is on her (weird colour!):
http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd461/DarcyandMe/IMG_0627.jpg


You can just about make it out here:
http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd461/DarcyandMe/IMG_0631.jpg


She is a bit of a poser:
http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd461/DarcyandMe/IMG_0639.jpg

Photo overload!
 
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