Yearling? Hard feed? Ad lib?? Help???????

[Bianca#1]

My 15 month old cob who I've bought will be coming to me soon And the lady I'm getting him from says he has 2 hard feeds day and night of dodsen and horrell foal mix with chaff and I'm assuming ad lib hay because she said he loves his hay... I know ad lib hay is best But WOW 2 feeds a day and ad lib for a 15 month old???????? I know this is going to be changed when he get to me . I was planning to purely give him ad lib hay but my question now I know his feed regime is .. Do I cut out both feed and feed just ad lib or do I just cut it down to one feed a day? Also I've read that this foal mix is suitable for up to 12 months old? His 15 months now so what do I do now?? Thanks

 

[fatpiggy]

My 15 month old cob who I've bought will be coming to me soon And the lady I'm getting him from says he has 2 hard feeds day and night of dodsen and horrell foal mix with chaff and I'm assuming ad lib hay because she said he loves his hay... I know ad lib hay is best But WOW 2 feeds a day and ad lib for a 15 month old???????? I know this is going to be changed when he get to me . I was planning to purely give him ad lib hay but my question now I know his feed regime is .. Do I cut out both feed and feed just ad lib or do I just cut it down to one feed a day? Also I've read that this foal mix is suitable for up to 12 months old? His 15 months now so what do I do now?? Thanks

If nothing else, why do people waste so much money on unnecessary things?!
I would cut his feeds in half, then replace over a few days with something like some plain chaff with a mineral supplement so he doesn't think he is going without. Animals are such creatures of habit - my cat won't eat her wet food, never mind how starving she is unless I put her quota of sweeties on the top. But keep up with the hay. That is all he needs at this stage.

 

[Equi]

I would he weaning him off it, sounds like a lot of food for a baby esp a cob one. Adlib hay is a must though.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I would cut feed out when he arrives, unless others are being fed.
In which case, 2 x small feeds of a bit of chaff or hi-fi plus a small amount of high fibre nuts. Plenty of ad lib hay tho.

Unless he is being prepped for competition classes in hand for early shows, then he really doesn't need 'extra' feed from good belly filling hay

 

[Bianca#1]

Other will be fed every morning as its a livery yard .. Yes a lot of money wasted! When not needed!! No not comps his going to be my happy hacking family horse when his older.. I don't understand why she every put him on so much food in the first place lol his only a baby. I think best to cut the evening feed out and give him a little (little) chaff and minerals so he don't feel left out and and as you all say ad lib hay 😄 Like I wanted to do ... What's the best mineral feed to mix a little with his chaff please?? Thanks I'm glad I was right in wanting to cut it down...

 

[Bianca#1]

???? The best mineral mixer for him????

 

[jaffa2311]

Dodson and Horrell Suregrow

 

[Clodagh]

With chaff I would also try to find a molasses free one, which is hard to do nowadays! Baileys do one but it has soya in it, which some people don't like to feed. Good old undressed chaffg is like hen's teeth.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Weigh tape the horse and feed the manufacturers recommended amount for his weight of Dodson and Horrell Suregrow. It is formulated to allow you to feed it without adding anything else. Have hay in front of him as lib until the grass comes through.

Have a look at OCD in youngstock and you will never over feed.

 

[Bianca#1]

Great thanks I will do X

 

[EQUIDAE]

Just be aware with him being 'grown up quickly' by the breeder he may be prone to locking stifles - don't worry unduly as they usually grow out of it as they mature. I'm glad youre being sensible about feed

 

[Bianca#1]

I hope he don't suffer with anything just because she massively over fed him .. I'll Defo be changing it when he gets to me. Thank you for your advice equidae

 

[Rafie]

Thunderbrook herbal chaff as a token so he doesn't feel left out might be good.

 

[eggs]

You are definitely thinking along the right lines. With my youngsters (warmbloods) I used to give them adlib hay and a small feed of chaff with vits and mins added once they were yearlings.

 

[Bianca#1]

I thought so haha .. Thanks eggs please tell me what you used for your yearlings for your mins n vits??

 

[Jnhuk]

Dodson and Horrell Suregrow

This. Wouldn't look at anything else for a youngster. This makes sure he gets all the essentials and very easy to give a small token

 

[Bianca#1]

Is this the one that's fed alone (no chaff) ??

 

[JanetGeorge]

Have a look at OCD in youngstock and you will never over feed.

Very true. In fact I would be worried that he already HAS OCD. My BIG weanlings get the teensiest amount of Bailey's Stud Balancer - just to help them over the loss of Mum's milk. They get nothing else other than haylage - and they STILL grow like stink!

I would be wanting an assurance from the seller that he has shown NO signs of 'growth pains' and a guarantee (written) that she'd take him back if he does so within 2 months.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Well done op for being interested/worried about what he's fed. I work within the equine feed sector and some of what I see/hear is horandous so its a pleasure to hear somebody saying they are aware that the food isn't needed ( what he's getting)
I find it very hard as I'm " ment" to sell feed to horse owners when in reality of it, I won't use 90% of the feeds on the market. They have a lot to answer to, these feeds ( ocd,metabolic problems etc) and the market is booming as owners love to feed.
I had a owner the other day wanting advice as her laminitic pony had lost weight and she was worried so what could she feed, I went through loads of questions with her and asked if she had a current picture which she did, all I can say was wow, such a lovely weight and a lot of people need to see such a pony at the "correct weight" but she was being told he was underweight. When I said that he was a healthy weight she replied by saying " that's what my vet told me" why won't people believe the experts such as the vets but will believe other people saying he's underweight. She didnt but the bag of mix she wanted to but

 

[Bianca#1]

Thank you.. Thatsmygirl.. What would you recommend I changed his feeds to??
As your in the feed industry I'm sure you get that all the time.. Thanks in advance

 

[eggs]

I thought so haha .. Thanks eggs please tell me what you used for your yearlings for your mins n vits??

I used Equimins for the majority of the time