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We like to feed a 14% as well...and like Chanda, we avoid sweet feeds. If you've already opened the bag, adding some alfalfa to your colt's diet is a good idea. We often use alfalfa (either pellets or hay) as a weight gainer. I'm not familiar with Dumor, but Nutrena is a good substitute for Purina if your feed store carries it.

Your colt does need the "extra", but your mare looks like she would be fine with just quality grass hay and a supplement (either pelleted or in a mineral block). I love your mare's wonderful blood red bay coloring!
 
Miniv said:
I'm not familiar with Dumor, but Nutrena is a good substitute for Purina if your feed store carries it.
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Dumor is Tractor Supply's line of feed. Someone told me it was manufactured by Purina, but I'm not sure about that.
 
Strangest thing, he is picky about the grain but he loves carrots! Can I mix them with his grain?
 
Another question he tips his grain over then he walks over and tips the mare's. I do separate them when they eat grain but a couple of times I fed them outside together and he tips his own then hers. He always tips his grain
 
If your feed tub is on the ground, you can get a tire to put it in - will keep him from tipping them. The feed pan in the tire in this pic is actually much smaller than the tire, so sits on the ground. But it does keep them from tipping the feed pan.

17mar31trix125052.jpg

Here is another way to use a tire to keep them from tipping the feed bucket. Doesn't work well with the mini sized small buckets though. Even with the larger buckets like in this photo, some can still pull the bucket out of the tire, spilling the feed.

17mar1nym162945.jpg

Or you can hang a bucket on the fence - you could hang it up off the ground or attach it so that it just sits on the ground so is still in a more natural eating position. Understand that some will still be "bucket slingers" (that gets quit maddening!) and as you can see in the background of 1st pic, some can still be "tipped"...

14jun18mix551.jpg 14sep7koa477.jpg

This one shows a foal eating from a mini sized bucket. Her 1st time at her own bucket. Her dam's bucket is next to her, on the left or behind me.

15aug12kav200411.jpg

Her dam must be further behind me - you can see the "lip" of her larger red bucket at the bottom of the pic - where I've put the words.
 
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A method that we've found successful is putting out rubber mats. Hay is put on them first and then their scoop(s) of grain on top of the hay.
 
FYI... The Dumor product from TSC is either made by Nutrena or Purina... Ask TSC with company is making it... We've used the Dumor without any problems... in the past... However, now that we are in South Central Missouri, the nearest TSC is 3 hours away!!

"Most" store brands are usually made by a well known producer...
 
Magic Marker Miniatures said:
FYI... The Dumor product from TSC is either made by Nutrena or Purina... Ask TSC with company is making it... We've used the Dumor without any problems... in the past... However, now that we are in South Central Missouri, the nearest TSC is 3 hours away!!

"Most" store brands are usually made by a well known producer...
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We're in the same boat, my closest TSC is 3 hours one-way. I get there occasionally, and stock up on hay pellets, since they keep. I like the Ametza alfalfa-Bermuda pellets for my stallion's treat ball.
 
I put out the flake of hay and spread it out like a round circle in the middle with grain I am using and throw in some black oil sunflower seeds. It has been 3 days and seems to be working, hopefully to see some progress from it by him gaining more weight.
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We just got a Shetland pony and I honestly don't know what to feed him. Before anyone starts posting mean things, we have owned a large pony and an OTTB for several years so I am not complete lost but completely different issues (hard keepers, I know how to correctly fatten them up).

The new pony is about 350lbs, 10 hands tall and about 7 years old. He does have a very cresty neck and when he came to the people we got him from, he was over weight. When our farrier trimmed him, he told me that he was a little ouchy on his front feet.

Old living situation:

The people we got him from were only feeding him a flake of hay a day and he was turned out 24/7 on a dirt/weed pasture. They did not handle him much.

New living situation:

We have two new pastures and another one that was just planted with seed in the spring. We are currently turning him out with a grazing muzzle during the day where there is shade for him. We do not trust doing a night turn out because of a pack of coyotes and several bear spotted in our area. We are feeding him 1 flake of hay in the morning and evening along with a half a scoop of SmartMetabo-Lean Pellets and free choice mineral salt block. My daughter has been working with him on lounging and jumping daily.

I have read a lot of the post about feeding grain and I am wondering if I should be feeding him differently. I just had him at the vet the other day and when I told her what we were feeding him, she didn't say anything regarding concerns. I am use to feeding our OTTB 3 quarts of grain w/supplements and a half bale of hay 2 times a day to maintain a good weight in the summer. So, I feel like I am starving the little guy!

Any advice would be helpful!
 
Kelly8021 said:
I have read a lot of the post about feeding grain and I am wondering if I should be feeding him differently. I just had him at the vet the other day and when I told her what we were feeding him, she didn't say anything regarding concerns. I am use to feeding our OTTB 3 quarts of grain w/supplements and a half bale of hay 2 times a day to maintain a good weight in the summer. So, I feel like I am starving the little guy!

Any advice would be helpful!
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Going from feeding a bottomless pit OTTB pretty much an all he can eat buffet to feeding an easy-keeper small equine can be quite the adjustment. The pony very well could be IR (insulin resistant), which your feed plan sounds acceptable for (don't let him out on grass without the muzzle). How big are your flakes? how is he looking on his current diet plan? The only think I can see adding is perhaps a vit/min supplement or a ration balancer to be sure he gets what may be lacking in the hay/pasture.
 
Chandab

He looks good and he is maintaining his weight since we brought him home (2 weeks ago). Our flakes of hay are from a normal size bale for our area (I really should get a weight on the flakes). We get them right from the field from our neighbor and it is top quality orchard grass and timothy. Do you have any recommendations on a vit/min supplement or ration balancer?
 
You might check locally and see if a regional mix is available that would be suited to your area.

Ration balancers tend to seem expensive, as the price per bag is fairly high, but they are fed in small doses, so the daily price is reasonable. I like Progressive Nutrition grass formula ration balancer. California Trace is supposed to be a good vit/min supplement.
 
I'm a little confused at how he could have become overweight on a flake of hay a day and a dirt/weed lot.

I use a supplement also. Yes, it's expensive but at a tsp a day, it lasts a long time! You might also consider a PREbiotic while you are trying to deal with the ouchy feet and crest. The companies that carry supplements usually offer one in their product line.

If you find he is a chronic laminitic, he will teach you a lot.

I wish I had access to timothy hay here! I used to drive to NM to buy it, but that became too extreme. Once, on a trip to Colorado we were driving through hay country. I asked a local cowboy where I could find timothy hay. He said he didn't know the guy.
 
Marsha -- he was overweight when he came to the previous owner. Previous owner then had him on the 1 flake of hay and the dirt/weed lot.

I am thinking he couldn't have been too ouchy on his feet if he is now jumping?
 
Marsha Cassada said:
I'm a little confused at how he could have become overweight on a flake of hay a day and a dirt/weed lot.

I use a supplement also. Yes, it's expensive but at a tsp a day, it lasts a long time! You might also consider a PREbiotic while you are trying to deal with the ouchy feet and crest. The companies that carry supplements usually offer one in their product line.

If you find he is a chronic laminitic, he will teach you a lot.

I wish I had access to timothy hay here! I used to drive to NM to buy it, but that became too extreme. Once, on a trip to Colorado we were driving through hay country. I asked a local cowboy where I could find timothy hay. He said he didn't know the guy.
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"I asked a local cowboy where I could find timothy hay. He said he didn't know the guy." OMG....TOO FUNNY!
 
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