Feeding and preparing yearling for showing

[MeganH]

I have been reading posts on all the different feeds and such everyone uses for their horses.

I am wanting to get my yearling in shape to go to some local shows. As a weanling he always had a belly, but after the grass came back in this year and we had him gelded his belly is not quite as large. He still has some work to get into show shape though.

This is him last week after his first rough clipping. He was afraid of the clippers so it was a very quick job and I didn't worry about getting it even. I just got all the fuzz that hadn't shed out yet. Don't laugh lol.

I currently feed him a little less then 2 cups of Omolene 300 a day, plus a small amount of soaked shredded beet pulp and he has 5-6 hours of grazing time in the pasture each day. I do not work him but he does have two exercise balls in his pen with him when he is not out in the pasture and plays with them each day.

I live in central NC (right outside the Raleigh area) and I have access to several different popular feeds. I did use the Equine Jr and was not happy so he has been on Omolene 300 since.

Does anyone have any recommendations on a good feed and how to get him in show shape from how he is now? And if anyone is in my region that has a feed they recommend I would really appreciate it!

 

[Riverrose28]

I think your first clip on him looks much better then I've seen some do, including myself. My 11 yr. old granson clipped his gelding last year for the first time and did a good job as well, but his MOM is another story, I think she's afraid she'll hurt them or something and doesn't hold the clippers against the body.

As for feed I just feed a pelleted feed that has at least 14% or up to 16% protien. Some have told me I don't feed enough hay, but mine get twice a day one half grass hay, one half alfalfa, After they spend some time training in the round pen, free, I give them them somemore alfalfa when I put them in their stall. They also get half a cup black oil sunflower seeds, and when in training or showing they also get two cups soaked beetpulp in the evening. After three weeks on this diet they lose that belly. Then you can increase your hay.

 

[disneyhorse]

I would take him in walks (or jogs, if you're athletic) and free lunge him if possible to encourage him to be more active. His weight appears okay otherwise.

Also, his front right looks pretty clubby... Genetically you work against club feet but I would make sure it's carefully trimmed.

 

[MeganH]

Thank you both!

He doesn't have bad feet at all.. this photo makes that foot look odd for some reason. But it's not even close to being clubby in actuality. He got his last trim 8 weeks ago and the farrier comments on how nice his hooves are.

Our farrier was actually in a motor cycle accident over the weekend is in ICU at the hospital

Very scary and praying he pulls through with no lasting damage.