Feeding Question.........

[New2Minis]

I know there have been ALOT of posts here on feeding Mini's but I can not find the answer I am looking for. I have 2 new weanling fillies tht are 6 months old and they have the "baby belly" (which is what I call it). I feed all my Mini's a 13% GroStrong Pellet made by Moormans mixed with a 13% Sweet feed (which contains beet pulp). GroStrong Minerals daily and 1/2 flake of coastal & 1/2 flake of T&A. How do I beef up the rest of their body and get rid of the belly? They have been wormed and they look healthy, they just have a big belly. I guess what I am looking for is for them to look show ready!

Thanks!

 

[Jill]

I do feed my show horses a little different than my non-show horses. My horses all get soft orchard grass hay and complete pellets.

The show horses get more complete pellets / less hay than the non-show horses. A bigger part of the show horses' diet here is complete pellets compared to that of the non-show horses and I think it helps to keep them looking "tight". The show horses also get ground flax seed as a coat conditioner supplement.

The weanling-yearling show horses' complete pellet is Purina Equine Junior. The yearling+ show horses get a complete senior pellet though they are not senior / old horses. I think they benefit from the richness in the senior pellet (vs. what is in a regular adult pellet -- senior has more protein, more fat and is easier to digest and get the nutrients out).

Additionally, show horses are lunged every other day for about 20 minutes started about 6wks before show season. Although I have lots of sweats and sweat ointment, in the past, I've not used that more than half-heartedly. That may change this season.

Also, I do deworm my weanling - yearling horses once a month, vs. every 8wks as with yearling + horses.

 

[Leeana]

I feed my show sting slightly different then i feed my other horses.

My show horses all get Buckeye Gro N Win or Nutrena Safechoice (whichever works best for them) 2x a day and orchord grass/alfalfa hay 2x a day AM and PM. In the past, i have not had to add anything to there grains but next year i think i am going to try flax seed or boss just to test it out. They also have mineral blocks in each of there stalls. I do have two geldings on my show string that get Beet Pulp mixed in there grains daily bc they are harder keepers and it helps keep them filled out.

The other horses have free choice hay, mineral/sale blocks available 24/7 and a 12% pelleted grain nightly.

Although, right now during off season everyone is out together (exept two stallions of course, they are in there padocks) so things are done a little different. With the expetion of a weanling shetland filly whom im already getting ready for next show season (yes, already

who is stalled at night, she gets hay 2-3 times a day and safechoice 2x a day.

During show season i lunge and lunge over small jumps at the consistancy of 3 days on - 1 day off - 3 days on - 1 day off ext. It works well for me. Some i will work 2x a day, once in the morning and once at night but they only get worked every other day. Yearlings get 5-10 minutes at same schedule as above free lunging (not on a line). I too worm all horses 12 months and under at the 1st of every month. All other horses are every 60 days (and that goes for everyone here).

I use sweats on only a few who need it

 

[Cathy_H]

All of our horses get Purina Complete Advantage year round. Our two palomino foals have belly's also even though I divide their grain into 3 feedings a day, give their small amounts of hay between grain feedings & pasture is about 1 1/2 hours. They have had the 5 day double dose fenbendazole so it is not worms. I bought some Equine Junior to give the foals a more protein feeding at night but I don't think they need it. Top lines are nice & they are pleasantly plump. The other two taller foals don't seem to have the belly problem...... We start feeding soaked beet pulp to the show horses in the spring. We feed grass hay along with some grazing for all horses every day. We also feed some BOSS & maybe some flax during show season. What you see is what they are. We round pen exercise the ones that need it in the spring..

 

[Bess Kelly]

Show horses that are being worked will need more feed than those lazily roaming the pasture. If there is anything that comes to the front for "newer" show people that is it. Thin is not refined.

Young animals already need a greater amount to supplement their growth -- you may want to re-consider the amount of hay you provide by weight. A "flake" is not a weight. :bgrin Some weigh 2# and some 6#. Remember that the beet pulp provides a good a mount of roughage also. Their intestines will stretch to hold as much as they eat -- and they will often eat too much!!! Review the of amount hay you feed.

I know that I, personally, will sometimes overfeed hay and boy, can you see it the next day! :new_shocked: Some animals will leave it and come back hours later, others (mares especially :bgrin ) won't leave until it is all gone. And, right now, with new winter coats coming on -- everyone thinks every animal on the farm has gained 50# -- we have to re-teach ourselves every year to touch and adjust feedings.

 

[Charlotte]

quick reply...have to go rake acorns

You are feeding babies. Their system is not mature enough to digest long fiber well. They are programed to be on a mostly liquid diet untill a year or older (varies with each horse). I suggest you gradualy get them on a milk based foal starter type of feed (concentrate) rather than a mature horse feed. This usually helps. then we allow hay about free choice with babies. Once bellies get big it takes quite some time to have them tighten up.

charlotte

p.s. yes, show horses here have a different diet than breeding herd.