Carolyn R
Well-Known Member
So I went to a yearly equine event, and for the second year in a row, I looked at the horses that were ambassadors for different farms. There were gypsy vanners there. Love checking out the breed, eventhough I have two, it gives one a good sense what I do and don't like in body style. Well for the second year in a row, a certain place had young horses that looked like they were lacking. Thinner stature, small, assumed by mane and tail length that their horses this year were yearlings. It also confirmed that I indeed have a huge boy on my hands at ten months old. Come to look up the site, well the horse was two years old!
So.....I know that draft breeds grow slow, I know you shouldn't push them to grow quick like is done in some other breeds, but what is too fast? My boy looks good, he looks healthy to me, not fat, not thin, just the smallest bit of a baby belly on him, and fuzzy. He was born big for the gypsy vanner breed, 10.1h and is currently 13.3 at the withers, 14.2 at the rump at ten months old. His parents were both a true 15.2h, again, larger for this breed. Cal was the largest foal ever born on this farm, breeder suspected he would be at least 15.2h, possibly 16h when done growing. He had some round worms when he came, we got that under control, but his coat and condition were lacking a little after that, dry rough coat and a little ribby, so I gave him calf manna, it did the trick wonderfully. Each day, broken down into two feedings, he gets a total of 3 pounds of 12 % pelleted feed, a cup of calf manna AM and PM and free choice Timothy field grass mix out of a slow feeder. I add water to his feed and some oil to his feed to keep him lubed in the winter months, I will discontinue the oil at the end of March when it warms up. Oil as we know, only adds fat, no nutrients. I don't think what I am feeding is packed with an excessive amount of nutrients to force growth, but after seeing the youngsters from this farm for a second year in a row, that are on the verge of skinny, am I doing something wrong? Am I suppose to keep him that lank in order to ensure slow growth? I always thought, regardless of the breed and age, you keep them at a weight that they are not ribby, but you can still feel the ribs when slight pressure is applied, as well as paying attention to the healthiness if their coat and hooves.
Please give me some input if you have experience with young drafty breeds and their growth rates as well as examples of what you have fed them.
So.....I know that draft breeds grow slow, I know you shouldn't push them to grow quick like is done in some other breeds, but what is too fast? My boy looks good, he looks healthy to me, not fat, not thin, just the smallest bit of a baby belly on him, and fuzzy. He was born big for the gypsy vanner breed, 10.1h and is currently 13.3 at the withers, 14.2 at the rump at ten months old. His parents were both a true 15.2h, again, larger for this breed. Cal was the largest foal ever born on this farm, breeder suspected he would be at least 15.2h, possibly 16h when done growing. He had some round worms when he came, we got that under control, but his coat and condition were lacking a little after that, dry rough coat and a little ribby, so I gave him calf manna, it did the trick wonderfully. Each day, broken down into two feedings, he gets a total of 3 pounds of 12 % pelleted feed, a cup of calf manna AM and PM and free choice Timothy field grass mix out of a slow feeder. I add water to his feed and some oil to his feed to keep him lubed in the winter months, I will discontinue the oil at the end of March when it warms up. Oil as we know, only adds fat, no nutrients. I don't think what I am feeding is packed with an excessive amount of nutrients to force growth, but after seeing the youngsters from this farm for a second year in a row, that are on the verge of skinny, am I doing something wrong? Am I suppose to keep him that lank in order to ensure slow growth? I always thought, regardless of the breed and age, you keep them at a weight that they are not ribby, but you can still feel the ribs when slight pressure is applied, as well as paying attention to the healthiness if their coat and hooves.
Please give me some input if you have experience with young drafty breeds and their growth rates as well as examples of what you have fed them.
