nutritional concerns-HELP!

[shelly]

My stallion Joey has been looking kind of rough lately---ribby and his backbone and hips are protruding more than they were a few weeks ago. I have been feeding him a 14% compete pellet and 14% sweet mix-1 1/4 cups in the morning and at night plus a large flake of hay with it. What do you all think?

 

[Marty]

What is your de-worming program like?

How old is he?

What size is he?

When was the last time you had his teeth floated?

Pasture?

 

[kaykay]

these pictures are so small i cant see a thing. I will say 1 1/4 cups wouldnt be enough feed for even my weanlings. Thats a very small amount of feed. I myself do not feed sweet feed to any horse.

 

[Miniv]

Shelley..........It's hard to judge from the pictures, plus it would be helpful to know some more information, as Marty suggested.

Also, how much hay is he getting? And what kind?

I agree with Kay. The amount you mentioned doesn't sound like enough for a young one.

Please post back.

 

[Ashley]

My stallion is currently getting 1.5 cups sweet feed, 1.5 cups alfalfa pellets, and 2 cups(measured dry, then soaked) beat pulp plus hay. I am working him up to more food as I have the same problem of skinniness, but he has always had that issue.

 

[shelly]

What is your de-worming program like?
How old is he?

What size is he?

When was the last time you had his teeth floated?

Pasture?

I just dewormed him with strongid 3 weeks ago/

He is 3 years old and is 33.75"

He has never had his teeth done that I know of.

No pasture to speak of, mostly dry lot.

The hay is timothy and he gets 2 flakes a day, one in the am and one in the evening. Plus he gets 1 ounce of the mare plus vitamins with his grain.

 

[shelly]

Sahara is the same size and pregnant..she gets exactly the same amounts of everything and she looks great! Mocha is only 32" and she gets only 1/4 cup of grain and 1/2 flake of hay am and pm and she is FAT!

 

[kaykay]

Shelly what is the name of the complete feed?? If he was mine I would up the complete feed slowly and do away with the sweet feed completely. Like I said 1 1/4 cups of feed is hardly anything. Good luck!

 

[shelly]

It's by Nutrina and is is called Compete 14%. The sweet feed is also by Nutrina and is Vitality 14%. His belly looks big to me but the rest of him looks thin! Can I pm you some better pics(bigger anyway) so you can get a better look?

 

[kaykay]

Absolutely! or email them to [email protected]

 

[Ashley]

Stallions always require more food. I disagree with the sweet feed thing, horses can do just fine on it. I have some that are fatter then fat and that is all they get.

The big belly is probably from not enough good food. Hay is good but hes not getting what he needs from that, it comes from the grain.

I personally hate Nurtrena feeds......never had luck with them.

 

[kaykay]

Ashley I agree some horses do okay on sweet feed. Also some horses get fat on air. but some are very hard keepers and hard to get weight and keep weight on. I think especially for those horses a better feed then sweet feed is needed. My personal preference is to not feed sweet feed to any horse. Just how I do it here with my horses

 

[MyBarakah]

I would #1 make a point to get his teeth checked. And he obviously needs MORE groceries! The thing I would be adding to his feed program is shreeded or pelleted beet pulp (and soak it).... I would ad that with this grain and I would also be adding whole oats.... and I would start him out at 1 1/2 to 2 Cups (measured out dry) a.m & p.m...... the same amount for the oats....

and then once he started filling out in places he should be I would back off the grain and just stick with the same amount with the beet pulp & oats..... I've had THEE best results using the beet pulp & whole oats.... I swear by it! And would keep the hay the same "if" you are using the beet pulp...

 

[WLS]

I have three suggestions. 1) have the horse vet checked (especially his teeth), 2) have your hay tested, it may be low in protein, and 3) check with your local feed store, some have Equine Nutritionists, that will visit your farm, assess your horse and make a complete feed recommendation. You may just need to increase his feedings. Even though this boy is three, he could be going through a growth spurt and just needs more feed. I have a three year old gelding that is rather lean and lanky, cause he is still a growing boy.!! We have been breeding these horses for over 15 years, and convinced they do not mature until FIVE even if permanent papers are issued at three. Good Luck.