# Feeding yearlings



## Rubberneck (30 May 2011)

I bought my first yearling a couple of months back.  She's a Welsh D, growing like crazy, but now the summer grass is here Im not sure about feed levels.

She doesnt get any hard feed - just carrots after her handling sessions 1-2 times a week.  She's out 24/7 with another yearling and some older mares, so gets lots of playing and moving about.  She's pretty much at the ideal weight - ribs felt but not seen, no fat pads.  The grazing she's on has been eaten down to too low for my TB and Arab, but enough for their Shire x friend, so now I am not sure if the yearlings need more grass to help growth or whether they would get fat.  I'd rather not hard feed her as we have more grass I can move her on to - if I need to move her on to it!

Your thoughts and suggestions gratefully received!


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## CBFan (31 May 2011)

I think youngsters can do with constant forrage really. It keeps their growth relatively even and their bellies full without the risk of them putting on too much weight. I'd be tempted to move her onto slightly better grazing but not to overdo it! keep a close eye on her to make sure she doesn't get too fat but a little more grass would probably do no harm from what you're describing..


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## GingerCat (31 May 2011)

Best to keep things simple, I gave my youngster a feed balancer just to make sure that he was getting everything he needs for healthy growth.

Just don't let your filly get too fat, it can cause growth problems in the long run.


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## CBFan (31 May 2011)

GingerCat said:



			Best to keep things simple, I gave my youngster a feed balancer just to make sure that he was getting everything he needs for healthy growth.

Just don't let your filly get too fat, it can cause growth problems in the long run.
		
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So can feeding diets very high in protein... like balancers. But a lot of it has to do with the 'type' or breed of horse as some are more predisposed to 'growth problems' than others. There's an even simpler way of doing things which is what OP seems to be doing... grass!

OP seems to be aware of 'correct' weight so I don't think there's any concerns there.


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## GingerCat (31 May 2011)

CBFan said:



			There's an even simpler way of doing things which is what OP seems to be doing... grass!

OP seems to be aware of 'correct' weight so I don't think there's any concerns there.
		
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Who's OP? 

Quote 'Rubberneck' .._Your thoughts and suggestions gratefully received!_ 

That's what I was doing, so why jump down my throat CBFan?


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## FairyLights (31 May 2011)

OP = original poster
If I remember correctly CBFan had to have a horse PTS due to OCD and therefore is very careful about feed for youngsters. 
OP, I have 2 yearlings, both part sec D, to make 15.2hh. They are out 24/7 on decent grazing. they come in for a couple of hours each morning so I can check them over,groom,do a bit of leading or whatever. They have a manger full of my homemade chaff [chopped meadow hay] with a splash of diluted molasses,a mug full of soaked sugarbeet and a 1/2 lb of leisure mix and a little salt. The additives to the chaff are just to make it worth their while coming in as they wouldnt be best impressed with a mangerful of hay and nothing else.
They both look well and are doing well. If your grazing is poor quality then I would advise a balancer, but on spring and summer grass they should,TBH, be getting all the protein and vits and mins they need. Hope this helps.


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## Tnavas (1 June 2011)

Horsesforever1 said:



			OP = original poster
If I remember correctly CBFan had to have a horse PTS due to OCD and therefore is very careful about feed for youngsters. 
OP, I have 2 yearlings, both part sec D, to make 15.2hh. They are out 24/7 on decent grazing. they come in for a couple of hours each morning so I can check them over,groom,do a bit of leading or whatever. They have a manger full of my homemade chaff [chopped meadow hay] with a splash of diluted molasses,a mug full of soaked sugarbeet and a 1/2 lb of leisure mix and a little salt. The additives to the chaff are just to make it worth their while coming in as they wouldnt be best impressed with a mangerful of hay and nothing else.
They both look well and are doing well. If your grazing is poor quality then I would advise a balancer, but on spring and summer grass they should,TBH, be getting all the protein and vits and mins they need. Hope this helps.
		
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My 2½yr old has never yet had hard feed - she has been out 24/7 all her life - lives off the grass and I've been lucky in that having 5 acres & 3 horses they've over wintered on 'Hay on the stalk'. They have a multi mineral block in the paddock and also a magnesium block in spring. Both bought from a farm supply store. 

She is a bit naughty in that she does like to nibble the fence rails. She's 16.2hh and has just grown steadily from day 1 - only looking gangly at about 1yr old.


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## CBFan (1 June 2011)

Gingercat... I wasn't jumping down your throat.... hmmm.. mearly pointing out that there are simpler ways and other views. OP said she was at an 'ideal weight' and that she 'didn't want to feed hard feed', so it would seem the question was 'should I move her onto more grass?' Or did I read that wrong?

Horsesforever1 you have remembered correctly. My Filly did have OCD which, although I can't blame soley on the Balancer I feel that feeding a feed balancer DID contribute to her condition. She was a big girl (tall not outwards) anyway and the balancer made her grow taller faster (which is essentially what the balancers were originally intended to do - to mature racing stock in preparation for racing at a young age). They are EXTREAMELY high in protein, and yes youngsters need protein but not in excess. My gelding who is half sibling to my filly has been fed completely differently - low sugar chaff and a powder supplement to ensure he gets his vits and mins but with a much lower protein content and add lib hay has had no such problems.


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## Elfen (1 June 2011)

Interesting. My boy is out with another of a similar age - they are both two. Mine is fed a stud balancer - the other has been fed nothing but grass/hay has had problems all the way through his first year and into his second with growth and intermittent lameness. Mine is fed to support his growth - hes going to be a very tall boy, I took advice from the stud I bought him from and he's doing extremely well - lean and growing steadily. The other chap has grown poorly and is lame. 

Everyone has their own opinions on feeding young horses and they are all different - I've decided to support my boys growth and it seems to be working.


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## GingerCat (2 June 2011)

I think that the thing to consider is what type of grazing you have, most grazing (round here anyway) seems to consist of grass and little else.
The yard I'm on does have other plants and herbage but not much.
A youngster can't get all the nutrients they need from one type of plant alone. At this time of year the grass is growing and so may indeed provide all that is needed for growth but this may not be the case all year round.
A true feed balancer is not 'hard feed' and has very few calories.
There are some that are formulated for animals who have a solely forage diet.


My youngster does extremely well in youngstock classes (he's won every one he's entered) but not as well in his breed classes, I've had  comments from judges saying that he is a lovely cob and will be higher up the line when he puts on a bit  more condition.
He is a healthy weight, with a very shiny coat and a zest for life and I'm not going to put his health at risk for a red rosette.
But like Elfen I have decided to ensure that he gets all he needs by feeding him a balancer.


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