Best feed for a growing yearling

[WildLittleWren]

I just acquired a yearling Morgan colt (will be a gelding tomorrow…brain surgery on the horizon yay!), and I am curious what everyone’s favorite feed for an easy keeper growing young horse. It has been at least 15 years since I have had my own youngster, so I am sure plenty of new feeds are on the market but the choices are mind boggling and I want recommendations on what has worked personally for you.

Currently, his owner had him on Seminole Wellness Herbal, which I don’t think supports the needs of a young, growing horse She also has him on coastal, and I would like to feed him something more nutrient dense. Is alfalfa too much? I don’t want to make him as high as a kite. Currently, he is stalled all but 4 hrs a day because of barn policy, until he is gelded and the testosterone is out of his system. However, after that, he will be on 24/7 grass pasture, but I am in Florida where grass has little to no nutritional value.

Any insight or advice would be greatly appreciated!

[candyappy]

I just kept my youngsters on the best quality mixed grass hay I could get. Access to plain and trace mineral blocks. I think I fed some Equine Jr or Omolene 300 but not a lot. They were out 24/7 with shelter.

I ended up with sound ,healthy horses, well into their teens and since I raised them for my own use I know how they turned out.

[quietann]

One thing with Morgans is that they are air ferns, even at that age, so you don’t want to let them get fat. Alfalfa hay may be too much. The Morgan breeders I have talked to have said it’s better for them to be a little underweight than overweight, and most seem to feed mixed grass hay. That and a ration balancer, which will supply protein and vitamins/minerals may be enough. (Also I am sure you already know this, but keep the little fellow on a regular worming program, not the more typical fecal count method used for adult horses.)

I had a Morgan filly for a while, and things didn’t work out with her but she ended up with a wonderful owner.

[WildLittleWren]

Mixed grass hay I can do! As far as a ration balancer goes, my mustang is on Purina Enrich Plus along with her forage based diet. I can do that!

[Edre]

I have a yearling who seems to show the tendency to be, uh, “robust” on very little feed. As mentioned above, alfalfa is too much. I am also a “grain-lite” person given the OCD risks affiliated with over feeding/feeding to promote faster/bigger growth rather than a balanced diet.

Grass hay, a mineral balancer (rejuvenaide I think is one of the best on the market but you can find other options for less money with a similar label) that we mix into a ration balancer. One key: test your hay. Know what your hay has before you go supplementing (with something like rejuvenaide or any other mineral/vitamin additive, on top of the ration balancer). Knowing what your horses are lacking in their diet makes it much easier to construct a nutritional program for them to thrive in.

It’s been a learning curve for me. I am so used to a “hard keeper” adult horse that to look at a horse that seems light to me and acknowledge that she is still in good condition and thriving (vs the temptation to want to ‘feed up’ and put weight on her) is a challenge.

[WildLittleWren]

@Edre

I have a yearling who seems to show the tendency to be, uh, “robust” on very little feed. As mentioned above, alfalfa is too much. I am also a “grain-lite” person given the OCD risks affiliated with over feeding/feeding to promote faster/bigger growth rather than a balanced diet.

Grass hay, a mineral balancer (rejuvenaide I think is one of the best on the market but you can find other options for less money with a similar label) that we mix into a ration balancer. One key: test your hay. Know what your hay has before you go supplementing (with something like rejuvenaide or any other mineral/vitamin additive, on top of the ration balancer). Knowing what your horses are lacking in their diet makes it much easier to construct a nutritional program for them to thrive in.

It’s been a learning curve for me. I am so used to a “hard keeper” adult horse that to look at a horse that seems light to me and acknowledge that she is still in good condition and thriving (vs the temptation to want to ‘feed up’ and put weight on her) is a challenge.

Yes I also understand the importance of keeping them on the leaner vs the very heavy side, for the sake of his growing bones and joints.

Where would I go to have my hay tested? Do I send a sample off?

[JB]

www.equi-analytical.com is a great source for hay testing. Do you have enough hay to make it feasible to test? Many people don’t have enough hay from the same field and cutting to make it worth it. I wouldn’t bother testing the grass - it changes on a too-regular basis as the seasons change.

Ration balancers are great for growing horses who don’t need much in the way of extra calories. Even then, they are too much for some of the easiest horses (or any age) so you’re looking at a good v/m supplement with something to carry/mix it with.

[WildLittleWren]

Unfortunately I literally buy 4 bales at a time. Probably doesn’t all come from the same field I would imagine they get different loads in from all over. Sadly where I board there isn’t much more room for me to store hay, 6 bales is the biggest space I have available. I did speak with my vet today while he was out and I think we have a pretty good plan moving forward. He got brain surgery today, yay! Also, I had the vet look at his teeth and apparently he is closer to 10 months old, not a year as we thought. Since he isn’t papered it was just a guess on the previous owner’s half.

[JB]

That’s ok , it’s pretty common. I will stand by my last post, that a ration balancer for most young horses is a great way to feed them, with another product, such as hay pellets, kept in small portions always, able to be bumped up to a few pounds almost overnight to help take care of “skinny” growth spurts

[joiedevie99]

Purina Enrich Plus and mixed grass hay sounds like a great option.

[Tee]

My two Morgan yearlings had good quality grass hay, Safe Choice (I’d change that now, but this was 11 & 16 years ago), and a vitamin supplement. Ended up having to up the pellets for Remy as he was a HARD keeping as a baby to five-year-old, and couldn’t tolerate alfalfa.

They are 12 & 17 now and both have grown up great.