Should I be concerned about my foal getting too fat...

[Ysabel]

I have a foal (born May 25th) that I am concerned may be a bit too fat. I have not fed him any grain to date, he is on 100% mother’s milk, grass, and hay. He is on 24/7 turnout in a 3 acre pasture. He plays a fair bit with the yearling and pony he shares the turn out with so he is getting exercise.

I would cut his dam’s grain, but she is not fat, so I don’t want to risk her getting too thin, and she is not getting much grain as it - 1 litre of Blue Seal Safe Start, 2 cups of Sunshine Plus, and 1/4 cup flax seed per day.

Should I be concerned? Or should I trust nature to know what it is doing? :winkgrin:

He is also quite tall - but not outside the normal range - approximately 12.2hh to 13hh.

[EventerAJ]

What makes you think the foal is fat? If he’s just getting a belly, that could be related to worms or the quality of your forage. Can you estimate his weight and compare it to others his size/age?

I honestly can’t remember seeing a “fat” foal who was not getting concentrates. Milk, grass, hay tends to keep them where they should be. By “fat” I mean pudgy over the ribs and excessively round over the hind end, not just muscular. Breed can pay a factor, too-- stock types (QH, paint) will look chunkier than others.

[siegi_b]

I totally agree with Eventer on this… Could you post a picture of your foal?

[Ysabel]

His mother is 3/4 QH x 1/4 Morgan and his sire is Hanoverian. He doesn’t have a worm/hay belly - he is just very meaty around the rump, neck, shoulder, and his ribs starting to get hard to feel easily. I was trying not to be too concerned - but last night while grooming him I noticed that around his barrel he is actually starting to get a bit jiggly.

I will try to get a photo tonight.

Here are a photos taken back in July (top of page) - but it is not very helpful because he was a good weight then.

http://www.stargazerfarm.ca/superbad.html

[Ysabel]

I should note that I have been sent several “hard keepers” to board and have found they fattened up pretty fast at my farm, to the point where I always have to cut their grain to practically nothing… so maybe I have super grass or something.

[Zuri]

Ysabel, what a gorgeous colt. He looks great!

[Manni01]

Not to fat, very pretty

[Ysabel]

I was able to snap some photos of him tonight - and I should have done that before because he doesn’t seem so bad in the photos.

Here is one:
https://www.facebook.com/Stargazerfarm.pei/photos/a.859322607427576.1073741837.155738231119354/912314745461695/?type=3&theater

I think what was said above is right - the stock horse in him is making him a bit chunkier than the pure warmbloods. I was up to visit a herd of Hanoverian weanlings a few days ago - and when I got home my colt looked huge to me compared to them. So I started reading about heavy foals and got into articles about OCD… and then my neurotic worrying tendencies kicked in. I tend to worry A LOT. :o

[arapaloosa_lady]

Any way he’s stealing some of his dam’s grain?

[stoicfish]

My colt was very similar to him at that age, very muscular and thick, he is Han/Trak. He is older now and a very easy keeper and still very stout. When they grow they lean out a bit but you might have to watch him when he gets a bit older. I wouldn’t worry too much about him, - he turned out very nice.

[Ysabel]

No - she is very defensive of her grain (she lives to eat), and we almost always play with him while she eats, since those are the only times they are inside.

[yourcolorfuladdictio]

I think this is an accurate depiction of his size currently. He looks like he’s filled in the body he has currently, if you’re worried about his weight, give him a week and he’ll look scrawny again lol. They don’t stay little for long!

This is what one of our babies looked like around that age.

[JoZ]

My foal is almost exactly the same age as the OP’s. He was born May 24. I have just been thinking that he is a little bit pudgy too. Maybe it’s the age! His butt is roundy-round, and his neck is looking a little thick. He had a gorgeous neck at about one month of age, so maybe I just need the neck fairy to visit again! He is also coming up to his inspection, so I’m sure I am being overly critical. I imagine both foals will shoot up in height and get lanky again before too long.

Here is Russell for comparison: http://youtu.be/QWPXF0FAjkQ

[skydy]

[QUOTE=Ysabel;7724297]
I have a foal (born May 25th) that I am concerned may be a bit too fat. I have not fed him any grain to date, he is on 100% mother’s milk, grass, and hay. He is on 24/7 turnout in a 3 acre pasture. He plays a fair bit with the yearling and pony he shares the turn out with so he is getting exercise.

I would cut his dam’s grain, but she is not fat, so I don’t want to risk her getting too thin, and she is not getting much grain as it - 1 litre of Blue Seal Safe Start, 2 cups of Sunshine Plus, and 1/4 cup flax seed per day.

Should I be concerned? Or should I trust nature to know what it is doing? :winkgrin:

He is also quite tall - but not outside the normal range - approximately 12.2hh to 13hh.[/QUOTE]

He looks great! I wouldn’t feed him concentrates, and you aren’t.

If he really becomes fat on milk and grass, you should ask your vet for their opinion about early weaning. I really don’t see that he has such a problem at this point in time. Just a stocky (but not too stocky) baby with muscles.

[Sunnydays]

He is not fat. In fact, I think he is lovely and a good weight.

[Cindy_s_Warmbloods]

I have one too that is definitely “pudgy” at 2 months of age. However, I have found just when you start to get worried they have a growth spurt and shoot right up and lean out again. Here is my guy at 2 months, as you can see he is a touch “square” looking. I am presuming he will shoot up shortly…

http://www.cindyswarmbloods.com/images/Finn.jpg

[camohn]

Keep in mind the end of good grass season is fast approaching too.

[siegi_b]

Let’s not confuse general conformation of a foal with being overweight… If their neck comes deep out of the chest it will look “thick” but that has nothing to do with being overweight - it’s the kid’s conformation. Also look at the father and mother and see what they bring to the table. Quarterhorses typically add more “mass” to the body, as do Morgans, and the baby may just be a good representative of those attributes.

Finally, give those kids a chance to grow into themselves and then see what you have. In my 30 years of breeding I have seen VERY few “hunky” foals and by the time you wean everything changes anyway.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=JoZ;7725305]
Maybe it’s the age! His butt is roundy-round, and his neck is looking a little thick. [/QUOTE]

Not all the age :)…just where they are in development and their conformation. My filly is the same age (born 5/30). But she is a string bean. Tall lanky girl (Person next to her is 5’8"). So she is actually on the thin side. But given how tall she is, I don’t find that a bad thing. No good pictures…but here are a couple. She turns to you and disappears!

OP–you could look into the OCD pellets if you are worried.

[stoicfish]

[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;7729806]
Not all the age :)…just where they are in development and their conformation. My filly is the same age (born 5/30). But she is a string bean. Tall lanky girl (Person next to her is 5’8"). So she is actually on the thin side. But given how tall she is, I don’t find that a bad thing. No good pictures…but here are a couple. She turns to you and disappears!

OP–you could look into the OCD pellets if you are worried.[/QUOTE]

The correlations between the growth of the foal, expressed in the development of weight and size, and the occurrence of OCD was surprising. Lighter foals showed significantly more osteochondrosis in the fetlock joints than heavier foals. The weight did not, however, appear to
influence osteochondrosis in the hock joint, but the height did. Taller foals were more often affected in the hock joint.

From
http://www.greengatestud.com/wp/wp-content/gallery/drludwigchristmanocd.pdf

It seems there is a misconception out there that a heavy foal is the cause of the issue but according to this study it is the fast growing ones and the ones that don’t get enough exercise. I don’t think OCD pellets are a bad thing for nutrition for any foal. However with his breeding and his size, he is probably less at risk then many WB horses.

The thing that bothers me is many people underfeed fast growing WB’s to try and prevent issues. When in reality if you actually slow the natural growth down due to lack of food, you are stunting the animal and you run the risk of malnutrition ( issues in bones).
This is different than overfeeding where you are elevating growth rate beyond normal, which was often done for show and sales youngsters. They were beefed up on grains and were overweight and their nutrition levels didn’t meet growth rates. Like eating only bread, lots of calories but not the right nutrition.