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

[bornfreenowexpensive]

no misconception. It isn’t the heavy foal but is the fast growing one that is at risk. Although if they are getting too much nutrition (and fat), they are at a higher risk of too much quick growth. But as someone who has faced the issue…all the vets will tell you to reduce calories to slow the growth if possible while still giving them enough proper nutition. This is RARELY needed to be done when a foal is still on their dam and as young as the OPs. It happens more often when they are weaned or yearlings. This is where the balancer pellets can be most useful. I’m as worried about Epiphysitis as OCD…and have had to battle Epiphysitis before.

Mine was born tall and lanky. I’m not worrying about her being a touch thin as she is clearly in a growth spurt and she is still on the dam getting enough nutrition. In another couple of weeks, she will fill out more although in type, she will be more of a lanky foal.

All my youngsters are also put on adaquan as part of the regular program. That is more for OCD.

But hands down, the ones that I had trouble with things like Epiphysitis were not just growing too fast but also on the fat side. One is now a 2 year old. She gets fat on air…so only gets enough balancer to support her nutritionally. She just has a VERY efficient system and always has. I also think she may have finished all her growing now as a 2 year old. I will not be surprised if she only grows 1 more inch…which is fine as she is already 16.3H (and very mature looking) as opposed to my other 2012 who is extremely leggy and inmature looking. He is 16.2 and I unfortunately think he still has quite a bit of growth in him.

I do think you have to watch them all for growing too fast…but on the “easy” keepers as well as they are ones who may consume more than they actually need, especially if mama has very rich milk.

[stoicfish]

But hands down, the ones that I had trouble with things like Epiphysitis were not just growing too fast but also on the fat side. One is now a 2 year old. She gets fat on air…so only gets enough balancer to support her nutritionally. She just has a VERY efficient system and always has. I also think she may have finished all her growing now as a 2 year old. I will not be surprised if she only grows 1 more inch…which is fine as she is already 16.3H (and very mature looking) as opposed to my other 2012 who is extremely leggy and inmature looking. He is 16.2 and I unfortunately think he still has quite a bit of growth in him.

She really must be an air fern to be 2 years old, 16.3h and fat. That is a ton of growing in a short time. I have a yearling who is only a bit over 15 and I have a hard time keeping weight on her, but that is easier then what you have. But it would be hard to separate the causes when they are growing that fast as even the lean horses have issues due to growth. But I agree that the ones that gain weight easily are harder to get all the proper nutrition in.

[stoicfish]

But hands down, the ones that I had trouble with things like Epiphysitis were not just growing too fast but also on the fat side. One is now a 2 year old.

BTW, how was she diagnosed?

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=stoicfish;7730171]
She really must be an air fern to be 2 years old, 16.3h and fat. That is a ton of growing in a short time. I have a yearling who is only a bit over 15 and I have a hard time keeping weight on her, but that is easier then what you have. But it would be hard to separate the causes when they are growing that fast as even the lean horses have issues due to growth. But I agree that the ones that gain weight easily are harder to get all the proper nutrition in.[/QUOTE]

Yes she is. She was NEVER hard to keep weight on. Same as her dam. Her dam is nursing a decent size colt and getting only the minimum of balancer…yet looks like she is overdue to foal with large fat deposits. UGH. She lives in a muzzle when she doesn’t have a foal.

But for the Epiphysitis…I had her and another both get it. Different joints. Both as weanlings. Her knees got swollen and boxy looking and painful. Colt had inflamed ankles (one worse than other) behind and also kind of boxy looking. Vet diagnosed it on clinical signs and then xrayed. Both were addressed by reducing calories (but not starving), adaquan and anti-imflamatories. I could be missing something else as they were still at the breeding farm at the time. It was caught very early on for both and by a year later, you could not really tell looking at them. Colt was also a fast growing boy…but leaner in type. Although he isn’t a hard keeper. His dam is a full TB and tall…and I think he just got tall genes. Dam isn’t a hard or easy keeper.

[Ysabel]

[QUOTE=stoicfish;7730002]
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.[/QUOTE]

Thanks this is very helpful information. It is really hard to wade through all of the articles online - soy is bad/soy is good, omega 6 is bad/good, corn oil bad/good, etc. it makes my head want to explode. I also tend to worry… a lot … all of the time … about everything. :o So it is nice to be reassured by other breeders that I am doing okay.