Help! Feeding for my new yearling!

[k8_doran]

Hi everyone, Just wanted your advice. Not long got my 15 month old filly. Before I got her she was under fed and got gastric ulcers. The previous owner then started bulking her up with a scoop of alfa and nearly a whole scoop of stud mix. I've emailed some feed companies, I know they will try and make me buy their products but I need advice! She is out 24/7. Heres the spillers reply, the only one I have ...so far! What do you think?


"Thank you for your enquiry regarding your filly, who I understand previously suffered from gastric ulcers, and can at times be a bit grumpy.

When feeding a horse that has had gastric ulcers, it is very important to feed a high fibre diet. Ulcers are most commonly caused by a build up of acid in the stomach which can only be neutralized by saliva. However a horse can only produce saliva when they are chewing, and if they are kept without forage for a long period of time this acid can build up and eventually cause ulcerations. As you said, not being fed enough would most likely have been the cause of her ulcers.

Cereal based feeds also stimulate the hormone “Gastrin”, responsible for the production of stomach acid. Any kind of mix, whether it is a stud mix or even a low energy mix, is based on cereals and so may not help the ulcers.

What I am going to suggest is a type of stud feed still containing plenty of calories gained from oil to help maintain your filly’s condition, but high in fibre and completely cereal free, ideal for a horse that has suffered with digestive discomfort. The feed I am going to suggest is from our Winergy Equilibrium range, a range of feeds based on oil and fibre, and is called Winergy Equilibrium Growth. This is a feed designed with the stud market in mind and is ideal for those requiring the calories and nutrition of a stud feed without the use of any cereals at all. It is also very low in starch, a major trigger factor of lively behaviour, and this may help improve your filly’s behaviour.

Winergy Equilibrium Growth is a complete feed, and if fed at the recommended ration you will not need any other mix, cube or even a chaff with it and it should provide her with absolutely everything that she requires. I would suggest feeding your filly approximately 1.5kg of this feed per day, which is 1 ½ round bowl scoops."

[TaffyJay]

i have heard good things about winergy although not used it my self. another reccommendation would be simple systems i have successfully used on young, old and 2 horses with confirmed ulcers. all products are fibre based, all mine look fab on it. it takes them longer to eat etc mimicing their grazing incstinct.

would defiantly avoid cereals at all costs i havent fed cereas to any of mine on the yard for the last 2 years and imo they are all thriving and looking and behaving better than ever!!

[Palomino Mare]

i would agree with the spillers comment entirely, i quite trust their information too as they do admit when their products wont suit your horse.

[ellasma]

I use Equilibrium Low Energy for my 2 year old - he's been on it for some time and it's great. In the past he's been on various stud balancers combined with chaff but I found them a little heavy on protein. I haven't actually tried the 'Growth' product (he's inclined to gain weight quite easily so needed a low calorie feed) but from the opinion of my others, and from my own experience the Equilibrium range is fab (although a little expensive!) ;)

[k8_doran]

oh cool, thanks everyone I'll let you know any other responses i get from the feed people! so if i did get this how would i change the feed to the new one?

[poniesrule]

My yearling gets a vit and mineral supplement mixed in with a little chaff until winter when i will put her back on Dodson Horrell's Suregrow (stud balancer)

She is a little bit on the weighty side though, so would put on more weight if fed her more which is not good on her growing joints.

Hope you come up with a suitable ration for your little one:)

[No_Angel]

My yearling is just getting grass and a salt lick at the moment, she is the perfect weight and needs no extra food, in the winter she will be on a fibre based diet.
Stud mixes are only really for TB foals who need to bulk up for the sales and the like, they contain far to much sugar for youngsters in my opinion.

[Lgd]

I've used the Equilibrium Growth for Belle since she was weaned. She is very amenable and laid back on it, although with the grass being good she is only getting a couple of handfuls to get her supplements in - general vit supplement (as she isn't getting the recommended amount of grub) and a scoop of limestone flour (our soil is calcium poor).

I use the adult versions with my other horses and have found with all of mine that they don't generally need as much as the company predict. It has actually worked out mounds cheaper than what I was previously feeding as I need to feed so much less.

This is Belle & her Mum together.

http://groups.msn.com/upsaddle2/lgd.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=17705

[TaffyJay]

oh cool, thanks everyone I'll let you know any other responses i get from the feed people! so if i did get this how would i change the feed to the new one?[

gradually decrease the feed you are giving at the moment and start to introduce new one. start off with very small amounts untill you get to the full ration by which time you will have phased old feed out!:) should avoid belly upsets!!

[shandy84]

My yearling is just getting grass and a salt lick at the moment, she is the perfect weight and needs no extra food, in the winter she will be on a fibre based diet.
Stud mixes are only really for TB foals who need to bulk up for the sales and the like, they contain far to much sugar for youngsters in my opinion.

Totally agree, mine was on chaff (sugar free) and a vit supplement and only went onto cereals as she worked harder.

[k8_doran]

I'm worried to feed her on much else different as I am worried about her ulcers and she is half tb. I think what the lady suggests sounds good as she says,

"Any kind of mix, whether it is a stud mix or even a low energy mix, is based on cereals and so may not help the ulcers.It is also very low in starch, a major trigger factor of lively behaviour, and this may help improve your filly’s behaviour."

I asked her final questions and this is what she said:

"Firstly, horses tend to need a stud feed until the age of 2 years old, when their nutritional requirements change to that of a grown horse. If your filly still requires the calories, it is perfectly fine to keep her on the Growth, as this is also an ideal conditioning feed for the adult horse. However, if you think she is looking really well, and will be better on a lower calorie feed, you could try Winergy Equilibrium Low Energy, which again is completely cereal free, and much lower in calories whilst still providing excellent nutrition.

Throughout the year, the feed quantities would generally stay the same. However, you may find over spring, summer and the beginning of autumn when the grass is better, that you are able to reduce this to about 1 scoop per day, it is best to play this by ear and see how her condition is. If you feel over the winter she requires extra calories, you can increase this amount to 2 scoops should you need to.

With regards to supplements, you wouldn't need the seaweed, and you may find you can wean her of the pro biotic, as the feed should help to improve her digestive health. The garlic is good for warding off flies, so it might be a good idea to keep it in her feed over the summer, but you should not need it over winter.

I would suggest introducing it over a period of about 5-7 days, just to give the digestive system time to adapt to a different feed. "

[HorseManiac]

Theres really no need to feed hard feed.

I only feed blue chip(tiny amount) otherwise Percy has a forage diet, a vote for Simple systems here as you can feed alot of soaked stuff which will keep her occupied and chewing:)

[k8_doran]

Theres really no need to feed hard feed.




Even though shes had stomach ulcers and the spillers lady suggested it? Sorry, not wanting to sound funny at all, just asking as I'd like to sort her feed out asap. I do appreciate everyones input

[No_Angel]

ex race horses usually suffer with stomach ulcers as they are fed to much hard feed from an early age, fiber feeds really are the way to go, you don't usually see wild foals munching on stud mix, a horses digestive system is designed to digest forage, a vitamin and mineral supplement is all that is needed.
Nutritionists from feed companies usually promote their own feed.

[shandy84]

Totally agree with No-Angel

[Palomino Mare]

Even though shes had stomach ulcers and the spillers lady suggested it? Sorry, not wanting to sound funny at all, just asking as I'd like to sort her feed out asap. I do appreciate everyones input

i dont give mine hard feed but i think for a growing TB baby thats had health/weight problems already in her short life then she will need something extra to gibe her a helping hand. i suspect she didnt grow much when she had ulcers so she will have some catching up to do.

[k8_doran]

ex race horses usually suffer with stomach ulcers as they are fed to much hard feed from an early age, fiber feeds really are the way to go, you don't usually see wild foals munching on stud mix, a horses digestive system is designed to digest forage, a vitamin and mineral supplement is all that is needed.
Nutritionists from feed companies usually promote their own feed.

well I know for sure that mine didnt get stomach ulcers from being fed too much she got them from not being fed enough. I am aware that they would promote their own feed but there are millions of feeds she could have suggested, even fibre feeds. Agree about your wild foals comment, but there are a lot of things we do/feed to horses that they wouldnt have in the wild.

Palomino-I agree and yes she does have catching up to do thats for sure! You might like her, although she wount be a proper coloured, she will be going a nice iron grey :D

[No_Angel]

I was trying to make the point that cereals rot the stomach lining because of all the crap thats put into them.
Yes we do feed our horses a lot of stuff they don't get in the wild, doesn't mean its good for them!
Are you sure she got the ulcers from not being fed enough, or being fed the wrong stuff?
It seems that you obviously want to go with the advice you have been given from the feed company, but please don't feed her too much because you want her to 'catch up', as it can do more harm than good.

[k8_doran]

Once again, yes I'm sure thats why she got the ulcers. Even the vet said it too. I'm not feeding her it to 'catch up' she will do that in her own time. If I was then I would be keeping her on the feed shes on, what the previous owner put her on and I wouldnt be bothering to look into what shes being fed. I am taking into consideration everything I am being told but I of course like the advice of a horse nutritionist as that is her job. I have also sought advice elsewhere and most seem to agree. Thank you everyone though, you have been very helpful

[shandy84]

I do tend to stick to straights as there is less rubbish in them, mine are both on a high fibre diet which works well IMHO for youngstock too as all of mine have been fed this way. However I have heard good things about the feed you have been suggested for youngsters so on that basis would suggest it's definatly better than some.

The only thing I would be careful of is how quickly she grows, because she is now getting feed she could overgrow and this could cause problems like DJD, i always fed under the reccomendations of the nutritionists as always had problems feeding at their amount levels and added vits to it to make up the missing amount ;)

[Laura+Phantom]

I agree with some of the others, I would be feeding a high fibre diet of grass, hay, and chaff if needed, the longer the chewing time (a lot longer for chaff than cereals/mix) the longer bile will be secreted, which will neutralise her stomach acid and prevent stomach ulcers. I think the main thing is to be sure she has forage at all times so she can be chewing.

I don't think an expensive feed should be needed, just careful management and plenty of roughage.