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[RC] Feeding underweight youngster - chicamuxenI have just bought an underweight, just turned two, Arabian colt. He was raised on a decent ranch in Manitoba but was bought by a local woman as a yearling. He and another colt have been living in a large dry lot for the last year and from the looks of them their nutrition hasn't been great, not enough roughage fed, a generic sweet feed and very little worming done. They look poorish. I'm picking him up in a couple of days and I'm debating on how to work him gradually into a better feeding regimen. I've already discussed worming with my vet who is coming out next week to give him a health check and I'll ask her opinions of feeding also. Still, I'd like to hear other opinions on feeding procedures. At the age of two should I treat him as an adult horse or should I feed him a little higher protein level than my two 7 yr olds? I have an awful lot of good grass, heavy with clover right now but I do have two differnet dry lots also. I know I'm going to have to be careful to ease him back onto grass, especially considering the time of year. I have some nice orchard grass hay and some 3/4 orchard, 1/4 alfalfa mix hay. I have in my feed room some beet pulp; a 10%fat, 10% protein textured feed; and a low starch, grainless pellet by Triple Crown that is 13% protein and 6% fat. This horse isn't starved or runted and really needs to be wormed correctly but I'm wondering if he still needs more protein than my two older tanks require? And how should I work into a feed increase? Bonnie Snodgrass =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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