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Good feed and main questions?

8K views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  Rozephyr 
#1 ·
As most of you know I just got a new clyde the other week. She is going to be 2 in may and well i noticed today her ribs are starting to show a bit. I want to switch her feed to help her maintain her weight but dont know what to give. My only problem with this is shes in the field with our 4 year old arab cross mare and when shes done she chases of my filly, so it will have to be something that wont be bad for her. My other question is, i noticed on the belgian i'm getting his main is so short and really course. I would like for it to grow and be a little nicer feeling, so do any of you have suggestions on what i can use on him? Thanks you all for ALL the help you guys have given me. =)
 
#3 ·
the other mare IS overweight lol persoanlly i think she looks llike shes ready to drop a foal, but shes not. but no we cant seperate them, my mom goes out to feed them in the morning while i watch my kids, and she wont pull one out. i would like to somehow tether them up so they cant eat eachothers but we havnt figured a safe way to do that yet. The only other way we can do it is if she feeds her mare in the morning and i feed myne in the evening after my husband gets home. I just might have to do that. Any feed suggestions? Mom thinks shell plump up now that we just droped another bale of hay but there was plenty out there still so personally i dont think that will make a difference. Thank oh this is the other mare we have this was just taken a few days ago
Horse Mammal Vertebrate Mare Stallion
 
#4 ·
We use feed bags for the horses that get grain when others don't.

These are called Weaver feed bags and they're great because they keep all the grain inside. Some of the mesh ones out there spill, and these are waterproof. So if your horse dunks it in a mud puddle his grain will be mud-free. :)
Im not sure what you have in your area, but for horses we need to put weight on we use Mormon's Senior Glo, Rice Bran, and soaked beet pulp.
The Mormon's Senior Glo is a low sugar grain, with alot of fatty acids to build weight. We've found that alot of horses can't digest sugar, like in sweet feet or even in senior feeds w/ alot of molasses and it just goes right through them.
The rice bran is great because it puts weight on, and it'll help with the dull coat. :) Soaked flax seed is also a great coat shiner.
 
#5 ·
When my draft colt was younger, I had him on Triple Crown Jr or whatever their feed is for youngsters, plus as much hay as he could eat. Now I give him Purina Strategy pellets which they all really like. He is now in with another horse and pony who are bosses over him and the pony obviously doesn't need as much feed as he does so I've done a couple things. I feed them in mangers and make sure they are far apart, I sprinkle the pony's little bit of pellets around in the manger so it takes him longer to eat it while I give my colt his pellets in a "dish" so he can consume them quickly before the pony comes over and Cody gets oil to up the fats in his diet which some drafts need to prevent EPSM (tying up disease). I like the grain feeders as long as you're around to take them off after they're done with their pellets.
 
#7 ·
Actually as long as she is getting the right amount of food (hay, grass)I would stay away from any extra feed. You need to stay away from fatty foods as well as a lot of volume adding feeds. Also(I owned a Clyde cross and worked with Clydes used for show)you want the babies to stay a bit lighter than what you would want to keep their weight normally because of how heavy they are compared to the size of their joints.

Some info on feeding full grown drafts, but there are hundreds of links on the web.
Feeding Draft Horses: The EPSM Diet - EC Magazine Fall 2005

Welcome to the Draft Horse Resource!
 
#10 ·
Be very careful with the feed bag and be sure that you get one that has plenty of drainage holes in it so that there is no risk of him inhaling water if he were to try to take a drink before it was removed. If it does not have any breakaway type mechanism you could also run the risk of him getting caught in something and getting hurt badly. Feed bags are really intended for horses that are in work such as carriage, police, or horses being picketed out on the trails.

Be sure to work with you vet in regards to proper nutrition for your young growing draft. They are prone to epiphysitis as well as ocd. If your horse is getting ribby I would suggest adding more forage, but not increase your grain rations.
My first clydesdale had the worst feet ever, my Farrier suggested taking her off of sweet feed and instead feeding a 60%/40% ratio of oats/corn and a product by farrier science clinic called Nu-Foot concentrated vet formula with copper (green label) I get mine at Ken Davis and Sons
Ken Davis and Sons - Hoof Products (Feed Supplements)
We have been feeding that same thing to each of our drafts for 13 years now with -0- foot problems and healthy horses and best of all none of the feed related hotness that we had when we fed sweet feed.
I do supplement the horses I show with wheat germ oil for their coat and a joint supplement that varies depending on costs.
 
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