Grain/Nutrition Help for Yearling (New at buying grain, need suggestions!)

Agree with you usand on the overall diet info, but not re nutrition. Yes, horses do usually survive well enough without well balanced nutrition, as we do. After all, a lot of nutritional studies & subsequent supplementing is quite recent & we (mostly) survived without our 'vitamins' before.

But I don't think *appropriate* supplementation is a waste at all and there are many health problems associated with deficiency/imbalance. For eg. Horses can have weak feet due to nutritional problems and they appear to be far less susceptible to infections if they're getting a well balanced diet. Studies have also shown that (even assuming a well balanced block, which they often aren't) horses generally get very little out of a salt/mineral block. I'd definitely be wanting to give a youngster the best nutrition, for the best chance at a healthy life.

I just wouldn't be taking the word for it about necessity, balance or amount from the manufacturer of the supps or from nutritionists employed by feed co's. But that's another matter!