My 3 yo Thoroghbred is being a monster!!!

I have a lovely 17 h 3 yo Tb gelding. I love him very much but I may decide to have him for dinner before winter is over(joking, joking)

As you may know TB's tend to be a bit harder to keep fat expecially a growing TB. He was a lovely 1 and 2 yo and I have done all the training and this is not the first horse I have started.
My problem is I cannnot seem to keep him fed properly. I mean his weight is excellent, he looks great but feels a little to great if you know what I mean. He jumps around like a maniac lately on the lead, on the lunge, in the round pen, when he's turned out. He is stalled at night, outside from about 10am-9pm.
He is fed 2 flakes of Orchard Grass am, 2 flakes Orchard Grass Pm+1 flake Alfalfa+1/2#rolled oats+1/2#rice bran pellets+1#safe choice like local feed(same values higher fat)+1/2#beet pulp(before wet)

I try to work him 3-4 times/week, but it is winter. Any suggestions????

Be careful and wait for spring. Seriously

Rofl. I agree completely... they usually calm down once it warms up a bit.

Hi,

Why are you feeding him the oats? I'd cut them out, for starters. If you are going to keep feeding them, ensure they're fed in at least 3 small meals daily, to minimise problems. I'd be inclined to get him out & running around a bit, to run off some of that extra pent up energy, before I started asking anything much of him. What training have you done with him so far? Perhaps it's also a case of him not having learned ground manners?

Sorta glad I'm not the only one. Sorry!

My 6 month old is the same way. I got him gelded in December, exercised him every day, he was doing AWESOME. It's like he was actually chilling out and learning manners.

Then we got a huge amount of snow and I haven't been able to do anything with him for 2 weeks and now it's like he's regressed and is a total brat again.

I hope they all calm down come spring! And no body gets hurt (human or horse) in the meantime!

They are just like children at recess. Too much energy and not any place to put it.

I would be more concerned if they were just ambling about.

Just be extra vigilant when you are handling them, the play is something they would be doing in a herd, so they aren't being bad, just full of themselves.

And the playing is good for their minds too. Imagine how you feel after you have sat in a chair all day, and finally get to get up and run?

That is what they are doing too.

No worries. I have been getting on this horse since he was a yearling. I got him as a training horse, race horse prospect. The owners couldnt afford him anymore so they handed him over for what they owed me in training fees. He has had quite a bit of training actually. He is just fresh.

I feed the oat because although they do pack a lot of energy, he only gets a 1/2 lb scoop and it is supposed to help maintain weight.

I think he is having terrible manners, but there really is no excuse other than he is out of his skin. I have done many many hours of ground training and training in the saddle. I can't wait until spring. I ride through winter...

Have you tried beet pulp or a weight gain supplement? They usually help keep the pounds on without creating a monster. My tb's weight was bouncing around for a while, then put him on beet pulp and he has gotten nice and fat and kept it on.

Precisely my point - why are you feeding them when he obviously doesn't need more energy?? Especially as he doesn't seem to be getting much work atm. More hay, if he'll eat it, will help him keep warm over winter. Also if you are going to continue feeding high starch feed, it's important for it to be fed little & often, in order not only to be utilised well by the horse, but also to minimise the problems associated with feeding grain, etc. So if you're not already, I'd be splitting that half lb into 3 feeds daily.

I agree you should cut out the oats, and probably the safe choice as well. He doesn't need the grain, I would stick with beet pulp, rice bran, and find a good weight gain supplement. The two I know of are Cool Calories, and Farnum Weight Builder.