bubchub
Well-known member
This is my colt who was injured Sunday. He looks a little gaunt because of losing weight from stress and only having hay instead of ryegrass due to being penned.
I figured y'all would want to see...Now with feed Question.
- Thread starter bubchub
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Thanks Bubchub,
I think the wound is in as good of a place as it could be, should heal up just fine. I bet you don't even see a scare, unless the hair turns white. My brood mare got her head caught up in barb wire (a couple of years before I bought her) she has white hair around about 90% of her neck, over the pole and under the jaw. It's hard to see unless you're looking, but she looks like a frank-n-horse.
Good luck but I bet it turns out fine.
Nice looking colt, I really wouldn't worry about his halter breeding, I bet he turns out to be a great horse.
Alan
I think the wound is in as good of a place as it could be, should heal up just fine. I bet you don't even see a scare, unless the hair turns white. My brood mare got her head caught up in barb wire (a couple of years before I bought her) she has white hair around about 90% of her neck, over the pole and under the jaw. It's hard to see unless you're looking, but she looks like a frank-n-horse.
Good luck but I bet it turns out fine.
Nice looking colt, I really wouldn't worry about his halter breeding, I bet he turns out to be a great horse.
Alan
born2run
Well-known member
The wound looks nice overall. I, like Alan, doubt it'll scar...if it does it won't be that noticeable. My Appy mare got a nasty wire cut as an 18 month old. Took out about 5 inches of muscle from her left shoulder. Vet couldn't stitch it...there was nothing there to even close. Slight dip there now, and a little bit of a scar. Considering she's grey to begin with it isn't noticeable, unless you are particularly looking for it.
A
Anonymous
that'll heal up good...he ought to be fine 
...just takes time with a cut like that
Have a good day
...just takes time with a cut like thatHave a good day
OP
OP
bubchub
Well-known member
I have been told today that I am underfeeding my colt and am practically starving it. I have probably asked this before but what should I exactly feed him to get him growing and looking stout. Here are some feedingsuggestions I have been given from people who say THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO FEED a horse:
-feed a 4 gal. bucket of oats to him 2 times a day
-mix horse and mule feed with oats, topdress with cornoil 3 times a day
-whatever you do don't feed oats
-feed good hay and vits and mins
- feed sweet feed
-don't feed sweet feed, it'll rot his teeth out
Everybody has the BEST idea. WHat should I do?
-feed a 4 gal. bucket of oats to him 2 times a day
-mix horse and mule feed with oats, topdress with cornoil 3 times a day
-whatever you do don't feed oats
-feed good hay and vits and mins
- feed sweet feed
-don't feed sweet feed, it'll rot his teeth out
Everybody has the BEST idea. WHat should I do?
rk
Well-known member
Feed a good balanced feed that has the calories to put on condition. Ask your feed guys. We sell SafeChoice and Safe & Sound. There are other good feeds, I'm sure, but either of these two will work great.
bubchub":hbvccfgf said:
I, personally, would not feed sweet feed, especially if he is in a pen or run. Sweet feed has a tendency to cause them to chew on things under those conditions (our experience with a colt about this same age, plus having read an article in Equus Magazine - whom I trust a lot). Oats would probably be ok, but I'm not sure about 4 gal. twice a day - seems a little much - maybe a gallon twice a day if you think it's necessary. I personally would have my hay tested and feed it accordingly, possibly supplementing with a little oats while keeping in mind that there are a lot of people out there that don't think an animal is healthy unless it's rolling in fat. How much hay is this colt getting on a daily basis, by the way? Based on the pictures, I don't think he is underweight.
rk
Well-known member
Oats are a good ingredient, but leave alot to be desired if they are the only/main part of the diet. Ca ratio is inverted and lacks other vitamins and minerals. Younger horses especially need the proper nutrition that a balanced diet provides in order to grow correctly.
ratio is inverted and lacks other vitamins and minerals. Younger horses especially need the proper nutrition that a balanced diet provides in order to grow correctly.Well, I am just a dumb cowboy who has run a few horses over the years so you can put that in front of anything I am about to say.
I will also add that I do not keep any horses in a pen so I speak from range experience here and it is rare I provide any input to this section of the boards.
When we are finished for the day - if and only if - the horse has been working hard - we give it a few oats and "pick your choice of performance extras".
Rest of the time anything that has been weaned lives on grass, some salt and mineral licks.
We have only a couple left on the place and they are in a 30 - 40 acre pasture and do quite well.
Winter they live outdoors at all times and eat the same round bales the cows get. When it hits minus 20 - 30 we add a little corn to their diet.
Work them and they need some additionals - otherwise the animals we have ALWAYS kept seem to do very well on good grass.
Fat and sassy - some times too much so. I can assure you they are not suffering.
You can spend until your wallet floats away in a light breeze. That does not mean you are doing them any favours. Feed companies will love you though. And there are always the resident experts who will tell you that you are starving your horse unless you feed them product x,y,z.
Horse affictionados will probably be happy to disagree with me - but then we are NOT the type to wet our hay down before we feed them and we do not believe it is necessary to buy "sack feed" to keep a horse.
Good grass, good water and some salt and mineral and they do fine. If they do not and you are not into performance horses and showing horses - then sell them - as fast as possible. Sell them at meat price if necessary - in the long run the cash you save on fancy feed will more than make up for the loss in dollars if you spent too much on the initial purchase price.
Hard keepers prove the point: The only thing cheap about a horse is the purchase price!
Bez!
I will also add that I do not keep any horses in a pen so I speak from range experience here and it is rare I provide any input to this section of the boards.
When we are finished for the day - if and only if - the horse has been working hard - we give it a few oats and "pick your choice of performance extras".
Rest of the time anything that has been weaned lives on grass, some salt and mineral licks.
We have only a couple left on the place and they are in a 30 - 40 acre pasture and do quite well.
Winter they live outdoors at all times and eat the same round bales the cows get. When it hits minus 20 - 30 we add a little corn to their diet.
Work them and they need some additionals - otherwise the animals we have ALWAYS kept seem to do very well on good grass.
Fat and sassy - some times too much so. I can assure you they are not suffering.
You can spend until your wallet floats away in a light breeze. That does not mean you are doing them any favours. Feed companies will love you though. And there are always the resident experts who will tell you that you are starving your horse unless you feed them product x,y,z.
Horse affictionados will probably be happy to disagree with me - but then we are NOT the type to wet our hay down before we feed them and we do not believe it is necessary to buy "sack feed" to keep a horse.
Good grass, good water and some salt and mineral and they do fine. If they do not and you are not into performance horses and showing horses - then sell them - as fast as possible. Sell them at meat price if necessary - in the long run the cash you save on fancy feed will more than make up for the loss in dollars if you spent too much on the initial purchase price.
Hard keepers prove the point: The only thing cheap about a horse is the purchase price!
Bez!
rk":h97z10bt said:Oats are a good ingredient, but leave alot to be desired if they are the only/main part of the diet. Ca
If your post is directed at me, I would suggest you re-read my post - if not, please go confuse someone else. As far as younger horses needing 'proper nutrition', I'm thinking someone with a degree and too much time on his/her hands has complicated things way beyond belief! We've raised too many foals on nothing but good quality hay, grass, and a few oats (be they rolled or whole) or rolled wheat and every one of them went on to live a long, trouble-free, healthy, and productive life for me to believe otherwise. All one needs is an understanding of what a growing animal needs - not fancy, expensive feeds.
msscamp":vpwz2qls said:rk":vpwz2qls said:Oats are a good ingredient, but leave alot to be desired if they are the only/main part of the diet. Ca
If your post is directed at me, I would suggest you re-read my post - if not, please go confuse someone else. As far as younger horses needing 'proper nutrition', I'm thinking someone with a degree and too much time on his/her hands has complicated things way beyond belief! We've raised too many foals on nothing but good quality hay, grass, and a few oats (be they rolled or whole) or rolled wheat and every one of them went on to live a long, trouble-free, healthy, and productive life for me to believe otherwise. All one needs is an understanding of what a growing animal needs - not fancy, expensive feeds.
Hey, hey!
I got a shotgun!
You go girl.
Bez!
Bez!":66nupm7x said:msscamp":66nupm7x said:rk":66nupm7x said:Oats are a good ingredient, but leave alot to be desired if they are the only/main part of the diet. Ca
If your post is directed at me, I would suggest you re-read my post - if not, please go confuse someone else. As far as younger horses needing 'proper nutrition', I'm thinking someone with a degree and too much time on his/her hands has complicated things way beyond belief! We've raised too many foals on nothing but good quality hay, grass, and a few oats (be they rolled or whole) or rolled wheat and every one of them went on to live a long, trouble-free, healthy, and productive life for me to believe otherwise. All one needs is an understanding of what a growing animal needs - not fancy, expensive feeds.
Hey, hey!
I got a shotgun!
You go girl.
Bez!
:lol: :lol: :lol: I'll back you up anytime!
cowgirl580+
Well-known member
when you say oats, are you talking about the kind with molasses? we feed rolled oats, when they've done something. i am giving my horse a mineral supplement right now that's supposed to work from the inside out. will have to look at bucket and get name, again. it's also for weight gain. wound looks like it is healing right nice.
it's also for weight gain. wound looks like it is healing right nice.cowgirl580+":2o0vnjin said:when you say oats, are you talking about the kind with molasses? we feed rolled oats, when they've done something. i am giving my horse a mineral supplement right now that's supposed to work from the inside out. will have to look at bucket and get name, again.
Molasses?
I think you have to buy that.
We use the stuff that comes out of the combine. Period.
I have never fed my horses anything other than what you might see if you go back and read my post.
Bez!
cowgirl580+":3lgdsztg said:when you say oats, are you talking about the kind with molasses? we feed rolled oats, when they've done something. i am giving my horse a mineral supplement right now that's supposed to work from the inside out. will have to look at bucket and get name, again.
No, I'm talking about steam-rolled oats and steam-rolled wheat - no molasses. All of our horses have mineralized salt blocks formulated for horses. They do not get any kind of fancy feed, or even grain these days, because they are not working hard enough to need it.
OP
OP
bubchub
Well-known member
The colt wa in a 3 acre empty hay trap this winter with ryegrass 2-3 ft. tall. Now he has freechoice fertilized bermuda hay and is only penned due to his mother returning from the breeding farm.
bubchub":37vdjhfw said:
This is not directed at anyone on this post, but it is directed at who ever is giving bubchub advice on feeding and his colt stud selection, using a halter horse will give him a worthless horse (that one got under my skin) Many halter horses are good athletes ... I hope it's not your grandpa!
Who ever is giving you advice is off their rocker, remember opinions are like feet... everyone has a couple and they usually skink!
Your horse is not that much under weight, in fact I think he looks VERY good, nice shiny coat (healthy), good shape, he may be a little under weight but a long ways from too thin. 4 gallons of grain twice (even once) a day, any type of grain, is way too much.
My horses are not out on pasture, just 1/2 acre turn outs, this is what I feed;
About a quart of grain twice a day, unless I'm working them hard then they get double rations. I feed the type of grain that comes in the "pretty" bags. But grain is mostly grain, feed oats rolled, whole, feed cob (dry or wet). Most any grain will do fine, stay away from corn, it's too hot for them.
about 5 to 8 lbs of good quality hay twice a day. For young horses free choice hay is just fine, older horses you'll end up buying lots of hay and have a barn full of blimps.
Vitamin supplement once a day, I feed millium gold. about 2 tablespoons once a day so it's not like it cost an arm and a leg.
They have access to a horse mineral block.
They are on a good worming schedule, every three months, rotating wormers.
Just remember if you are going to change his diet, do it slowly, over a 7 to 10 day period. And you can do a lot of damage to a young horse by over feeding it, but you have to really over feed it like 4 gallons of grain twice a day.
Nice looking colt, one to be proud of!
Alan
I agree with Alan on this one. I feed almost exactly how he does. I do worm more frequently due to my location.
I also agree the horse may be a little on the light side but not much. I was talking to the vet the other day and she told me she is glad to see that I am NOT one of the ones overfeeding. She says she sees more over weight horses these days than ever before. I asked her if she thought mine were thin and she said they are in perfect condition. Will be glad to post pics of them if ya want to see them.
BTW, I like the horse other than the feet but most on here know my feelings on more than one white hoof. :lol:
I also agree the horse may be a little on the light side but not much. I was talking to the vet the other day and she told me she is glad to see that I am NOT one of the ones overfeeding. She says she sees more over weight horses these days than ever before. I asked her if she thought mine were thin and she said they are in perfect condition. Will be glad to post pics of them if ya want to see them.
BTW, I like the horse other than the feet but most on here know my feelings on more than one white hoof. :lol:
