Growth Problems?

Question
QUESTION: Hi there

I have a two year old Paint x Arab pony that is two years old.  I have owned him for 18 Months now so I've had him from pretty young.  He's my first colt.  I adopted him from a rescue center.  He was in good health.  He was rescued because his Mother was starved and he wasn't handled at all.  I know both his parents as my friend owns them.  None of them exceed 15hh but his Dad is a stocky 15hh paint and his Mum is a 14.2hh Arabian.  I understand that my little guy probably won't exceed any of those heights but he's two years old and is still shaped and formed like a foal.  He doesn't even look like a yearling.  He isn't reaching 14.hh yet.  I think he's 13.3hh right now.  I'm worried because even though I don't plan on backing him for a couple of years, he doesn't even look like he is strong enough yet anyway.


I wanted to know if there is anything I can do to help his growth.  Like food-wise and vitamins?  He's currently on 10% sweet feed mixed with Safe Choice (Which is just an all purpose grain, I'm sure you've heard of it). He gets two feeds a day.  Both of those feeds are half a scoop each (Of a four quart scoop I believe they are)

HELP???? If you need to see a picture of him then I can send one.

Thanks  

Laura

ANSWER: Hi Laura,

Thank you for your question.  Horses are programmed to grow at a pre-determined rate, reaching 64% of their adult size (primarily stature) by 12 months, 86% by 24 months and 95% by 36 months. Once they pass those age milestones the opportunity is lost to meet their growth potential, if for whatever reason growth had been inhibited.  It is very hard to safely play catch up in the hopes of regaining lost growth potential.  The fact that your colt was a rescue whose mother was nutritionally challenged is probably the root of the problem, with your little guy not having a good jump start in life.  The best you can do now is to spend the next 2-3 years feeding a well balanced diet to ensure that he fills out as much as possible and to be sure he has healthy bones and joints.  On the up side, he will undergo a growing spurt once he starts a training program so if you can ensure that he has a perfectly balanced diet when that happens, you can get a little extra size on him.

The key will be ensuring he has enough energy in his diet to fuel his remaining growth, enough protein for remaining stature and muscle pattern and balanced minerals for good bone and joints.  For starters, I would suggest that you eliminate the Sweet Feed from the diet and stick with the SafeChoice... it has a superior crude protein level, as well as a healthy Lysine content.  You may also want to look into a pelleted mineral top dress like Nutrena's Empower Balance.  

I can formulate a balanced ration for you if you can provide me with your horse's body weight (using a weight tape is fine), what type of pasture or hay you feed (grass, alfalfa, clover, etc), his age in months and the amount of work that he is doing if any.  I'll run some rations (for now, and in the next few years)using the 'Ration-X' software.

I hope that is of some help.  

Thanks, Corlena

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Corlena

Thank you for your quick reply. I got the measurements for my two year old Paint cross.

Height: 14hh
Weight: 590lbs
Age: 25 Months

I don't have much time to work him in the round pen but when I do I do 10-20 minutes of groundwork (lunging). He loves to run so most of that time, he's cantering and trotting.  Right now he only works once a week but I'm trying to find a trainer to help me so we can work with him more often.

He is on about four acres of good Florida grass.  Cut short but there is plenty of it.  He spends 10 hours per day inside his stall (He gets bad sunburn) and he has about 4 flakes of coastal hay.  


If you need anymore info then let me know.

Again, thank you.

Laura

Answer
Hi Laura,

Thank you for getting back to me with your horse's information.  I've used the Ration-X software to calculate a ration for your horse and based it on a horse in light work, as your intention is to start working him soon.  A well balanced ration would include pasture & hay available free choice throughout the day, 1.55 lbs per day of the SafeChoice and Empower Balance at a rate of 1.1 lbs per day.  It is a good idea to split this total amount of grain into 2-3 feedings per day.  The ration balances well for energy and protein (allowing a safe cushion to allow your horse to gain weight and condition in addition to meeting requirements) and the appropriate amount and ratios of mineral for proper bone and joint development.  

If your horse progresses into a heavier work load in the near future, send me his new body weight and information and I will re-balance the ration for you.

I hope this helps.

Thanks, Corlena