This message is from: "Vanessa N Weber" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Right now Zipper is on a low protein feed. I'll find out more from the barn manager ASAP. We were feeding just enough to put wormer and grow-colt in it. Now I think she's getting one and a half quarts. Other than the pellets for the wormer, we've been feeding plain hay only. They are in dry lots. They get grazed for about a half hour every other day, on someone's lawn. Right now I can just see her ribs and a big belly. How do you evaluate proper condition in a young horse like this? Do you think that lifting her tail to the side when you scratch her means she's coming in? Vanessa -------Original Message------- From: Jean Ernest Date: 07/31/05 16:31:12 To: fjordhorse@angus.mystery.com Subject: Re: In season? Kids on trails? Pellets and founder? This message is from: Jean Ernest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Most fillies will come into heat by age two..too early to breed in my opinion, but they CAN get pregnant. Pellets: What are the ingredients? If you want to avoid founder but put on some weight, add some ground flax, and rice bran, high fat feed, or oil..Also beet pulp is safe. It all depends what the ingredients of the pellets are! Pellets can be alfalfa, grass hay, grain and hay, etc. Adding a little Calf Manna can help put on weight also. Also..At two years of age, Zipper is still growing and would look slimmer than a mature Fjord. Don't be in a rush to put a lot of weight on her! Most Fjord are too fat in my opinion..mine included! What are you feeding right now..just pasture? or just hay? She MAY need a little supplement...Or is the older horse chasing her away from her feed? Jean in smoky Fairbanks, Alaska, only 60 degrees today with sun >My two year old, Zipper, seems to be 'flagging' when scratched on the rump. >How old are most horses when they first come into season? > > >Lastly, to what extent, if any, do pellets contribute to laminitis/founder? >We are trying to put weight on Zipper (we just wormed her) and I'm trying to >figure out how much to give her. Someone told me that horses that founder >easily could have a problem with pellets. Also, we are a little uncertain as >to whether Zipper is too thin or just not as round as some other Fjords in >the area. Is this a problem of type? How do I figure this out?
