feeding draft x foal?

[foxxynhounds]

Cedar is my first venture into a) foals and b) draft crosses...she's an 8mo chestnut pinto belgian cross filly. Got her about a month ago...and am still struggling with the perfect diet. She is on free-choice grass hay & SS Equitech 10 at the moment. I'd like to switch her over to the senior feed carried at Mr. Willey's, to eat along with the rest of my guys - they're all doing so well on it! - but I'm not sure how to figure out the carb content (don't want to bring on EPSM!). I mean, I could go with the specialized alfalfa pellet/corn oil diet recommended on so many draft boards - but I really like the senior (with a vit supplement for foals) for so many reasons - suggestions? Anyone out there want to help me out? SAHRAB (I think I spelled that right)?

 

[mygoldnhorse]

Cedar is my first venture into a) foals and b) draft crosses...she's an 8mo chestnut pinto belgian cross filly. Got her about a month ago...and am still struggling with the perfect diet. She is on free-choice grass hay & SS Equitech 10 at the moment. I'd like to switch her over to the senior feed carried at Mr. Willey's, to eat along with the rest of my guys - they're all doing so well on it! - but I'm not sure how to figure out the carb content (don't want to bring on EPSM!). I mean, I could go with the specialized alfalfa pellet/corn oil diet recommended on so many draft boards - but I really like the senior (with a vit supplement for foals) for so many reasons - suggestions? Anyone out there want to help me out? SAHRAB (I think I spelled that right)?

I just recently sold a draft x foal as a 2year old. We always feed our broadmares SS Mare & Foal and continue our foals on it for their 1st year. It has all the nutrients that foals need so it takes alot of guess work out of whether to give them additional supplements, etc. Our foal was a cross between our Percheron Stud MO and my daughters Paint Mare. We registered the foal with the North American Spotted Draft Horse Association....so if your foal is not registered you should check out the website.

 

[HorseLady]

I believe EPSM is an inherited condition that can be diagnosed by a muscle biopsy. There is nothing you can do to "prevent" it but once you have a diagnosis you can feed the specialized diet. I would keep him on the free choice hay and then feed a mare and foal feed for the next year. What you do want to prevent is overgrowth that can cause joint problems in the future. Check his weight with a weight tape and feed according to the bag directions. Most feeds are formulated well enough you don't need supplements. Your little (relatively speaking!) one may surprise you by how much he actually weighs - looks can be deceiving.

 

[goldnhorse]

I had a yearling a couple of years ago that had some swelling in one leg that Tidewater diagnosed as ephisitis (probably spelled wrong) and it was caused by being fed too much protein as a foal. But I am not sure what EPSM is?