Baby horse experts please!

[zack]

Hi,

I wonder if anyone who has had youngsters can offer some advice please
My yearling, who I have only had for a couple of months now seems to have a clicky front leg from time to time. I have read lots of reports that if he's not lame (which he's not-he doesn't seem to notice it) that it's not a problem. However, being overly paranoid (my other nag has arthitis), I am wondering about feeding him a joint supplement just in case...

I have already become very confused about what, and how much to feed him. His very knowlegable breeders have said if he's looking well, and if there are no known grazing deficiencies in the area, then he's better off with just forage. But plenty of other people have suggested giving him some supplementary food. He's a cob x and i suspect will be a good doer, he's a very laid back kind of horse.
Would I be wasting money on supplements? Is it worth giving him something for hs joints?

[rummi]

I'm afraid I can't help with the clicky legs, but concerning the supplements I was advised that a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement was ideal with enough calcium for the growing bones. You have to be careful not to overfeed, so for a good doer type, a good supply of low sugar/high fibre forage is good!

My haflinger Bailey was 14 months when i got him and he's gone from this:



to this:



in just 7 months with good grass, alphabeet, high fibre cubes (only for first 2 months), brewer's yeast (first 2 months again), linseed lozenges, seaweed and rosehips.

Do we get to see some piccies of your little boy?

[jill]

I doubt you could do much harm with supplements, except to your finances, and the Vetvits one is fairly cheap at around £17 for a month or 6 weeks supply. It's herbal with glucosamine and chondroitin so not a dangerous chemical intervention.
Rather than the onset of arthritis or some such other joint condition, I would suspect that it's maybe a growth anomaly - joints being outstripped by tendons or similar. I have never had this problem with any of my youngsters, and the fact that he isn't lame would seem to support that. Is he over weight, as cobs can easily be, because that can damage young soft joints? Have you asked your vet?

[dingbat]

i'd stick to benevit or some other GP supplement. you can do more damage by over feeding, especially cob types. people who feed stud mix and such like make me cringe. but a joint type supplement wouldnt harm - just costs you a bit!

[Gail&Merlin]

Dancer has had a clicking shoulder for about 6 months now maybe longer, i dont know how to search that far back or id up the thread for you, a few people at the time said it was probably air in the joint and that he'd grow out of it. Vets have heard it and they all say dont worry...as for supplements, i dont feed supplements as such but i do feed a good feed balancer for vits and mins..along with happy hoof or alfa a, speedy beet and a bit of fruit or veg..

[zack]

Thanks for all this, really useful, and thanks for the reassurance re the clicking!

I don't think he's overweight, I can still feel his ribs, and I have used a fat scoring chart and he looks ok on it. D and H have suggested Suregrow, a low cal vit and min pellet-any of you heard of it? I am very wary of anything that could be a stud mix!
Where do you get vet vits from? Are they the same as benevits? And which balancer do you use Gail?
So far he hasn't wanted any hard feed anyway, but the past few days he has been sticking his nose in the dregs of my mare's bowl. I might just try a chaff with a vit and min balancer, with calcium, glucosamine etc in.

This is him a couple of months ago, he's already got taller and is looking less like a foal..

I'll try and take one tomorrow so you can see how he's shaping up. He's got some TB in him, and I don't think he's going to be very chunky, prob 15.2+ish.

[zack]

His back leg looks a bit wierd doesn't it! Rubber hocks!

[jill]

www.healthspan.co.uk/pet_health/equiflex_feed_supplement_horse_to_support_mobility_and_healthy_equine_joints-c3182p3206.html

[zack]

Thanks Jill

[dingbat]

i'd give him benevit by feedmark. or if you want a balancer instead give bailey's lo-cal.

[specialsparkle3]

Clicking in a youngster's joints is nothing to worry about, my rising 3yr old 's shoulder clicks in the mornings.! However all youngsters benefit from some sort of vitamin/ mineral supplement, if only fed in a chaff base ie Dengie Alfa A, Hi fi or Hi fi lite. I feed Dodson and Horrel Surelimb to my yearlings in the Winter before they come up to two years old with Alfa A and find they do really well on that.