Do you think that there would be a decent possibility that the problem with my mare's legs was physitis? She is now 4, I got her shortly before she turned 2. At that time, she was 15 hands, she reached maybe 15.3 by the time she was 3 and quit. She is quite toed out.
When I got her, she was a bit plump (had to work at feeling the ribs) even though she wasn't yet a full 2 yrs. (22 months) Had she possibly been fattened up and done most of her growing too early? She is pure TB. I also own her half-uncle, he is only very slightly toed out.
physitis
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Shammy Davis wrote:Haylage, known in NA as silage, is predominately used by diary farmers. It is an excellent source of nutrition and I've always wondered why NA horse farms have not turned to it. I think one reason is that production and storage have very limiting factors for the small operation. In my studies, I've come to the realization, particularly with contemporary racing and sport horse operations, that expediency is the key. Hay is difficult to store and maintain especially in large scale racing operations like track barns. Further, hay brokers take the trainers to the cleaners on price and delivery. If I paid what the NA trainer paid for a good bale of hay, I be sour on it too.
One thing I've learned over the years is that if you want top quality hay, buy it from a diary farmer. There production is totally dependent on top quality hay and they spare nothing to insure they have it. A beef producer can get buy on much less, especially if he operating a feeder lot.
TEB, I wonder what sort of nutrition program the Irish Stud places their juveniles on. I was their in 1997 with my family. Beautiful station, it 'tis. We got a very informative tour. The Japanese Gardens are elegant. We stayed in Wexford. It was early Spring, and we had to return to the US before the races got going. I hope we can return to enjoy that part of Ireland someday.
I worked at the Irish National Stud. The babies eat the same basic grain the mares get (how much they get depends on how greedy the mare is about her food.) When they are weaned they sometimes come in for a feeding if they look like they need to put weight on. Otherwise, they are on grass until they leave or go to the sales. The sales yearlings get pumped with grain 3 - 4 times a day and are fed haylage. I was allowed to prep one of the yearlings (Bluebird x Tudor Loom) my own way and he was only on 4 lbs of grain a day with plenty of hay (not haylage) and an hour of the horse walker plus handwalking. He was the fittest creature on the farm when I got done with him. He looked like a racehorse, not a fat lazy yearling.
All men are equal on the turf - or under it.
kylendiamond wrote:Do you think that there would be a decent possibility that the problem with my mare's legs was physitis? She is now 4, I got her shortly before she turned 2. At that time, she was 15 hands, she reached maybe 15.3 by the time she was 3 and quit. She is quite toed out.
When I got her, she was a bit plump (had to work at feeling the ribs) even though she wasn't yet a full 2 yrs. (22 months) Had she possibly been fattened up and done most of her growing too early? She is pure TB. I also own her half-uncle, he is only very slightly toed out.
Toeing is usually a genetically passed trait, reliant on bone formation. Developmentally, offset is more likely to be an environmental trait. Like cow hocks, sickle hocks, ewe neck, parrot mouth, etc., toeing out is a conformation fault.
So Run for the Roses, as fast as you can.....