Question

A feed-store employee recommended that I feed my seven-month-old Hanoverian (500 lb or 280 kg) a balancer pellet. I have noticed, however, that the same store carries textured feeds specifically for growing horses. What’s the right feed for my weanling, and how much should I be feeding him?

Answer

Hanoverians can be easy keepers, although not all are. Some Hanoverian weanlings tend to carry a lot of body fat for their age. You do not mention what the body condition of your weanling is, but if it was suggested that you feed him the ration balancer then I suspect that he is not lacking for body condition.

A ration balancer is a type of feed designed to supply the protein, minerals, and vitamins needed to support growth and well-being without a lot of extra calories. The recommended feeding rate is much lower than typical horse feeds. If your weanling becomes overconditioned (too fat) easily and you are feeding good-quality forage, then feeding 2 lb (0.9 kg) of the ration balancer would be the appropriate feed.

However, if the foal is of normal weight or thin and accustomed to receiving larger grain meals, then the textured feed formulated for growth would be the best feed. The recommended feeding rate on that feed would be around 5 lb (2.3 kg) per day for your weanling. When fed with adequate good-quality forage, this type of feed is formulated to supply the protein, mineral, vitamin, and caloric needs of the young growing horse, which is why there is a higher feeding rate.

Your choice of feed would depend on the current body condition of your colt and how much feed it will take to maintain proper body condition and to support healthy growth.