Skinny 4 year old

highlandsavvy · Skinny 4 year old

Magic is 4 this year, and although he is finally close to his mom in height he is still so skinny! Not skinny as in ribby, I can feel his ribs but not see them, and he does not look underwight to me, but he has no bulk. His hips are hollow and not rounded out and he still looks like a gangly baby. I know someone who owned his nephew and she said that he didn't bulk up until he was 5, but I still wonder if there is something missing from his diet. He reminds me of my brother who is in that gangly teenage boy stage right now, but he is 4 and so many other 4 year olds look like "real" horses. His mother was not like this when she was 4....
Anyway, any ideas for building muscle or bulking up a 4 year old?
He gets 2 1/2 cups alfalfa pellets and 2 cups whole oats twice a day, plus supplement and cocasoya. And he gets about 20 lbs of hay a day (that is, if he eats what his portion should be). Sometimes I wonder if he isn't getting enough to eat, but he never acts hungry. He takes forever to eat his dinner which his mother tries to help with and he always leaves the hay to come see what us people are up to.
I just worry about him, he's our first baby and I don't want to mess him up.

Erin

carefreegirl

He probably just hasn't filled out yet, my boy did not start filling out till he was 5 and did not finish filling out and growing till he was 6.

However if you are worried about it: have his teeth checked to make sure he doesn't have a problem there such as a retained cap, and to make sure he doesn't need to be floated--pain in the mouth can hinder eating and digestion/intake of nutrients.

You could also check for worms/deworm him as worms can take the nutrients away from a horse. you could also try feeding some probios as those are benificially bacteria that can help improve digestion/intake of nutrients. Could also check for sand in his system.

I bet though that he just hasn't filled out yet, but if it was me I'd be checking out the other possibilites too. Good Luck.

Pedestal*Pony

I would say that he needs more feed. It just seems that 2 1/2 cups alfalfa pellets and 2 cups whole oats twice a day, plus supplement and cocasoya arent enough for a young growing colt. What breed is he? This is just my own personal opinion.

carefreegirl

becky b

Can you separate him into a paddock/pasture/pen at night with his hay to ensure that he eats his share?

highlandsavvy

Thanks for all the responses.

carefreegirl- I'm glad to hear of more babies that filled out late, I just see so many 3 and 4 year olds that look all-grown-up that I worry sometimes.
He doesn't drop any of his food or seem to have any pain regarding eating, but I will have the vet check next time he is out just to be sure. And he gets a regular dewormer plus DE everyday so I don't think its worms, plus his coat is very shinny, not dull and wormy looking.

PedestalPony- He does get the hay in addition to his feed. He is a Morgan (his sire a full Lippitt) and I have heard that they are late developers.

Becky- I tried that before, but doesn't settle down and eat his hay, he just wants to be back with the others. He seems to think that he's missing out on something by being seperated.