I'm adopting a 4 y/o OTTB gelding from Camelot and he's coming home tomorrow. He's at a healthy weight ride now, and I'm not planning on training him for a month. He will be in a grass paddock. What would you recommend feeding him to keep his weight normal, and of how much?Thank you. :)
Well, I have a Thoroughbred barrel horse, I don't know if he is OTTB or not, but he is very lean when i ride him a lot during race season, and i feed him Tucker Millings All Grain Feed. That's what all my horses get. although if you don't ride him you need to not feed as much as i do (5lbs of feed) maybe one or two pounds? And make sure you get him off grass some because he will founder!
a commercialy prepared blend of beet pulp and some grain. high in fat, 10 - 15% protein and lo sugar. sugar is the enemy of most TB. No corn! Makes them hot. I would also avoid oats. try the commercially prepared beetpulp based feed. I disagree with ron sr. ive had at least 25 ottbs pass through my hands in 30 years. I have never been bucked off one of them at all. they are trained to go counter clockwise as well. they know how to walk, trot, canter and work both ways. they also know how to do flying changes. they are far easier to train than say a back yard horse that has never been exposed to anything. they will tolerate loud pa systems, large crowds of people, dentist, blacksmith an trailering. although some have only ever been on 18 wheelers it can be challenging to get them on a two horse. they will only run off with you if you hang on their mouths...especially if your outside hand goes up. I would recommend starting in hand work, and saddeling asap. even if you just get on and walk every day for 10 -15 minutes. they don't steer well..straight lines are hard. and they don't really know halt either.
Race horses are fed a diet very high in protein because they are worked on a daily basis but I would not feed that horse really high protein feed, I feed both my horses a 12% pelleted feed and for my 5 year old it only takes about 1/2 gallon 2 times a day to keep her in top condition. I also would not let that horse stand in a pasture for 30 days unless you plan on re breaking and completely starting over with everything. Race horses are not what we consider broke and trained to ride they will carry a small person for a short distance in a left hand circle that is what they were trained to do so training should begin the day he gets to you, most OTTB will still buck you off.
