Young horse feeding guidance stresses steady growth, not speed

A pair of sponsored equine nutrition articles from The Horse and Equus is putting fresh attention on a familiar clinical message: feeding young, growing horses is less about pushing growth and more about keeping it steady, balanced, and developmentally sound. The The Horse article, published March 26, 2025, frames nutrition as a modifiable risk factor in developmental orthopedic disease, emphasizing diet design from late gestation through early training, careful control of energy intake, and balanced mineral ratios, especially calcium-to-phosphorus and zinc-to-copper. Equus reinforces the same theme, with Sentinel nutrition experts warning against abrupt feed changes at weaning, group feeding that creates uneven intake, and calorie restriction that also cuts needed protein, vitamins, and minerals. (thehorse.com)

Why it matters: For veterinarians and equine nutrition advisers, the takeaway isn't new, but it is clinically important: rapid or uneven growth, excess dietary energy, and mineral imbalance remain central risk factors for developmental orthopedic disorders in foals and yearlings. University of Minnesota guidance similarly recommends moderate, steady growth, notes that foals 3 to 9 months old are at greatest risk for these disorders, and advises keeping calcium-to-phosphorus ratios in the 1:1 to 3:1 range while monitoring trace minerals and forage quality. That gives practitioners a practical framework for counseling breeders and pet parents who may equate faster growth with better development. (extension.umn.edu)

What to watch: Expect continued emphasis on ration balancing, weaning management, and forage-first feeding strategies as equine clinicians and feed companies focus on lowering DOD risk in young horses. (thehorse.com)