I have a just-turned-three PMU filly from Canada as well. She is 1/2 Morgan and 1/2 Percheron, solid black and the sweetest barn favorite! She took well to training (ground-only until her growth plates are closed - vet said could be 4 or 5 years old). She doesn't know how huge she is. She adopted two babies at at the ranch and protects them. Nobody else can touch Kali's feed or hay except these little fillies.

I have six rescued cats (three still semi-feral; three were feral and are now lap kitties), one rescued dog, Chica (taken to kill shelter at 8 years old b/c owner having a baby), two horses, one adopted, and 12 goldfish rescued from the bait shop!

I have been feeding Kali a relatively high-fat and low-carb diet. The barn owner has a Clydesdale and feeds him CUPS of oil per meal. I don't want to do that with Kali unless there is a compelling reason for it. I feed Ultium/Equine Junior with Vita Bran (rice bran with joint supplement), hay and some alfalfa. She is my first draft and I want to feed her correctly without being drastic unless necessary.

So, here are my questions:
I have always heard that drafts mature more slowly and are not full-grown until maybe 5? People ask when I am going to start riding Kali but she is still such a baby and still growing.

My vet wants her to have Equine Junior at three years old. I mix it with Ultium b/c of the higher fat content and beet pulp. Does this sound like a "normal" diet for a draft cross?

I know there are as many opinions as horse guardians, but I would love to see them all. When I get a host site I will post some photos of Miss Kali.

Karen Daw
Liberty Hill, Tx

Hi Karen,

It sounds to me like your diet for Kali is fine, though I would be careful not to load her up too full of grain. I'm no professional, so I'll leave diet suggestions to someone who is. As far as when to start training, I would certainly say get her under the saddle this year. You don't have to do any real strenuous work, but this is a good time to get her used to the weight of the saddle, how it feels and sounds. If you have a nice big round pen you can longe a little, but its not the best for young horses.

What I did with my Koa was when she was 2 and 3, I was preparing her for "real training". Do the simple stuff: Leading, bathing, despooking, behaving for ferrier, clippers, etc. Koa is QH/Paint/Percheron, so she is a little less draft than your mare. She's four now, and I would think Kali would be just fine being trained to ride as a four year old as well. But, while she's still three, just start introducing her to the saddle but don't do any real strenuous work with her. Again, I'm no professional but I know this from experience. We also have a QH/Belgian that is in his four year old year and we have started his training. Most importantly, progress as slowly as each individual horse needs. Good luck!

Karis

Hi there!
I've a four year old PMU gelding from Canada too. Like you he is my first cross and he is the love of my life. I still worry about feed etc. but your program sounds pretty good to me. I feed Guinness oil as well as beat pulp and progressive along with it. (And MSM as well as Legend IM injections once monthly.) He did have some extra bone growth in both pasturns as a two when I had some baseline xrays done. I've followed up and so far things are settling down in there.

I started him young, two year old, but only walking and jogging. We would ride in the orchard (flat and good footing) next door and never anything too stessful. He's just fine and is still being taken ever so slowly. I've only loped him a handful of times as I'm waiting for those legs to close up as well. This Friday is our spring Xray party so hopefully we will get more good news.

Good luck with your baby and I hope you love her as much as I love G.

kathy

Hi Karen,

I have a TB/Perch cross that will be three. I have been taking training classes with her. We started last fall and I saddled her for the first time. This fall, we are riding at a walk and trot only and doing very well. The one thing I wanted to say about the feed is this. I had Bella on a youth supplement and the vet told me to stop it. It was making her grow too fast. I have her on hay and a supplement for vitamins & calcium. She is doing great! Good luck with your filly.

Just wanted to add something about breaking draft horses here.

I am from Britain and there we normally break our draft breeds like our native breeds which is to do basic gentle ground training and backing at 3 years old. Normally this is nothing more than getting on them and being lead around a paddock at a walk a few times.
Then we turn them back out and continue just minor ground work while they continue to mature.
This way they have some idea of what is expected of them in breaking while they are still smaller and somewhat easier to control. Getting this message across with a mature draft can be pretty hard lol.
I broke 3 shires this way and at 5 years when we brought them back in they slipped right back into the routine of being saddled and harnessed without much fuss.
But when they were 3 years and didn't want to do something I was glad they were not the extra few hundred pounds and another hand taller.
It's nerve racking enough when a 17hh shire decides to get frisky without the person on the ground not standing a chance once they reached 18.2hh

Thank you guys so much for the advice on Kali!

I talked to her vet and took her off junior feed. She doesn't eat much grain as she has grazing and free-choice hay.

I like the idea of getting her under saddle briefly this year. It makes so much sense and I really appreciate the recommendations!

The barn owner did get on bareback while I walked Kali in the round pen. She wasn't a bit upset - just sniffed her boots a little and carried on.

Kali stands for vet and farrier, bathing and grooming, loads like a dream and manuevers well on lead.

OK, I feel a lot more confident now.

I can tell we all love our draft crosses. Kali is such a lovely and willing horse and I am so lucky to have her.

Karen Daw