Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Dr. Getty
Hi Becky,
I think that the feeding instructions are way too high. At five months of age, it is often recommended that they get 1 lb per month of age, but this is generally way too much for a youngster.
And, the Platform feed is too high in starch, and you run the risk of osteopathic disorders.
So, I would suggest feeding him all the grass hay and/or pasture he wants, add some alfalfa to his diet (1 flake per day that weighs approximately 4 lbs), and reduce his meal size of the Safe Choice to approximately 1.5 lbs per meal. To this, add a good multiple vitamin/mineral supplement designed for growing horses such as Mare/Foal IIP.
I would also have your hay analyzed, if possible, because you want to know how much lysine he's getting. Lysine is an essential amino acid (building block of protein) and without enough of it, he will not be able to adequately build body tissue. This is very important for growth. So, have your hay analyzed locally or contact Equi-Analytical and have them send you a free forage-collecting kit (you don't need the probe them recommend). I recommend getting the second forage test -- the "Equi-Tech" test. If you need help evaluating the results, I can assist you with that.
In the meantime, until you know your lysine levels, consider adding additional lysine.
For example, three pounds of Safe Choice contains 11 grams of lysine (.8%) and he may be getting approximately 20 grams (that's an estimate) from his forage, so you'd want to add 12 more grams of lysine. Pure Lysine is a good choice since you get 4 grams in one small scoop.
Thanks for writing!!
Dr. Getty 
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO