Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Dr. Getty
Hi C.C.,
Actually, I don't like the Triple Crown Growth formula because it has oats. High starch diets increase the incidence of osteopathic disorders in growing horses.
The Triple Crown Senior, therefore, is a feasible choice because it does not contain oats. But, it has problems:
1) It is lower in lysine. Growing horses need additional lysine and should have at least 44 grams per day of this essential amino acid.Feeding, let's say, 3 lbs of Triple Crown Senior to your youngster would only provide 4.7 grams of lysine.
It is best to have your hay tested to determine how much lysine your youngster is getting. And, add alfalfa to his diet, to boost the overall protein quality in his diet.
You can add lysine to diet by supplementing Pure Lysine.
2) Another factor to pay attention to is the fat content. Growing horses should have more fat. And, they also need omega 3 fatty acids. So, additional flaxseed from Nutra Flax (contains no oats, and is stabilized) would be a good choice.
3) It is not high enough in trace minerals. Growing horses require additional minerals and either
If your horse is more than a year old, you can feed Triple Crown Low Starch along Nutra Flax. And, if you're feeding less than 6 lbs per day (which you likely are), add Mare/Foal IIP to fill in the nutritional gaps.
So, bottom line... you can feed Equine Senior or Low Starch, along with additional lysine and Nutra Flax. Give him all the grass hay he wants, plus 30% of the hay ration as alfalfa. And feed according to directions or consider adding a vitamin/mineral supplement designed for growing horses.
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO
Outstanding. He's been getting the Nutraflax and I have Lysine. I'll begin adding the Lysine and have the hay checked. Thanks so much
Where are you from? Maryland
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