My underweight minimare

[stephmanietta]

Hi guys, I am new here. I know you are probably all tired of people wanting to know when there foal will arrive. I hate to do it, but I need a new set of eyes, and minds to take a look and help me out.

I have been around horses my whole life, but only this year started owning any.

In the spring I bought a mini mare from a lady who had just gotten her. I was told she had been in a big herd. She was shy and spooky. I was told she was in season when I got her. I got a mini stallion at the same time, not for breeding, just because I really liked him, he just happened to be a stud. I have kept them separated but close to each other. He has not shown any interest in her at all.

For the first few months I worked on getting her weight up and getting her used to me and to trust me. About 3 months ago she started loosing weight. I had changed to a new hay guy so I thought that was the problem. I have found a great hay guy now, all my other horses are fat and plump. I have been giving her the best feed and even weight gainers and she wasn't putting any weight on.

About 6 weeks ago I noticed she had a big belly sticking out on the sides. Despite how thin and tiny she is she has a belly.

About a week ago she started to get an udder. It has gotten a little bigger everyday since.

Her back end is really soft and her tail head seems loose. Friday I noticed she looks flat on the sides now.

Now I know that she will have it when she is ready and that most horses do just fine on there own and don't need any help. But I think with her being in poor health she will probably have a weak foal, and that if I am not there to help they may not be okay.

Can some of you experienced people please give me your opinion on how much longer?

This is her the end of July





This is last week

Aug 20th







Aug 25th

 

[Mousie96]

Ignore this post stupid phone of mine added a extra post

 

[Mousie96]

Hello and welcome to the nutty Nursery! I would say that she is getting close. But I am no expert. Can we get some straight on photos of her? Like at her level. She is very pretty! Can we get a udder shot?

 

WELCOME to our Nutty Nursery, and we're not tired of helping -- it's what we do!!!

A full side shot right down at her level, one from the back looking down her sides at her level and a quick udder shot would be great to look at.

In the meantime, tell us what she is eating, how frequently, etc., and maybe we can hep you get her built up so she's ready to go through her delivery and baby is healthy and strong.

Looks like she's close, but the few extra photos would certainly help!

Again, welcome, and we're here to answer ANY question you have, even if you think it's crazy! It's what we do and we like doing it, so no worries. You will get NO ATTITUDES here either. We don't allow them, and we're happy to have you join us with your pretty girl!!

 

[stephmanietta]

Thank you so much for the welcome, I posted about her at another forum, I lover her dearly and have tried very hard to get her healthy, I got attacked and treated like I had starved her nearly to death!

I will get more picture in the morning. She has stopped letting me look at her undercarriage. I even get behind her and she turns around. I guess she is feeling a little violated with all the looking I have been doing.

Her udder is getting bigger every day with not shrinking at all! This morning she had a tiny bit of what looked to be pinkish discharge, just a little, maybe the start of a mucus plug?

She was eating stategy for the last 3 months since the weight loss started. She has free choice hay and a field of grass, not fertilized pasture, just grass but she eats plenty of both.

The end of june when I started to think she could be in foal I changed her to Strategy healthy edge and put her on a weight gain powder the vet recommended. She is getting half a full size horse dose, vet said there was no such thing as overdoing it.

She gets a pound twice a day, I tried doing smaller meals 3 times a day, but she didn't ever finish the mid-day meal or the evening meal.

She is making me crazy! I have all Dogs, rabbits, chickens, and sugargliders and I have never missed a birth. With the exception of the dogs, none have ever needed my assistance but the idea that they might and I could miss it because I don't know when to expect it and she does it in the middle of the night...drives me insane!

I wish she would just tell me! I have read horror stories of not-so-healthy mares having foals to weak to stand and suckle and I am terrified of something like that and me not finding them until morning, so scary!

Again that's for the help, I will get pics ASAP

 

[eagles ring farm]

Try not to stress too much the aunties here are fabulous and will help you every step of the way when possible

No question is a silly question to ask, so don't hesitate to ask them

All friends here in the same situations at 1 time or another

We all stress waiting for mares to foal ...and the company here is funny, friendly and very knowledgeable

and very willing to help

so that said Welcome from NJ ...and wishing you a healthy foaling

 

[countrymini]

Hello and welcome! A good place to be here, all the aunties are a great help and nobody will act like they are the only human alive capable of looking after a horse in this forum! Cant wait to see your new baby and hopefully she starts putting on weight for you again soon.

 

[AnnaC]

Hi and welcome from Wales in the UK. Thats a very pretty mare you have there and I'm thinking that she's very lucky to have found you! Please can we have her name and yours too? I cant really advise on any particular feed as mostly ours are different over here, but I'm wondering if she should be on a mare and foal feed now - not sure if the Strategy is suitable for foals to eat (they do nibble at their Mommas food very shortly after birth a lot of the time), plus the same regarding the weight gain additive, perhaps someone you or someone can fill me in about these feeds and the amounts that should be given?

Apart from the wonderful pictures that you are going to post for us - if you are anything like me you will miss aim the camera or the naughty animal being photographed will move at the wrong minute LOL!! - could we please know a little more about your sweet girl - height, age etc plus your worming programme for her and do you know if she has foaled before??

Like you, I would be a bit concerned about her recent weight loss, but she may just be one of those mares who is throwing everything into their foal during the last month of pregnancy. And yes, it is absolutely essential that you be there for the birth so very soon now we are going to be telling you to start camping out right alongside her stall/in the barn - forget hourly checks, forget 15 minute checks, forget leaving her to go to the loo/make coffee or tea/find food for yourself, your eyes must never leave her until after she foals (unless of course you can find or have available a nice friendly helper to take over the watching and give you a break) and, knowing these sneaky cunning little mares, once she gets you into a complete Zombie like state with a couple of toothpicks holding your eyelids open, she will foal!! I jest of course, but you get the picture, we have all been there and are extremely envious of those rare lucky owners whose mares choose to follow the book and pop their babies out right on cue - actually not too sure if we have ever had one of those mares on this forum??

Anyway after all that woffle (it's a habit of mine!) try not to stress too much, we will do our best to help get this little baby safely on the ground for you and your pretty girl. Again a big welcome to the famous Nutty Nursery, glad to have you aboard.

 

[stephmanietta]

My name is Stephanie, Hers is Molly, or Dynamite depending on who you ask. The stud I got with her is Napolean, so my mom likes Dynamite, the kids wanted Molly though. She responds to both.

When I first got her she was very untrusting. I was told she had come from a very big herd of Miinis and that she was rather low in the pecking order and had been bullied. For the first month she would run from me and I could hardly catch her. Bath time was like a rodeo event and grooming wasn't much better. She ran off my farrier and the kids were afraid of her.

about 4 months in I realized my stategy that worked well with the big horses was lost on her. The big guys if you force them to do the routine dispite resistance will soon realized they have to do it and accept that and work with me....Molly though fought the bath just as hard the hundredth time as she did the first. So I started setting her out into my huge open yard in the morning and letting her "free range" all day. That way she didn't feel caged and threatened. She was able to observe us from whatever distance she liked and after a week like that she began coming to me when I walked outside. Now she follows me around like a puppy, the kids to. She walks to them to be pet and loved on.

She is a very sweet little mare! I believe her to be under 3. The vet said 2-3.

She is wormed every 3 months and I rotate like the vet said. All the horses are done together.

 

Strategy Healthy Edge is only 12.5% protein -- not enough in this late stage of pregnancy for her to gain or even maintain weight and still grow a foal inside. That's why is isn't working on her and she's losing the weight. All her calories are going to grow this baby, so at this point, I would change her to Purina Omolene 300 -- which is their mare/foal feed, and it's 16% protein which is what momma needs to grow a healthy and strong foal. Plus, it's perfect for the little one to be nibbling once baby hits the ground.

If you can find some Alfalfa hay, cubes or pellets, I would also add them to her diet, as they will give her a healthy boost of the protein, without having to "stuff" herself. It's also a tummy soother, so should help her feel comfortable.

Since she's starting out on the "low" side -- losing her topline -- I think if you make this change, you will quickly see improvement. We need to get some extra protein into her, to help baby grtow strong bones and muscles and a bit of fat during these last weeks.

Looking forward to more pictures of her, and so glad you joined us here. We've had several mares that were rescues that started out underweight deliver strong healthy babies, so we're here to help you get a strong, healthy baby safely to the ground, too!!

You might also read the pinned topics at the top of this forum for some extra help as preparation for the delivery. There's lots of good information, and will help you prepare and "see" things that you might have to ready to do.

Can't wait to see more pictures of her!

 

[stephmanietta]

More pictures!



This is the best udder shot she would let me get, is there a better position you guys need to see to work your magic?

This one may be a little to up close!



Again best I could do, she gets annoyed with me even being at that end of her these days!





From the side



Here is from behind a little further back.....all at her level, would be better pics if I could run faster on my knees

 

[MountainWoman]

Welcome to the Nutty Nursery. The mares seem to all foal on their own time schedule and while she looks fairly close to me they can keep you guessing. You said the vet thought she was 2 or 3 if I read correctly? Then in all likelihood this will be her first foal. The other Aunties can give you great tips on dealing with a maiden mare. Anyway glad to see you on this board with us and we look forward to supporting you through this time.

 

[AnnaC]

From those pics I would say that you have a little while to go yet - not long but hopefully another week or two but with her condition she could be further along than we think.

If you can get her feed changed as Diane suggested, that would be great, although you will have to do it over several days so as not to upset her system, and get her up to the amount recommended for her height (I wont say weight as it is now, but you can take an educated guess as to what she should weigh for her height) or a bit above.

I'm hoping that she is a 3 year old rather than a 2 - has she got her front two adult teeth yet, usually they change/appear when a horse is 2 1/2 years old?

Really keeping my fingers crossed for her and her little baby - good luck!

 

[stephmanietta]

Well am just really glad I don't have neighbors, I am certain the people in the white coats would have come for me after I was reported for following my little mare around everyday at 6 am saying "please come back Molly, I just want to see your Boobs!"

 

[countrymini]

haha, my neighbours would be able to see me from their house. I do wonder what they think of me lol

 

[stephmanietta]

She seemed to have a lot of relaxing in the vulva area today. Before now she has had ridge type things on it, but this afternoon she looked very smooth and maybe even a bit swollen. How long do they usually stay that way? and is it normal to be able to see that kind of change as the day progresses, or is that a sign that things are moving quickly?

 

[targetsmom]

Welcome to the Nutty Nursery! I once had a big horse mare that wasn't supposed to be pregnant (dealer I bought her from kept telling me she was not bred!) so my mare also lost a lot of weight before she foaled and you could clearly see her ribs. Her foal (a mule!) was born in late November and was the healthiest foal I ever had. Of course that was a big horse foal, and not at all like the experience I have had with minis. But the reason your mare is losing so much weight is because she is channeling almost all her nutrition to baby. I did not read all the responses but I would be gradually increasing her grain - a mare and foal feed preferably - up to the amount shown on the bag for a nursing mare.

I pay the most attention to the udder and milk when I wait for the mare to foal, but then, I also have the mare on camera. The best indicator I have found for imminent foaling is when a drop or two of milk is amber colored and STICKY!. I would suggest you read some of the other threads on here and especially the ones pinned at the top to see photos of mares as they are very near foaling..

 

[stephmanietta]

Here is her udder this morning. Seems to have gotten huge overnight!



This is kinda under her a little, she wouldn't keep still. It doesn't really show how huge it is from behind.lol

 

If it says up this much all day -- not going down after exercise -- I'd say you're getting very close. Hopefully, you're changing her over to a higher protein diet, so baby doesn't pull so much from her -- and will also get the good protein for strong bones and muscles.

She's looking good in the udder development!! Keep us posted!

 

[stephmanietta]

Her udder went down a tiny bit before dark. I am getting her switched to the mare and foal feed. I am going to keep the weight supplement until the baby is born. It also has a lot of protein. She seems to have put on a bit of weight just in the last week. I cant see her ribs anymore! she still has a ways to go, but the progress is encouraging.

Anyone have a guess whether I am looking at days or weeks?

Oh almost forgot, all evening she looked like she was really sweaty around her udder. The inside of her back legs and whole underside was soaked. She didn't seem to be in distress and was not sweaty anywhere else. Anyone ever seen that happen?