Bad Momma

[triplethorsefarm]

Last year a few of my mares got pulled down from their foals and poor quality hay. As soon as they starting loosing i put them on beet pulp and vowed never to feed anything but bermuda hay. Well, it worked wonderfulyl and they all gained weight and look wonderful. I was so please by how well their toplines were looking, that I didn't pay enough attention to their necks. Now two of my mares are beginning to develop a cresty neck!!!!

They are both infoal, one due in apprx 6 weeks and one due in July. The one that is due in July I am not as concerned about because I know her foal will help reduce some of her weight. The one due in July still has quite a ways to go. My question is how should I safely take the weight off them so far along in their pregnancy. Should I simple cut their feed in half or take them off feed all together? To give you some background info, they hay free choice to a bermuda round bale, 3 cups of a complete pelleted feed and get 2 cups dry beet bulp (I do soak it

) I am concerned if I take them off completely their bodies will lack essentail vitamins and nutrients. ANy sugegstions would be great. The rest of the herd is plump but no cresty necks thank goodness, so they are just going to be receiving less feed and beet pulp. Thanks in advance

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

If I were you, I would let them still have free choice hay access but I would slowly reduce their grain amount until you get them down to eating half of what they are now. I'd be afraid to take them off feed 100% but I would reduce grain and still let them eat free choice hay.

Hope this helps!

 

[Ellen]

I think with free choice hay the beatpulp on the mare due later, could certainly go without. Maybe restart in her last month if you feel it nessecary.

If you cut feed down, I would reccomend add in a mineral suppliment. I love MoorMans by ADM, but Purina has Enrich 32 or Enrich 12.

I am like you, so leary to change my girls when they are bred!

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Just a word of caution; if you cut the calorie intake too quickly and the horse begins to burn body fat too fast, particularly with bred mares who may be due soon and have to pull calories to feed their foal, you could overload her system with lipids (fats) and push her into hyperlipemia. This is not to say you should not try to take weight off of them but slow and steady is safest.