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myfirstmini

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I'm new here and new to minis. We just got our first and she's a 10 year old mare that we hope to breed in a month or so. I was told she needs to lose weight before we breed her and I don't have a clue how to do this. I did a search on here for feeding and I've read and read, but I'm just more confused. I know feeding, etc. is an individual thing, but I would appreciate any suggestions or advice anyone has to offer about feeding, excercise, and or suppliment feeding. Right now she is being kept in a dry lot and gets a hay twice a day. I've been letting her graze a couple of times a day. And now I know how people getting hooked on these sweet babies - I've been ignoring my big horse because I just love being with the little ones.
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thank you in advance
 
Do you have a picture so we can see what kind of shape she is in?

Does she get grain at all?
 
This is the day we brought her home. She was not being fed any grain where she was and we have not added any.

Hope a picture comes up

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That's a cute little mare! Welcome here!

She donsn't look particularly overweight to me although the picture is small. It appears she is still in winter coat so the only way to really judge her weight is to feel under that hair. Can you feel ribs or back bone easily? Or do they have a good cover of fat? You want to have some fat over them.

If you're planning on breeding her then you want to be sure her diet is balanced in vitamins and minerals. I always suggest a 'diet balancer' type of product that is designed for the type of hay she is being fed. Progressive and Buckeye make good ones and have web sites where you can investigate them and read about their products. She probably doesn't need 'grain' if her weight is good but she does need vitamin/mineral supplementation.

Here our broodmares are maintained on Progressive Diet Balancer for the type of hay they are on, alfalfa pellets for weight control and after foaling when WAY more calories are needed besides a BIG increase in hay and alfalfa pellets they get beet pulp added and a bit of oats to balance the high calcium beet pulp.

My primary concern is keeping the minerals in balance in order to prevent problems.

Welcome to the wonderful world of miniature horses!

Charlotte
 
To me, she really doesn't look too fat. She looks more out of "condition", than she does fat. She looks to have a typical brookmare figure, but not what I would consider fat.
 
Any chance she is already bred?
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It may just be the winter hair, but with that pointy looking belly, she almost looks like a couple of my broodmares that have just dropped and are due any day.

Another thing to consider.....sometimes minis get a big ol' belly on them, but when you feel through the hair you can still feel ribs and hip bones on them. It may be that she is wormy. You might check on when her last de-worming was.

Just a couple of thoughts! Best wishes. She looks like a real sweety.
 
You might be better off having a vet give her the once over before changing her diet. Sometimes these mares can surprise you with a baby under all that winter hair. I have a whole barn full of mares that look about like that about now.
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Okay, you guys, you just blew my socks off. After seeing all those "may be pregnant" responses I had to drive out to the barn and check her out. She really doesn't look as "pointy" to me as she did in the picture. I'll try to get another picture tomorrow and post it. I can't get to the vet until next week but we sure will check it out.

Now let's just say for now that she is not pregnant but we want to breed her in April or May - how should I start feeding her.
 
Yep, she looks like mine about due in a few weeks.
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I would think just a basic diet for now to see how she deals with it. Maybe a complete grain and hay twice a day. And since you want to breed, be sure to find one with lots of nutrients for her. But mares are mares. And if they've been a broodmare, some don't get their dainty shape back afterwards (like some of us women). Just make sure you keep her thin enough so that she doesn't founder on you. Besides that, keep her happy! A happy mare is the best! Exercise helps too. Maybe have some bonding time and go for a nice walk each day around the neighborhood or just lunge her for 15 minutes.
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Welcome and good luck with her!
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Thanks Is there any other signs I could look for to tell if she's pregnant till I can get her to the vet?

I don't think she has been handled much before this. I sit with her while she grazes and she'll come over to check me and get a scratch every once in awhile. She hears us coming before she can see us and she seems to be waiting for us - she was suppose to be my granddaughters, but Papa and I are in love with her.It would be exciting if she was pregnant, but I was hoping to have more time to learn about mommy minis.
 
You can watch her udders and back end. I know there was some pics posted on here not too long ago about minis ready to foal. Do a search for that.
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I think www.southernheartranch.com (not sure about the link) has a good foaling page.
 
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