Some new pictures of my two girls (pic heavy)

[wingnut]

I've been meaning to find time to take some new pics of our two girls. I'm told that the mare, Cha Cha, is a sorrell tobiano. She is 10 years old. I would like her top line to be a little fuller and am trying to do that slowly with beet pulp right now. Her mane is sensational. It stays completely tangle-free almost 100% of the time. Her forelock was to her nose when we first got her but we cut that back after getting tired of having to braid it daily. She is registered AMHA and stands at about 33.5".

This is our yearling, Izzy. If you'd care to, please give input /share your best guess on what color she would be classified under. Her dam is registered as black (AMHR) and her sire is registered (AMHR) as a buckskin pinto. Maternal grandsire is registered buckskin with maternal granddam registered as black. Paternal grandsire is registered black and paternal granddam is dun. She currently stands at 31.5". I think she's a little too round in the belly but am not sure what to do about it, if anything.

These aren't the greatest pics....I need a lot more practice! A level spot would probably be a good thing too.

Thanks for looking.

Joy

 

[Tatonkas Dream]

I am no color expert but I'd test Izzy for the creame gene.

My first guess would be she's smokey black.

others would be dark bay/seal bay or brown.

 

[kaykay]

I agree with smokey black or some kind of cream

The first mare needs quite a bit of weight if she was mine I would up her grain (slowly) plus have the beet pulp

The second mare just has a slight tummy probably from lack of excercise. Unless you are going to show her I wouldnt worry about it. If she gets pasture or free choice hay its probably gut fill

 

[wingnut]

I agree with smokey black or some kind of cream
The first mare needs quite a bit of weight if she was mine I would up her grain (slowly) plus have the beet pulp

The second mare just has a slight tummy probably from lack of excercise. Unless you are going to show her I wouldnt worry about it. If she gets pasture or free choice hay its probably gut fill

Thanks for the input. I was starting to worry that they must be pretty ugly or something else was wrong considering the lack of responses

Then I told myself to get a grip.

I do plan to have the yearling tested for her color.

The mare is currently getting 1lb of 14% sweet feed plus 3 cups (dry before soaking) of beet pulp (no molasses) per feeding, 2x a day. I'm concerned about giving her too much in a single feeding. Or what else to add to these two things. I agree she needs more weight though! I was warned she was a hard-keeper when I bought her.

Both horses are on pasture between 10-12 hours a day. Their current pasture is very chewed down but not quite a dry lot. They have access to hay all day but we rarely see them eat it. They both have had a whole flake (each) in the hay bags in their stalls for the last 10 days. In each bag, that flake is almost gone but it gives you an idea of how little hay they actually eat in a 24 hour period. They have access 24/7 to their stalls as our barn is also their run-in shed.

The yearling gets 1/2 lb of the same 14% sweet feed per day which is divided between the two feedings. She could use more exercise but I'm concerned about a) how much to work her for her age and b) my lack of horse experience means I'm not 100% sure exactly what to do beyond simply walking her. I do plan to work with a trainer starting at the end of July just to learn basic horsemanship skills when it comes to this type of thing.

Showing is not currently in our plans. Just learning how to take care of these girls the best way we can is our primary goal right now. I hope to train the yearling to pull a cart (for fun) if we find she turns out to be a good candidate physically and temperment wise by the time she's two.

I am also considering having a sit down meeting with our local feed mill equine expert. Finally, the vet is coming in early August after our weanling arrives. I plan to get his input on what's the best way to get and keep these ladies in good condition.

And as always, I read as many of the feeding posts on these boards to continue my info gathering!

 

[maplegum]

Are you sure that your hay is ok? That's strange that they aren't eating it, or very little of it. It would make me think that there is something wrong with it. Id try them on a different hay - especially if you are trying to help one of them gain some weight.

They are both lovely looking ladies though. Cha Cha has a beautiful mane! If you aren't going to show the 2nd one, I also wouldn't worry about her weight. She looks really healthy with a beautiful shiny coat.

 

[wingnut]

Are you sure that your hay is ok? That's strange that they aren't eating it, or very little of it. It would make me think that there is something wrong with it. Id try them on a different hay - especially if you are trying to help one of them gain some weight.
They are both lovely looking ladies though. Cha Cha has a beautiful mane! If you aren't going to show the 2nd one, I also wouldn't worry about her weight. She looks really healthy with a beautiful shiny coat.

The hay comes from a good source...one we trust. It's timothy grass hay. No mold or anything odd about it. If we wanted to test it for it's nutritional value, where would we do that? I think they have enough fresh grass available still that they prefer it to the hay right now. They are eating it at night while in their stalls, just not in great quantities.

Thanks for the compliments on my girls

 

[WhiteTailsMinis]

Very nice girls! Love the shiny coats! Pretty girls! Joy -you need one of my boys for them! LOL

 

[kaykay]

I would get that mare off that sweet feed but I am a sweet feed nazi. Wont feed it to any horse ever. I would put her on a pelleted or complete pelleted feed. Whichever you can get. Then she will gain weight. Make all feed changes slowly.

 

[miniwhinny]

Oh my gosh...I just LOVE her color...whatever it is (the brown one lol) She may also have sooty going on with that dark face mask. Just a gorgeous color

 

[wingnut]

Oh my gosh...I just LOVE her color...whatever it is (the brown one lol) She may also have sooty going on with that dark face mask. Just a gorgeous color

Thanks miniwhinny!! We're pretty partial to her

KayKay: I know that sweet feed is not the preferred feed of some out there...I appreciate your input! We're close to being done with the feed we have on hand so that's why I'm looking into alternate options now so that we can start the switch and do it in the slow and easy fashion that's required.

I guess another thing to add to my to-do is figure out how to get the yearling tested for her color.