Underweight mare

[NewToMini's]

I got 2 Miniature horses 2.5 weeks ago. A mare and her (now 9 month old) filly. The mare is a little underweight, though, and doesn't seem to be gaining weight anymore. She gained enough for her ribs to fill in, but then she stopped gaining and her spine is still sticking up.

I'm working them up to being out grazing either all day or all night (probably night since the mare is black), and today they will be out for 6 hours. They also get 2-3 flakes of hay per day (80% grass 20% alfalfa), and grain (14% protein, 8 cups per day for the mare, and 3 per day for the filly).

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I would check the mare's teeth and make sure that's fine. Also a fecal wouldn't hurt.

Another thing I would do is give her a good quality senior feed, and the foal on a good junior feed and if they aren't already I would wean the foal.

 

[NewToMini's]

She's only 8 years old and they're both on Purina brand Miniature Horse and Pony feed. The filly's weight is perfect.

And I was wondering if the mare's teeth were a problem, the previous owners kept record of everything (which they gave me with the horses), and they never had her teeth floated (they had her for a year and a half - I don't know if her teeth were done before they got her). And worms shouldn't be a problem, she was just dewormed by a vet last month.

 

[wingnut]

If you think it's been more than a year since her teeth were done, I'd do that no matter what. Do you separate them when they are getting their grain so you know she's getting her 8 cups and the little one isn't sneaking some from her? If not, I would do that so that you know she's getting everything you give her. Are they sharing that 2-3 flakes per day or is that per horse? Again, for a time, I'd likely give her her own 2-3 flakes of hay per day. After these 2 things (floating and making sure she's getting her fair share of the grain/hay), you could try a high calorie supplement to add to her feed. Some go with straight oil, some use rice bran oil, some use a pelleted supplement.

Give it a little more time. She may be stressed about the move to a new location, even without any outward signs. By mid summer if she's not gaining any more weight or losing (and not other concerning symptoms emerge), a baseline test panel of blood work may be in order. I've been down the road with a hard-to-put-weight-on mare and in the end, all of the feeding things we tried were to no avail because it was a systemic problem in her digestive track, not a lack of calorie problem. My mare's condition is highly unusual though, so it's more likely you've just got to find the right balance for this one.

P.S. Post pics if you can. Sometimes what we see as too fat or too skinny may be a distortion that others can confirm to be otherwise.

 

[Minimor]

I would look at something other than the mini and pony feed. I know a number of people whose horses have not done well on that feed.

 

[Brody]

One additional thought since it is a mare and her nine-month old filly - is the filly completely weaned? Make sure momma's udder is all dried up, and if not separate them until it is. This past year my mare was starting to lose some weight with her then 5 month old filly. I was planning on weaning at 6 months, but started a bit sooner because of the weight loss (and following vet recommendation and the recommendation of most others on here). I also started giving her a daily serving of bran mash and that helped her get back to a good weight within about a month. If the filly is still sneaking a drink here and there that could be a big contributor to the mare's weight loss.

 

[chandab]

A horse doesn't have to be a senior to eat senior feed. Senior feed is easy to digest so good for all ages, and also good for those that need to gain weight.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

My hard keeper 12.3hh pony filly gets an extruded 'mare and foal' feed - it's made by blue seal. It's 16% protein, 8.5% fat, 10% fiber. I feed about 4lbs a day of it. She also gets some 'weight builder' (I think it's called 'cool calories' or something to that effect) which is straight powdered vegetable oil, a ration balancer, and some hoof and coat. I've never had a hard keeper in my life, and generally don't like supplements, but after just 2 weeks of this ration it's made huge improvements on her!

 

[NewToMini's]

I can't separate the mare and foal, because there's only one stall in the barn right now. The filly isn't completely weaned, but the mare is weaning her. The mare eats all of her grain, and sometimes she gets some of the filly's, too (filly doesn't always eat her full portion, and always spills some on the ground), I stay with them while they eat. They share the hay, but if I give them more than the 2-3 flakes, then they waste half of it.

 

[NewToMini's]

You can't really tell in these pictures (too much hair, lol), but here are some pictures of her. I'll maybe get some better pictures tomorrow. And it's just her spine that's thin now (maybe just needs muscle?), her belly almost makes her seem overweight now (ribs can be felt, but not easily). These pictures were taken a week ago.

 

[NewToMini's]

Also, I do plan to get their teeth done, but it will have to be in 3 weeks (5 weeks if I get the filly done, too, but I don't know that she needs it). I need to get booster shots next week for the filly, and a pair of boots if I have any money left after the vet (my boots are litterally falling apart, the sole is halfway off of one of the boots, and the toe is coming off the other).

 

[Jean_B]

This mare is grossly underweight.

1) Separate them NOW....put a divider in that stall if you have to.

2) Teeth on the mare...foal won't need it until 2 or 3 (when the caps come loose).

3) Worming regimen after doing a fecal, but it wouldn't hurt to give them some Ivermectin right away.

4) A good high energy (12 or 14 percent protein with a high fat level) grain

5) Lots of HIGH quality clean hay....free choice.

Scrap the boots...this mare needs help now.

 

[chandab]

Looking at the mare, the filly is still nursing more than you think and pulling the mare down. Separate them, find a way. For ease of feeding, I think I'd get a good senior feed for her; my preference would be Triple Crown Senior (it costs a little more than some, but has everything she needs in one bag)

 

[NewToMini's]

Separating them really isn't an option right now, I should be able to separate them after my sister sells her sheep, but I don't know how soon that will be.

And I'll try the senior feed, but for right now, would adding vegetable oil to her grain help? How much would I use?

And I decided to up the hay, I'll start giving them enough so that they have half a flake or more left in the stall when I turn them out to graze.

 

[chandab]

Go with the senior feed, and if you can get triple crown senior, it has plenty of fat in it already, so need to add more (vegetable oil is mostly fat, so no need to add it to a higher fat feed; and really messy, so I don't use it).

 

[REO]

Welcome here and welcome to minis

You've had good info posted to you here. I agree with them and I think your mare will greatly benefit from having the 9 month old "yearling" off of her. I hope you can get them separated soon. Let us know how they're doing.

 

[LRMiniatureShetlands]

If she were my mare this is what I would do and please understand, this is just my opinion, others may disagree with me.

*Separate them, immediately!

*Change her feed to a high fat / high protein feed - I do not like the Purina Miniature Horse and Pony feed and no longer use it at all. Change her feed slowly.

*Safeguard (fenbendazole) Power Dose dewormer for 5 consecutive days.

*Free access hay (preferably a good alfalfa mix, at least 50/ 50) or grass.

*Then depending on how she looks in a few weeks, I might put her on a daily dewormer (pellets) for a while....just depends on how she does when no longer with the filly and on a better feed.

Good luck with your mare!

 

[NewToMini's]

Here are pictures from today

 

[NewToMini's]

Chandab, I don't think I can get Triple Crown, I was just looking at tractorsupply.com and didn't see it on the site. Here are the brands of senior feed on the site (May go to the store later today and see which ones my TSC carries): Blue Seal Sentinel, Nutrena Safe Choice, Purina (is it a bad brand, or is it just the mini feed that isn't good?), and Dumor.

What protein and fat % should I look for?

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

Sentinel makes a fabulous mare and foal feed. It's in a hot pink bag.

However until you get that filly off the mare, your efforts will probably be futile.