Update on Fancy's Diet

[StacyRz]

Thanks to all who offered feeding advice to help me get my mares weight down! I think she is looking thinner now that I have put her on a diet, as everyone recommended LOL I thought she was a little heavy, but apparently she was obese.

So what do you all think? Is she where she should be, still too fat? too thin?

She is 18 years old.

When I got her she was so fat I thought for sure she was pregnant, but now that her belly has gone down she doesn't look it anymore (though I still try to feel for movement lol) If she were pregnant she would be due in May.

Anyway, here are the before pictures

 

[StacyRz]

Today

 

[ohmt]

Perfect

That's exactly where I like my mares to be! Still a little bit of 'extras' there, but the perfect weight for winter.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

She looks fantastic. What are you feeding her now?

 

[StacyRz]

YAY!! Thanks for the compliments! I felt pretty vulnerable putting her pictures up, worrying that she didn't look as good as I thought -whew!

I am feeding her one cup of Equistages grain and one (pre-soaked) cup of beet pulp twice a day and she gets a half of a small flake of hay along with her grain twice a day.

I am worrying though because we are moving to our new home in the next few days and she will be going from a dry lot to one with lots of very green grass. I am worried 1) about colic and 2) her diet being ruined...

Any tips?

 

[albahurst]

I would keep her on dry lot and only intro grass VERY slowly. She looks fantastic!

 

[StacyRz]

Thank you for the compliment! I guess she can be considered an "easy keeper"

The problem is, at our new mini-ranch, there is no fenced area that doesn't have grass. I would have to keep her stalled most of the time, and the only time in her whole life she has been kept stalled is when she was foaling.

I plan on stalling my year and a half old and introducing him slowly, but the fellow I got Fancy from said she probably would not do well stalled up.

I don't know exactly what he meant by that... If it just means she may be a bit grumpy or blue, well then I will definitely stall her. Are there any safety issues I'd need to worry about if she is stalled?

Thanks in advance and sorry if the questions seem silly... I'm still learning

 

[albahurst]

Thank you for the compliment! I guess she can be considered an "easy keeper"

The problem is, at our new mini-ranch, there is no fenced area that doesn't have grass. I would have to keep her stalled most of the time, and the only time in her whole life she has been kept stalled is when she was foaling.

I plan on stalling my year and a half old and introducing him slowly, but the fellow I got Fancy from said she probably would not do well stalled up.

I don't know exactly what he meant by that... If it just means she may be a bit grumpy or blue, well then I will definitely stall her. Are there any safety issues I'd need to worry about if she is stalled?

Thanks in advance and sorry if the questions seem silly... I'm still learning

You will want a dry lot, if that is what she is used to. You sure don't want colic or founder to set in because of introducing grass too quickly. Perhaps you can get some moveable panels and set up a temporary pen for her?

Your questions are perfect- keep asking!

 

[wendyluvsminis]

I am feeding her one cup of Equistages grain and one (pre-soaked) cup of beet pulp twice a day and she gets a half of a small flake of hay along with her grain twice a day.

Thanks for sharing her diet too. I have a new stallion that looks like he is pregnant, and will try that on him! How long did it take for her to lose her weight?

 

[StacyRz]

Hi Wendy,

Since I gradually reduced her grain, it took about a month. I only cut back on her hay only a very little bit, since I thought it would be best for the winter. But it has also been VERY mild here this winter. It's been 80 degrees for the last three days

I just looked at your thread picturing your stallions and they are gorgeous, good luck with their diets... Oh and my mare is on the big side, she is about 35"

 

[StacyRz]

You will want a dry lot, if that is what she is used to. You sure don't want colic or founder to set in because of introducing grass too quickly. Perhaps you can get some moveable panels and set up a temporary pen for her?

Your questions are perfect- keep asking!

We used all of our savings to get this place, so I don't have any extra money right now to buy panels. Oh boy... I don't want to make my horses sick... Maybe I can get a few goats and let them eat the grass in the smaller paddock (there are two paddocks so far) Then I will only have to stall her up for a week or two?

 

[raine]

Maybe if you put a grazing muzzle on her that would help, i have never had to use one having only dry lots but i heard they work well...could be worth a try then she could stay out ..

 

[Deb O.]

if the grass in the smaller paddocks isn't high you could just rake the heck out of it every day and it will soon be a dry lot. and if it is high take your mower out on its lowest height setting mow it first. use one of the metal rakes with the thick tines called a root rake i believe

 

[mydaddysjag]

Have any farmer neighbors? We had ours disked under with a tractor when I fenced in the big drylot. There were still sprigs of grass here and there, but it was mostly dirt with some weeds.

 

[StacyRz]

Good ideas! The grass is super bright green and long and thick. It just looks like colic waiting to happen.

I guess I can use the smaller area for now and it wouldn't take as much work to clean it out. Thanks so much for the advice.