Weanling Question/Popped Rib?

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Devon

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I have 2 questions . Firstly when do you think is a safe time to wean. Our weanling is pulling down her mom so much shes a big girls we're just upping her grain like crazy , I have to buy another feed bucket because hers is filled to the top morning and night. The filly was born April 23rd. I hate to see my mare thin like this.. She also gets beat pulp along with her maternity grain.

Also same mare; she seems to have a popped rib? It's her back rib closest to her rear its popped out about 1/2 inch out. Very noticable she is thin right now but thats not the reason we can see it. If you push on it , it feels attatched normally and she shows no pain or reaction to it. Also im assuming it will stay like this? I just need to know if this is something a vet should be out to look at. Now about 4 days ago i noticed both her back ribs abnormally popped out more(Told it coudld be from foaling.) but now this one if sticking out far the other side is not.

Oh the stress of owning horses... :DOH! Its going to Kill Me
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Devon I would wean her right when 4 months hits. If the baby is extremely independant and is eating hay and grain in good amounts, you can wean her early. It is normal for lactating mares to loose some weight, afterall they are caring for themselves and a growing baby. Just keep upping her grain till you wean. How much is she actually getting?

As for the popped rib, use you judgment if it is her weight or if something is going on with the rib. Dont try messing with it or anything, you wouldnt want to risk doing damage. Personally I'd call the vet.

Alex
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Yea.

And I know its normal for them to lose weight but I would like advice on other people experience with broodmares. She does eat hay grain exc.
 
Devon, I don't know anything about the rib, but in terms of weaning, I'd go on and wean her now / soon.

My first foal was born in 2002 and she was pulling her dam down as you describe. I was feeding the heck out of her but she was loosing weight and so (with the advice of my former trainer -- good advice I feel), I weaned the filly at 3mos. Had no problems, and the mare's weight came back up
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My broodmares now with nursing foals are fat and shiny. One was a little thin when she got here (only a little) but the senior feed we use is putting it on her even though she's nursing. The mare I had the issue with was on her first foal and she had been bred (prior to my purchase) as a 2yo. Those things may have been factors. But, I do not think it is normal for a mare to loose a lot of weight while nursing and when it happens, I think you look to wean earlier than 4mos.

My hunch is that Fashion's next foal won't pull her down as did her first (beautiful) baby.
 
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Thanks Jill.

Yes could be our factors first foala nd she just turned 3 same bought her bred as a 2y/o. I have her on maternity feed right now because Chanel eats some and its whats supposed to be good. But once I get Chanel weaned I'll feed either Fat and Fibre purina or senior. Not sure which would be best.. She also gets beet pulp will continue too. I cannot wait to see her all rounded out and in good weight
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She'll have time to be young without having a baby next year
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No babies untill her 2010 foal
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I agree...........start weaning her now or soon..........What's hard is that to help dry her up, you'll have to pull her grain. But give her tons of hay and continue the beet pulp, with a vitamin supplement. Once she's dried up, you can add grain again....... For us, all of our girls (even our naturally lean ponies) are almost TOO fat, so your mare must have an extremely high metabolism.

The rib thing is a worry. Just from OUR experience, what we would do is check with our vet, but we would also increase the protein in the horse's diet. Years ago we bought a young mare who's ribs had "sprung". We were told by two different vets that it was caused by a lack of protein in her diet. This may be part of your problem, OR it could be an injury......Your vet may help answer that.
 
Shes not immicated and gets alot of nutrition so I don't think that is the cause but maybe.

Yea believe me it is not from lack of feeding shes a B mare and slender and she has a 29" almost 3 month on old foal who pushes her own momma for grain and then nurses alot more then usual I would say
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But yes that is a worry to me that I'll have to pull her grain when I wean.. I'll call my vet this week. Trust me shes well taken care of the rest of my hroses are chunky which is also frustrating but greatly preferred .

This was her wednesday.

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Devon,

She looks in very good weight........not pulled down at all! From the picture, I would guess the rib thing is an injury and you should consult your vet.

Thank you posting the photo......It helped A LOT.
 
Hi

I was expecting to see a very thin mare with backbone, ribs, hib bones showing. She is NOT any of those things, in fact she looks wonderful!

I too would call about the VET about the ribs tho., you should have professional advise on that.
 
Looking at her hip, I think she is a little thin, but not badly so at all. She's very pretty!
 
She appears that she may be loosing some muscle tone to her, I agree I wouldn't necessarilly call her real skinny, but appears to be starting to show that the baby is starting to pull her down.

What I would do since it sounds like the baby is eating grain just fine, just seperate them where they can still see each other during feeding time, that way he gets his grain and she gets hers. Put him on some foal-lac pellets till he is like 4 months or so. It would also help to have a buddy. But I would just seperate them for feeding time and let them back out together once they are done.
 
She appears that she may be loosing some muscle tone to her, I agree I wouldn't necessarilly call her real skinny, but appears to be starting to show that the baby is starting to pull her down.

What I would do since it sounds like the baby is eating grain just fine, just seperate them where they can still see each other during feeding time, that way he gets his grain and she gets hers. Put him on some foal-lac pellets till he is like 4 months or so. It would also help to have a buddy. But I would just seperate them for feeding time and let them back out together once they are done.
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We thought of that at the show this weekend hope it helps. Im trying to fix the problem before it worsens.
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I will call the vet tomorrow and explain it to him.
 

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