Scarlett
Well-Known Member
Morning everyone.
My TB mare had her filly on Monday night. All is well after the initial drama and mare and foal are settling into their new routine. My vet thinks the mare is looking a little poor - she went 2 weeks over her due date and foal took a lot out of her - and needs a change in diet to help her out. The mare is full TB and is the equine equivalent of a whippet, she gets fit very quickly but has never been 'fat' in her life. Our grazing hasn't survived the winter very well, we really have very little grass so I'm planning to send them off in a few weeks to livery on some nice green grazing, however in the mean time I'd like to make sure I'm feeding her enough of the right stuff to ensure she can provide for the foal and stay in ok condition herself.
She looked well during her pregnancy until the last few weeks - she was being fed beet, stud nuts, chaff and a balancer 3 times a day along with adlib hay. This was probably 3kg a day of stud nuts. She is now getting 5 bucket feeds a day of Alfa A Oil, beet and stud cubes, and a vit and mineral supplement, along with approx 8 slices of hay (as much as she will eat, we are ensuring there is a constant pile of hay in the stable and field). She doesn't look great but she is gradually eating more having been a bit off her feed the last few days.
I have thought of putting her onto Suregrow but not sure if I should feed it along side the stud nuts? On it's own? I'm going to pick up some haylage today and add a little of that to her hay ration. Is there anything else that can be suggested? Or is it just a case of giving her time and continuing as we are?
This is her and my first foal and no amount of asking questions, reading book, talking to people can prepare you for the worry over stuff like this...!
My TB mare had her filly on Monday night. All is well after the initial drama and mare and foal are settling into their new routine. My vet thinks the mare is looking a little poor - she went 2 weeks over her due date and foal took a lot out of her - and needs a change in diet to help her out. The mare is full TB and is the equine equivalent of a whippet, she gets fit very quickly but has never been 'fat' in her life. Our grazing hasn't survived the winter very well, we really have very little grass so I'm planning to send them off in a few weeks to livery on some nice green grazing, however in the mean time I'd like to make sure I'm feeding her enough of the right stuff to ensure she can provide for the foal and stay in ok condition herself.
She looked well during her pregnancy until the last few weeks - she was being fed beet, stud nuts, chaff and a balancer 3 times a day along with adlib hay. This was probably 3kg a day of stud nuts. She is now getting 5 bucket feeds a day of Alfa A Oil, beet and stud cubes, and a vit and mineral supplement, along with approx 8 slices of hay (as much as she will eat, we are ensuring there is a constant pile of hay in the stable and field). She doesn't look great but she is gradually eating more having been a bit off her feed the last few days.
I have thought of putting her onto Suregrow but not sure if I should feed it along side the stud nuts? On it's own? I'm going to pick up some haylage today and add a little of that to her hay ration. Is there anything else that can be suggested? Or is it just a case of giving her time and continuing as we are?
This is her and my first foal and no amount of asking questions, reading book, talking to people can prepare you for the worry over stuff like this...!
