How much hay for a pregnant mare?

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michellec

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Hi all, after having mixed reviews on this I am after some advice. My mare is 16.2 and in foal due march April time. She is unbroken, not in work and lives out 24/7. Her appetite is brilliant but I'm worrying I'm over haying her :((. She doesn't have any hard feed either, although come dec I may have to add supplements ect. Could anyone shed some light please before my brain explodes lol xx
 
I'd give her as much hay as she wants and chuck a mineral lick out. Depending on how good a doer she is, in the last 3 months of pregnancy I would either use a stud balancer or some stud cubes as her appetite for hay will decrease as the foal grows inside her.
 
Unless she is going to just stand all the time eating hay, which is unlikely if there is some grass in her field, I think ad lib or almost so is fine, my horses are not in foal but get ad lib haylage through the winter. They will usually eat what they need, unlike ponies or cobs that seem to have the ability to eat constantly and would suffer the consequences if allowed to do so.
A horse with plenty of hay inside it will keep warm without needing rugging, monitor her weight and as long as she looks well she should be fine, in the last few months a supplement of a suitable hard feed will help prepare her for foaling and give the foal a good start.
 
Agree with others, as much as she will eat. She should also have a mineral lick.

And really if you want to get technical she absolutely should be getting Vit E. There is little to none in the grass at this time of year and it does not keep in hay and haylage either. Don't panic about what I'm telling you. Do your own research on pregnant mares and vit e. Also how in the process of making hay and haylage how it's lost. Not many know about the vit e. It is plentiful in spring and summer grass. So make sure when it's time for her vits and mins you use a stud balancer if she's a good doer or stud mix/cubes at the levels it says to feed.

I say do you own research as I'm not a nutritionist. You can ask your vet too but unless theyspecialise in repro it may not be something they're up with.

Terri
 
I would have her on a vit and min supplement designed for a brood mare or a balancer now as this is the vital time for the foal to grow and they have fairly specific requirements.
As for hay as long as she's not a native type who is going to get fat (not good for a mare in foal) then as much as she wants to eat
 
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