Maintence feed for my infoal mare over the winter

[charlimouse]

After returning from stud in a rather obese condition in July my mare has been in a strict diet of Happy Hoof. She has now reached her ideal condition and I was wondering what to feed her over the winter. Her weight now just needs maintaining. Her foal is due in June, she is not doing any work as she has had a injury, so is essentially a field ornament

. She is hopefully going to live out through the winter (unless the wether gets particuarly minging!) But the fields do not have a lot of grass in. My other horses are on pony nuts and blue chip, so could I just use these feeds, or do any of you peeps have better ideas????? Salt and Vinegar snak a jacks for getting this far!!!!!!!!!

 

[CBFan]

I would sugest something high fibre -so happy hoof would be fine, and if you aren't feeding the recomended levels just add a broad spec vit and min supplement. Then just supply her with plenty of hay to fill her tum. Keep it simple.

When she enters her last trimester, she will need to be put on something suitable for broodmares as that is when the foal will do the most growing - even if that is just her happy hoof and a powder supplement like NAF youngstock supplement.

 

[tangotime]

If your mare is a good-doer that requires less then the recommended amount of hard feed I would add something like Baileys stud balancer to ensure she's got all the micronutirients she needs for a healthy foal without additional calories.

 

[charlimouse]

Well essentially when I brought her back from stud in July the grass was lush, so she just got Happy hoof so that she thought she was getting a feed (so she didn't get upset when the other horses were fed), and it has all vits and mins in. She has been on the recommended amount, but now the grass is poor she needs something else or she will loose too much weight, so just needs a maintence feed. She does have a tendancy to pile on the pounds fairly easily, and isn't in work so she doesn't need any energy food. Any ideas???????

 

[CBFan]

She needs plenty of hay and perhaps adding some speedi beet to her feed would be a good idea. if she appears to be strugglin with her weight feeding a stud mix / cube would probably be a good move but you'd want to reduce the happy hoof at the same time...

 

[elizabeth1]

I would recommend Dodson and Horrell Suregrow which is a balancer specially for broodmares and youngstock that are good doers.
Simply feed with a scoop of chaff or on its own if you prefer.She won't put weight on unnecessarily and you are assured that all her nutritional needs are met