Novice advice for feeding the lactating mare

[canalwood]

Hi all I had posted this in the Feeding section of the forum but was advised to repost here in the hope that I would get more advice so apologies for the cross post...


Hoping someone might be able to provide some advice for a novice owner. I have a mare who I have never looked after myself - she was a (very generous) gift a number of years ago but as I had a young family that took most of my time she was always on loan. She came back to me pregnant (unfortunate personal circumstances with her last carer) and gave birth to a colt yesterday. We had someone we know foal her and he will keep mare and foal for about 6 weeks post partum - then ideally both are going to be looked after by me until weaned. And this is where the questions begin...

I have been offered by a family friend 1 acre of good grass, access to water and some shelter provided by trees. It is currently secured for cattle so may need updating to keep mare and foal safe and secure. My understanding is that 1 acre is probably not enough grass to keep the mare in top form. Would I need to top up with hay/haylage/other food? Or would I be best relying on other food sources (ie hay/haylage) as main nutrition and just rely on field for excercise given its size?

Mare is hanoverian crossed with Irish draft to give an indication of size. Any idea of how much food she would need to be supplemented with so I can approximate costs?

It is also a hilly site so I am hoping that is suitable for a young foal - I know the grass is good as it has been well managed by the owner.

Any other concerns i should have on the suitability of an acre for the pair?

Apologies in advance if my questions are unclear or naive. I have ridden for years but never kept a horse myself and never cared for a foal so this is all new to me. I am hoping it is not too naive to think I could mange caring for them both until foal weans... planning for how we manage that next stage in their lives will come later

Thanks in advance for any help/advice

 

[Parrotperson]

Feeding a mare after foaling - Horse & Hound

Horse & Hound offers expert advice on feeding your lactating mare to keep her in optimum condition

www.horseandhound.co.uk

hope this might help. sure someone will jumping soon and answer

re the cattle fencing? does it include barbed wire cos that a big no no for horses but especially foals

I wouldn't worry about the hilly bit. They'll both adjust. Thinking ahead when you wean it would be better for him to go out with other youngsters if it can be arranged

PS Where is the picture??? We always love a foal piccy!!!

 

[canalwood]

Parrotperson thank you so much for that link. I have been scouring the forums and the internet more generally for info but coming up short so grateful to be given any reading that might help improve my knowledge.

Re fencing - no barbed wires thankfully and good solid fencing so hopefully will stand up to a foals antics. Mum is quite calm.

He is currently with mum and uncle (same sire as mum) who are like anxious parents/childminders not letting him go too far or anyone get too close - but he is settling into life on earth well - 16 hours old and as cute as a button.

 

[ihatework]

What a lovely foal.

There is no hard and fast rule to feeding, it’s just a bit of common sense based on grass quality, mare condition and how well the foal is doing.

Both look healthy and well. I wouldn’t jump head first into feeding whilst you have grass. A stud balancer at most

 

[Parrotperson]

He’s a real sweetheart!!! Look at those ears!!!!

Does he have a name?

 

[blitznbobs]

Feed according to the mares condition but bear in mind that a lactating mare uses as much calories as a race horse in training so dont be tight with the food if she’s inclined to drop condition. I would also give her a good balancer such as suregrow just to make sure that she is getting everything she needs

 

[canalwood]

Thank you all for your responses. I really appreciate it. I will definitely get a balancer and then keep a general eye on form to make sure she is keeping condition.

I suppose my main concern and decision to make is if I can feasibly keep mare and foal on an acre of land? Would there be enough foraging there for most of the summer? And would they be ok out over winter in the same field - guessing it will turn into a mud bath!?! - with haylage thrown in? Would they need a proper shelter or would tree cover be enough? In UK and we dont really get snow just lots of rain and some low temps.

I am finding it really hard to find livery options near me. I have one which will have them in their own paddock rotating fields to maintain grass health but grass livery will be stopped in October and then they will be stabled with the option of turn-out for exercise. The grass livery over the summer there would definitely sounds preferable but it starts getting very expensive once they start to be stabled (and too far away for me to do diy stable livery to reduce costs) - I had hoped I could have continued with grass livery over the winter with top up feeds (maybe naïve of me) but not an option in this place (again to preserve grass health for the summer months). I will have to make a decision on this place in the next week.

Ideally I would prefer to keep them on the acre I can borrow from family. They would be close by so I could be up with them as many times a day as I wished. And this is definitely the more affordable option. But I dont know if I am risking their condition by restricting them to an acre full-time and considering keeping them there over the winter as well?

Not sure if any of this fully makes sense. And maybe part of it is just wait and see how they get on - I just worry that I have few options that will keep them in the general location which is a big aim.

He is certainly a cutie and about to steal my heart. And mama is beautiful. No names yet but we would like to work "Dave" into his name somehow in honour of a lovely gentleman who helped us with his mum - not sure how we will do that as I dont know that Dave as a stable name works!?! Any suggestions would be very much welcomed

 

[eggs]

I like Dave as a stable name

I would be tempted to keep them where they are and see how the grass holds up. At least unlike last year it is still growing!

I definitely wouldn't want to be stabling a foal for most of the time with only limited turn out for exercise. However by October your foal will probably be about ready to be weaned and it could well be that youngstock livery where he could live out in a herd of youngsters would work best.