Okay I need your honest opinions please.....Is she fat?

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She only had the foal 7weeks ago - so no not fat AT ALL poor girl getting all that slack when shes just had a baby lol its like the size zero of the horse world. She looks lovely, her and foal are a credit to you, so don't rush her into losing weight or getting fit, let her enjoy being a mum xx

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PMSL
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Thanks kayleigh_and_rocky
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I'm glad I posted here for all the great advice from HHO members and stopping me making a huge mistake by putting the muzzle on
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I feel a bit better now and I won't put it on. I still have the receipt so I'll bring it back!
 
she looks fine, nice and healthy, just how a broodmare should be, i wouldn't put a muzzle on her - she needs a good calorie intake to produce milk for her foal.
 
She is not fat as she is a broodmare at the moment. Have any of you breastfed?
I have and I can tell you it is bloody hard work. Draining. You are more tired and have to eat more to sustain yourself and to produce enough quality milk for the baby.
The last thing I would expect to see is a mare who has a foal at foot with a grazing muzzle on.
It's a bit like telling a nursing mum oh you can only have so many calories today.
Believe me breastfeeding does burn off the calories and I would assume it is the same with any other mammals ( horses included).
Also from a safety point of view the mare could get caught up with the foal if she was wearing one.
As someone already mentioned there is also the grooming of the foal. How could she do that if she had a muzzle on.
It's rather like saying to a mum ok there's your baby but we are strapping your arms up so I'm afraid you can't cuddle your baby.
Horses show affection to each other through their mouths.
Grooming is a necessary action to get rid of parasites and keep the coat clean. It is also a social activity because when horses groom each other they develop and strengthen bonds between themselves.
If your foal was not being groomed by its mother because it was wearing a muzzle then you would be affecting their social relationship as well as preventing the foal from learning about the pleasures and necessity of grooming. A learning behaviour that is needed when they reach adulthood.
If you are at all worried about the mare's condition ( ie out of work) then why not leadrope her around the field a few times a day. Or at least once a day. Walking will tone up muscles and will also help the foal to create more of a bond with you as the foal would be tagging along beside its mother.
Personally I would not suggest time out between mother and foal just yet as the foal is too young in my opinion. Although I am no expert, I'm just relying on common sense.
With regard to the sunburn. My daughter's cob has a pink muzzle and we have to put sun cream on. He is now also wearing one of those uv filters which attach to a headcollar. It is made by equilibrium and I got it ages ago before I got the horses. I got a fieldsafe headcollar by libby's the other day from ebay and he now has it on. It attaches to the noseband part with 3 velcro straps and because it is attached with velcro and the headcollar is field safe if he caught it, it should come loose.
It may be a suggestion for your mare. Either that or a fly screen mask that extends down the nose as it must be costing you a fortune in cream so they may be worth looking into.
Cazx
btw the foal is gorgeous
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I agree - she looks fine...she still has her baby belly...but I wouldn't like to see a mum muzzled - she will need a lot of nutrients right now, and she needs to be able to socially interact with her foal (and nip him if he's naughty!)
Nice foal..
S
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Thanks again to everyone. I decided I'm not going to use the muzzle
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I've tried using the lead rope but she thinks I'm trying to catch her so she walks away from me - so I just keep following her and hey theres 10 mins walking done already
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I've her booked into the old yard for the end of October when he'll be weaned from her. I'll then work on gradually building up her fitness over the winter
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They've a 2km gallops, so she be back to her old self soon
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Thanks again to everyone
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your advice and opinions are most welcome
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No probs Akelly and I'm glad to hear you're not using the muzzle as you had me worried
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Is this her first foal? If so it may be a big shock to you in seeing a mare carrying a foal and the condition they show afterwards ( like the dropped belly). Compared to what she looked like when in full work she may look fat to you and others. But personally I would not be too worried by it as it is naturally gained weight and she is still nursing. It is not like a pony getting fat from too much feed or grass and then being a potential laminitic.
Lol at her walking away I think it may be an idea to get her used to being caught again though now rather than wait until weaning time. Perhaps use treats or a fuss to gain her trust as it will be that much easier for you in the long run if the foal sees his mum behaving herself around you now rather than when he is older and more perceptive and sees a mum not wanting to be caught.
She will soon lose her weight though when she goes back into work. Nice and steady and then build it up and she will soon be fit as a fiddle.
Good luck with them both this summer
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best wishes
Cazx
 
Hi Caz,
I'm feeling better but you're right it is her first foal and it's weird seeing her so 'big'!

She'll catch but it takes a few minutes walking after her and then she gives up and she'll let you do what ever to her
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Bandit the foal is very friendly though and when I'm following his mum around the field - he's following me! He loves his bum being scratched and will come up to you no problem - sometimes I wonder is he too friendly and could that pose a problem?? God I'll have to stop worrying!!!

I can't wait to get back up on Kiyo as I miss riding her. I'm going to do more SJAI stuff on her when she's fit enough
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Thanks again for the advice
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He's a colt
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Let me guess, your friends stallion is grey - LOL
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Bandit is starting to grow grey - hard to believe as I'm use to him being the dark bay colour. It's a pity he won't stay that colour as it's cute
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But we knew he'd be grey anyway.
 
I just wanted to say that both mare and foal are gorgeous!

Its great that you are watching her weight but honestly, any animal that is nursing exclusively (humans included) will burn off so much energy and drop weight. Regarding her big tummy, you should have seen me 7 weeks after my baby was born LOL!! That mummy tummy takes a while to go down as the skin and muscles are all stretched. Im sure she will snap back into shape in a few months and nursing that foal will get rid of any "fat" that she has!
Cassandra

 
Hannah looks quite like your girl now... she has a pregnancy tummy still but the rest of her is pretty normal. Troy is 4 months now, and I still don't really separate them much because it is a lot of hard work. I cannot ride her with him loose because he jumps on her (and me) and there is not really anyone who can help me with them as hubby has a slipped disc.

I am planning on bringing her back into work when he has been weaned, so hopefully once she is working again she will get some of her tummy off. I'll try to get a picture of her tonight
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I wouldn't use a grazing muzzle with a foal at foot... she will have no way of telling the foal off (Hannah uses her teeth more than anything else when he is annoying her) and then you may get problems through that.
 
Just saw this now and i know you have made your decision but just thought id say i think she is looking great and certainly not fat for a mare who has a foal at foot! they are supposed to be podgy! lol

oh and dont laugh at sunny and cas they could both do with loosing a few pounds!
 
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