Rescue - Stopping milk

[Horseluver44]

I have rescued a pony a couple of months ago with a foal at foot. We have weaned the foal but she is still producing milk.
She was in with a stallion when we rescued her and we are pretty sure she is pregnant again. This means that Epsom salts are not an option (I’ve been told that this could cause her to abort, correct me if I’m wrong). Any clues on what to use to stop her producing milk until she has the new foal or should we just leave it? (She is due in April/May if we have calculated correctly based on the age of the foal she had at foot, so it is quite a long time if it will not stop naturally)

 

[Cortez]

There are prescription drugs that will dry up a lactating mare (not recommended if she's back in foal), but really the best thing to do is to just stop all hard feed and restrict grazing or hay to minimum. If the udder is hard and/or hot, you can cold hose, and keep her moving - a bit of a lunge will do good. What you must not do is milk off at all. It'll take a week or two, but she will dry off naturally.

 

[Goldenstar]

As above you really need to cut back her food as much as possible feed some straw and hay and she will dry up .

 

[tda]

Turn out, and keep moving is the best way. Two of our mares recently weaned, turned out on hilly field, plenty of old grass to munch on and they dried up really well.

 

[Lois Lame]

I absolutely agree with tda.

Also, I don't think there would be anything wrong with milking her a little, just to take the pressure off. I only mean a little. She might not let you but if she does, you just want to make her comfortable.

What makes milk is the complete stripping of milk. Supply will equal demand. Your little bit of milking will not make your mare produce more milk.