What to feed my mare?

[showjump]

Going to post in NL too.

Bought a 3 year old afew months ago. She hadnt been that well fed should we say before the previous owners got her. So when she came to me shes still quite poor. Shes been scanned in foal too so we really need to get some more weight on her.
At the mo shes living out, and coming in the odd night. Being fed calm and condition, and alfa a oil. Shes also on very good haylage.

What else can i do to get the weight on? Just worried shes going to loose the little weight she has when foalie develops more.

Thanks.

 

[AmyMay]

I think she looks 'light' in the piccy - but not poor. Do you know when she is due??

Phoneing some of the feed companies would be my first port of call, and I always found Baileys to be really helpful.

Are you rugging her against the horrid weather???

 

[Maesfen]

Like Amy says, she looks a little light for her bone but not too poor although I know the camera can deceive sometimes!

You don't want her putting too much weight on but she does need a bit of help. You need slow and steady weight gain, not too quickly at all so be prepared to be patient but you should see a difference in less than a month.
The simplest way I find and it gives her all the vitamins and minerals she will need, especially as she is still a baby herself, is Baileys Stud Cubes. They are excellent for weight gain let alone as a stud feed.
Those, a bit of Alfa A Oil and some sugar beet of some description, along with the haylage she already has and good grazing should do the job nicely without you needing to add any other supplements.

Please do an after pic too!

Echo Amy here too; if she is getting too wet and cold, the weight will continue to drop off so rugging would help a lot, she'd be a happier person in herself and not inclined to shake any weight gain off.

 

[koeffee]

she was one of the fatest yearlings i had bought and did really well on just haylage before i got her, as the others have said dont over do it, adlib haylage, sugar beet alfa a oil and baileys stud cubes. i would like to point out it was not me that starved her, that was a lady in kendal.

 

[showjump]

Hi thanks for your reply. Shes due end of June 09.

We have just started to feed her 3 times a day where possible. Will ring some feed companies and see what they suggest too.

I will post the pic of her when the previous owners got her in April. But tbh she does look abit better in the pic posted that she seems to in real life. You can just about make out the ribs, and also the bony hips.

Re the rug, she doesnt seem to be used to having one on, so we are slowly introducing her to them, once she fine with it she will be wearing one. keep her nice and toasty!!

Thanks for you advise, will do an after pic next moth and see if theres any improvement.

 

[showjump]

I know that!! - wasnt in anyway implying that.
She will now be looked after the way she started out life with you.
Keoffee- was she ok to put head collar on with you? Random question i know!!

Her is her from before;

 

[Maesfen]

Poor little mare, well done for getting her back on track. There's been a vast improvement already with a lot more to come.

 

[koeffee]

she was fine as long as she new what was coming, she was untouched when i got her but had a head collar on for months without anyone noticing she was growing, hence her slight fobier maybe, but i could always catch her easy enough and she ties up no problems. she is like a rash when she bonds with you. i never had a rug on her, she had such a thick coat. i do know that when i sold her she was turned out with a rug but she wasnt checked for months so as she lost weight and her hips started pocking out and it rubbed her raw, maybe why she is a fidgit. she doesnt forget when she is hurt.

 

[koeffee]

why cant i find picture???? i know there are some somewhere!!!!!

 

[Maesfen]

Have you looked in NL (or Breeding, whichever one this isn't!) one has pic's the other didn't.

 

[showjump]

Did you find the pics on new lounge?

Thanks for the extra info. She is fine to put it over her nose put when the straps passed over head head she lifts it up and worries abit. Not really bad, just thinking further down the line of getting a bridle on her?

So she has had rugs on? Right will press on with that abit more and get her used to it.
I am beginning to know what you mean, she follows me round the field already! bless.