When should i start feeding my in-foal mares??

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MillionDollar

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So i have 2 New Forest mares due end of June and beginning of July. They both normally live on fresh air but are starting to need more now- hay, more grass.
But when should i start feeding hard feed? And what?

Any suggestions much appreciated
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Amymay's due at the end of May so won't get any hard feed until February (if she actually needs it).

She is on good grazing, restricted haylage, and a hay substitute and a good vitamin suppliment at the moment.

She's also a native, and an extremely good doer
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So I'm having to watch her weight like a hawk!
 
I would be making sure your mare is getting her required vitamins and minerals from here on as the grass and hay will not contain everything necessary.

I feed my Fell broodmares on TopSpec Original Balancer so I can ensure they are getting everything they need. May be worth you giving Nicola Tyler at TopSpec a call - she is very good at discussing individual pony feed requirements
 
It is the last 3mths which are important, until then I would feed them as normal. Last year Sas who is also a good doer did not go onto Bailey's stud mix until Feb & she was due June. Through winter she was on Pasture mix, Alafa A, Sugarbeet & carrotts/apples. Mo is on stud mix now because she is still being ridden & has different needs.
 
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I was thinking February too. They are on very good grazing and getting hay as well, i just worry they're not getting all the right vitamins, etc.
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What are you giving yours?

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Amy is on Feedmarks' benevit (Benevit Advance I think it's called now). She looks very well on it. However, tbh she's only getting it because she is still restricted on how much she can eat. No adlib haylage for her I'm afraid.

However, it can never be a bad thing to give a little extra nutritional support at this time of year, so would feed an allround suppliment whether she was in foal or not.

The mare's nutritional requirements change during the last three months - which is why a lot of them go on to some sort of stud mix during that time.

I will probably go for the Bailey's stud feed if I need it.
 
Natives thrive on just hay and mineral blocks, if you need to feed I would start around February and then tail it off as the grass arrives in May. If your grass isn't good supplement it with a balancer rather than a stud mix. More people tend to overfeed and end up with growth problems than underfeed, so just be sensible especially bearing in mind their breeding, as you say, they thrive on fresh air!
 
feed a balancer through the whole pregnancy-mares will take minerals from their own bodies to put into the foal-thus increasing the risk of foal abnormalities if the mare is very deficient from the diet and an increased risk of post foaling laminitis!
i used baileys stud balancer on my very good doer.she didnt need it but you can replace a proportion of it with cubes/mix if you need more weight on.it didnt put weight on my mare but helped her deliver a beautiful health strong filly.
and she had turn out everyday and adlib hay.
she foaled 7 days late and had no problems!the foal was born mid march.
 
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