Posted 2008-03-30 8:20 AM (#80665) Subject: Mare in foal not finishing her feed
Member
Posts: 10
Location: Porter, Texas
My paint mare has about 40 days left to go. She isn't finishing her feed and just wants to eat hay. She is short backed and pretty much a mac truck on legs. She isn't sick, she is healthy and round. Should I be worried or just let her eat what she wants?
Posted 2008-03-30 10:04 AM (#80676 - in reply to #80665) Subject: RE: Mare in foal not finishing her feed
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
As a mare gets close to foaling, they don't have as much room inside. Hence they can't eat as much at one setting as they did a few months earlier.
I turned mine out in the new green grass yesterday. The mare grazed for 15 minutes and then was heads up just standing. The filly I put in with her for company, never stopped grazing. I try to keep feed in front of the mare all day vs twice a day feeding for the other horses. That way she can pick at it as she has room.
Posted 2008-03-30 11:26 AM (#80684 - in reply to #80665) Subject: RE: Mare in foal not finishing her feed
Elite Veteran
Posts: 714 Location: Minnesota
Hi I.m Genebob's wife. We had mare(PG) in middle to Feb go off her grain and was limping on a back leg. She aborted 4 days later. Don't know what happen. She might have got kicked or fell down. Lost a pretty grulla foal. Mare was due April 1st. She going back to the breeder this next weekend. Keep an eye on her. Let us know when she was has her baby.dawn
Posted 2008-03-30 4:02 PM (#80710 - in reply to #80665) Subject: RE: Mare in foal not finishing her feed
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 362 Location: Allegan, Michigan
I wouldn't worry about it. As long as she is eating hay and drinking normally she should be fine. My broodies tend to slow down on grain when they get bigger too. If she goes off her grain completely then I would be concerned.
Are you positive of her due date? Was she pasture bred or in hand bred?