what to feed a pregnant mini horse

by Mr. Jerel Brakus Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Hay or forage. Hay or forage is the most important ingredient in a horse’s diet. ...
Grain. Good quality forage is the mainstay of a horse’s diet, but horses may also need a grain mix (concentrate) to supplement their energy requirements as well as help balance ...
Water. Miniature horses also need access to clean, fresh water daily. ...
Supplemental fat. Flax seed is a great supplement to put a shine in your horse’s coat. ...
Trace mineral salt. Providing a trace mineral salt block will encourage your horse to drink and will replace electrolytes lost through sweating.
Dental health. Regardless of what or how you feed your miniature horse, attention to dental health is critical. ...
Parasite control. To keep them in good health, miniature horses will also require regular deworming with parasite control products available at your local feed or tack store.

Grass hay is often the best choice for Miniature Horses, as they have a tendency to be easy keepers. To provide a balanced diet and the necessary nutrients for fetal development, feed a commercially formulated mare and foal feed.

What do you feed a dry pregnant mare?

Dry mares in early gestation can basically be fed like any other mature, idle horse. Good quality pasture or hay along with a supplement such as Purina ® Free Balance 12:12 vitamin/mineral supplement or Enrich Plus ® Ration Balancing horse feed may be all that is necessary to meet these mares’ nutritional requirements.

What do we feed our miniature horses?

WHAT DO WE FEED OUR MINIATURES? We feed good clean, mold free, grass hay and (here is my plug for Purina) Omolene 200, a 14% sweet feed, grain. Keep in mind to make any changes to your minis diet slowly! Abrupt changes in diet can cause a variety of health problems like colic, founder and hyperlipemia. PASTURED MINIATURES HORSES:

What kind of hay is safe for a pregnant mare?

As with all horses, provide a pregnant mare with free-choice access to a fresh, clean water source and a salt block or loose salt. One type of hay or pasture to avoid is fescue, which is often infected with an endophyte that causes problems in pregnant mares, including prolonged gestation, difficult delivery,...

How to take care of a pregnant horse?

In addition to high-quality hay and well-fortified feeds, mares can be given extra calories through the provision of stabilized rice bran or vegetable oil (ideally soybean or canola oil). 5. Salt, water, and fescue. As with all horses, provide a pregnant mare with free-choice access to a fresh, clean water source and a salt block or loose salt.

What do you feed a pregnant mini mare?

Dry mares in early gestation can basically be fed like any other mature, idle horse. Good quality pasture or hay along with a supplement such as Purina® Free Balance 12:12 vitamin/mineral supplement or Enrich Plus® Ration Balancing horse feed may be all that is necessary to meet these mares' nutritional requirements.

How long is a mini horse pregnant for?

approximately 11 monthsEquine Gestation Miniature ponies, and all other breeds of horses, typically carry their foals for approximately 11 months. The average miniature horse mare will carry her foal for around 330 days before giving birth. The actual length of pregnancy can vary between 320 days and 380 days.

What does a pregnant horse need?

Pregnant mares need adequate daily exercise in a paddock or pasture, and any horses kept together should be compatible, which helps to reduce stress. Vaccinations and deworming should be done before the mare is bred, with no vaccinations given during the first 90 days of gestation.

What is the best hay to feed a pregnant mare?

Alfalfa hay should also be included to balance her protein needs. Alfalfa should never be fed exclusively (due to potential mineral imbalances). Strive for a 60:40 ratio of grass hay to alfalfa hay. The fetus gains 1 pound per day during these final three gestational months.

Do mini horses have trouble foaling?

Foaling is generally more difficult in miniatures than in full-size horses. The small size of the mare does not allow for much manipulation and the potential for malformations, especially of the head (above), neck and forelegs of the foal, can make deliveries challenging.

How early can a miniature horse foal?

Large horses usually only have a few days before or after their due date that they might foal on. Unfortunately, with a miniature mare, your due date for foaling falls within a 60 day window. I have had mares give birth to a healthy foal as early as 285 days and as late as 355 days. These are rare, but it happens.

Is alfalfa good for pregnant mares?

The short answer is yes, it is perfectly acceptable to feed your mares alfalfa hay. If the hay is moderate quality or better, your mares will likely have no trouble maintaining their weight.

Should you worm a pregnant mare?

It is important to maintain a worm free status in the pregnant mare as she can pass on worm larvae to the foal soon after birth. We therefore recommend monitoring worm egg levels (WEC) as for adult horses (above) and giving a moxidectin or ivermectin wormer within the last month of pregnancy.

How much alfalfa should a pregnant mare have?

Alfalfa should never be fed exclusively (due to potential mineral imbalances). Instead, strive for a 60:40 ratio of grass hay to alfalfa hay. The fetus gains one pound per day during the final three gestational months. Hay alone will not meet all the mare's caloric needs.

Is Timothy hay good for pregnant horses?

If the forage (pasture or hay) is of high quality, very little grain is generally needed until just before foaling. Hay should be a grass or grass mix, with not more than about 10% alfalfa, and ideally should provide around 10% to 12% protein. Orchard grass, bluegrass, Timothy and Bermuda are excellent hay choices.

How can I get my pregnant horse to gain weight?

The hay you describe seems appropriate for a pregnant mare, and it's best to give her 24/7 access to the hay, as you're doing. In considering the forage component of the mare's diet, the only thing you might do to increase its caloric contribution is to switch to a high-quality alfalfa hay.

Is Timothy hay safe for pregnant mares?

Feeding a mixed grass/alfalfa (lucerne) hay will provide more calories, protein, and calcium per pound than typical, grass hay (orchardgrass or timothy). Because you are feeding your mare a balancer pellet, she is getting appropriate levels of vitamins and minerals.

How long are horses pregnant for in months?

11 – 12 monthsHorse / Gestation periodNormal mares have a broad range of gestation. It is very normal for mares to carry a fetus for 320 to 380 days. In general 330 days (11 months) is the most commonly cited gestation length.

How can you tell if a mini horse is pregnant?

Tell-tale tummy. Perhaps the most obvious sign of pregnancy is a swollen abdomen, and this is of course a good indication, however mares do not always have an overly enlarged belly. The gestation period itself is almost a year, therefore mares can retain their normal shape well into their pregnancy.

How long does it take for a horse to have a foal?

340 daysMares are usually consistent in their foaling pattern from year to year. Therefore, horse owners and managers should become familiar with each mare and record their observations on the mare's record. The average gestation length of a mare (period between breeding and foaling) is 340 days.

How many months does a horse give birth?

about 11 monthsTrying to pinpoint a mare's foaling date is challenging because the mare's gestation period is one of the most variable, stretching from 10 ½ to 13 months. The average gestation is about 11 months.

What to feed a dry mare?

When does Mare's milk retain minerals?

During the tenth month of gestation the greatest amount of mineral retention occurs in the unborn foal. Mare’s milk is practically devoid of trace minerals that are essential for proper bone development, such as copper.

Why is it important to lactate a mare?

Plus, lactating mares need a great deal of energy to support optimal milk production. This means that late gestation is the last good opportunity to get a thin mare in good shape for supplying milk for the suckling foal, as well as preparing for the next breeding season.

Why is winter so difficult for pregnant mares?

Winter, with its sometimes extreme weather, poses some nutritional challenges for pregnant mares because this is the transition time from mid to late gestation.

Can foals have weak foals?

It is not uncommon to see fat mares have small, weak foals when the mares’ diets are adequate in calories but low in quality protein sources.

Does a mare need more hay?

The increased size of the fetus also takes up more room in the mare’s body cavity, resulting in the mare eating less hay or forage.

What to give pregnant mares?

What is the primary feed for a mare?

The primary feedstuff should be good-quality forage in the form of pasture or hay, and a source of essential vitamins and minerals. These nutrients can come from a well-fortified textured or pelleted feed formulated especially for pregnant mares, or from a balancer pellet, which is a concentrated source of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

How long does a mare need to be pregnant?

Provide vitamins and minerals. For the first seven or eight months of pregnancy, the mare requires no special upgrade in calories. She does, however, need sufficient intake of high-quality feedstuffs to maintain moderate body condition. The primary feedstuff should be good-quality forage in the form of pasture or hay, ...

What body condition should a pregnant mare have?

A pregnant mare should be kept in moderate to moderately fleshy body condition throughout pregnancy. Body condition above a score of 6 only adds unnecessary weight to the mare’s limbs, and this could be difficult for a mare that has soundness issues, including arthritic changes from past performance careers.

Why should a mare be kept at a higher body condition score?

One exception to this point: if a mare is known to drop weight exceedingly fast at the onset of lactation, she might be kept at a slightly higher body condition score to help cope with the energy drain of milk production. 2. Provide vitamins and minerals.

How old are miniature horses when they are pregnant?

Mini Horse Breeding and Pregnancy. Breeding The Mini Horse. A miniature horse stallion is sexually mature sometime between two to five years of age. Mares. are fertile by the time they are two. Breeders frequently wait until their miniature horse mare is 3 years old, because she has reached. her full growth by then.

What should a mare be kept at during gestation?

The mare should be kept at a normal weight during gestation, not underweight or obese. During the last trimester the foal is growing rapidly which means the mare needs to eat more. Her. forage or hay can be decreased and concentrates increased to make sure the foal's needs are.

How to introduce a stallion to a mare?

Stallions can be introduced to the mare or mares in the pasture. Write down the date he was. placed in the pasture with the mares. Watch to see that he is not being too aggressive with the. mares. In order to know the date the foal will be born, it is best introduce the stallion to one mare at a. time.

Why is hand breeding important?

Hand breeding gives more control over the behavior and safety of the horses. This is. especially true with maiden mares that may become frightened by the stallion's advances. The. breeding records will be more precise with individual breeding, rather than pasture breeding. Gestation.

What happens during labor in horses?

Labor. At the beginning of labor, muscle contractions begin and the horse becomes restless. She may bite. at her sides from the pain, swish her tail, pace, lie down and get up repeatedly, sweat, and urinate.

When should a mare be dewormed?

During the last month, the mare should receive a tetanus toxoid shot. Deworming. The mare should be dewormed in the last month of gestation, and she be kept under a regular. deworming program since parasites are a major health threat to all horses. Not all dewormers are.

When should a mare get a tetanus shot?

ninth months, and be kept up to date on all her regular vaccinations such as tetanus, sleeping. sickness, West Nile, and rabies. During the last month, the mare should receive a tetanus toxoid shot.

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About The Author

Nancy S. Loving, DVM, owns Loving Equine Clinic in Boulder, Colorado, and has a special interest in managing the care of sport horses. Her book, All Horse Systems Go, is a comprehensive veterinary care and conditioning resource in full color that covers all facets of horse care.

How to keep a miniature horse healthy?

Good nutrition is an important part of keeping your miniature horse healthy and happy. Be sure to feel your horse’s body on a weekly basis, especially in the winter, to be sure he is not getting too fat or too thin. Provide your mini with good quality, soft hay at least twice a day.

What is the best way to care for a miniature horse?

Dental care is vitally important to the welfare of your miniature horse. Design a parasite control program with your vet so the feed you put in your mini benefits him, not his unwanted guests! With these guidelines and the help of your vet, your mini can be a healthy partner and friend for many years.

How to get shine in horse coat?

Supplemental fat. Flax seed is a great supplement to put a shine in your horse’s coat. Buy a package of ground flax seed at the health food store and feed 1 level teaspoon mixed into the grain at one of the feedings every day. Do not give any other type of oil, such as corn oil, while giving flax seed.

What is the most important ingredient in a horse's diet?

Hay or forage is the most important ingredient in a horse’s diet. Every horse needs at least 1 percent of its body weight or 50 percent of total intake in good quality forage. Use a weight tape to estimate your horse’s weight or weigh the animal on a livestock scale. Buy enough bales of green, alfalfa-grass mixed hay or good quality grass hay ...

How often should miniature horses have their teeth examined?

Dental problems are fairly common in miniatures because their teeth are very large for their small jaws — nearly the same size as a full sized horse’s teeth! Like larger horses, miniature horses should have their teeth examined by a veterinarian or equine dentist at least once a year.

What is a good forage for horses?

Good quality forage is the mainstay of a horse’s diet, but horses may also need a grain mix (concentrate) to supplement their energy requirements as well as help balance for other nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals. When selecting a concentrate, make sure it is designed for your horse’s age, workload and production status.

What is the best way to get a horse to drink?

Trace mineral salt. Providing a trace mineral salt block will encourage your horse to drink and will replace electrolytes lost through sweating. Trace mineral salt will also provide the macro- and microminerals required to keep your horse healthy.

Why do people get miniature horses?

A lot of people get miniature horses because they are easy to manage, they’re cute, they eat less and they don’t require as much room as a big horse. It’s very important to educate yourself on miniature horse care so that you can keep them healthy and happy. Miniature horses do have different needs than big horses when it comes to their care.

Why are miniature horses more prone to colic than big horses?

They are more prone to colic because of their hearty appetite and predisposition for dental problems. Miniatures tend to have more problems with their teeth because they have the same size and number of teeth as a big horse packed into ...

Is a miniature horse healthy?

If you’re determined to vaccinate your miniature make sure they are healthy. Read the vaccination label, the first thing it says is “For Vaccination of healthy horses”. A miniature with laminitis, pneumonia, strangles, WNV etc is not healthy!

Can miniature horses live a long life?

They can get a lot of things trapped in the heavy hair coat. Your miniature horse can live a long healthy life and a lot of potential problems can be avoided by providing the proper care and feeding they require.

Can you feed a miniature horse alfalfa?

Feeding The Miniature Horse. They are prone to obesity and most owners tend to overfeed them. Feeding a miniature horse sweet feed or high amounts of alfalfa is one of the worst things you could do. Now I know some people will say I feed my mini alfalfa and have not had a problem.