question about newly foaled mare

sulphurfire · Postby **sulphurfire** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:47 am

Okay this is a non Tb but I find there are many knowledgeable people on this site so I'm going to ask opinions. My fiance brought home a little mustang mare Easter day, well I thought she wasn't ready to foal yet and suprise this morning she droppped a little filly. Okay here's the deal the mare is close to 250 - 300 lbs underweight. She's about a low 3 in her condition. Both the mare and the foal received their tetanus this morning, we have something called First Response thats being brought to give the foal(I understood it to be a colustrum replacer) she is producing milk. The mare is getting her vaccines and a wormer today. We are feeding the mare a 12% grain, free choice alicia hat and pasture. Have I missed anything? Or any opinions on what to do to help the mare gain weight safely so that the foal and her both get good nutrition.

WarHorse · Postby **WarHorse** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:58 am

I'm concerned with the mare getting all of these shots at the same time. Some horses don't take to that and get sick. And with the Spring weather already messing with her system, it could go bad.

But I'm a worry wart.

My favorite thing is to make sure there is roughage available 24/7.

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 9:02 am

Since she is already underweight, you should go to a 14-16% broodmare/foal grain (all grain), throw in some Calf Manna if it is not already in the mix. You will be astonished at the amount of hay the mare will eat, should have it available as stated, 24/7. I hope you meant alfalfa hay...

Remember, when calculating the amount of feed (2-4% of body weight per day), calculate for the TARGET body weight, not the underweight figure the horse is now....

sulphurfire · Postby **sulphurfire** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 9:32 am

Okay I should have added that the vet will be out this afternoon before she's vaccinated, so I'll verify with him on those first.(She has two broken lower teeth(the mare, apparent trauma). We have to finish her stall TODAY, roof and two sides already done. The vaccines are her West Nile and her Eastern/Western. I'm going to feed store in a bit and pick up some more feed and yes I like feeding calf manna. The hay is free choice , it's hard to get good alfalfa down here so I'll probably just pick up some dried. But the hay she's getting right now is an Alicia/Bermuda grass hay. I've used rice bran to fatten up poor horses before but am unsure about using it with her because of an imbalanced phosphorus to magnesium ratio.
Thanks for all the input so far.

WarHorse · Postby **WarHorse** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 10:22 am

Sounds like you are really on top of things. I'll keep checking back out of curiousity.

(Have any pix?)

sulphurfire · Postby **sulphurfire** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 11:49 am

No no pics yet. I don'y have digital cam so I'll have to take some and scan them and then be able to put them up. lol

sulphurfire · Postby **sulphurfire** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 1:12 pm

Okay lets try this for the pics.

http://community.webshots.com/scripts/e ... 3&ran=8288

They aren't the best but thats what I have so far.

FOS · Postby **FOS** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 4:13 pm

hi sulfurfire

Fill us in...did the vet recommend doing a COMPLETE blood work-up...including an oft-ignored T4 (thyroid) ?

Did you have her teeth checked...did they need to be floated?

Did you up the sweet feed to 18% for your lactating mare...even though 12% to 16% would probably be fine. And what supplements are you using...if any...and is there plenty of quality hay (my preference is alfala) and good pasture available to her.

Have you been feeding a bran mash every couple of days (at least at the outset)...you might consider using WHEAT bran.

And for what it's worth...you might (if you haven't already) add one cup of CORN oil to your mare's feed every other day or so...I expect that your vet might agree that she could benefit (for a number of reasons).

Your mare and foal are fortunate to have such caring and loving owners...I hope that you and your fiance are enjoying the results of your efforts and that your mare and foal are becoming more beautiful...and healthier than you could ever have imagined...and right before your eyes.

Best to you.

Respectfully

WarHorse · Postby **WarHorse** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 4:47 pm

Ditto the corn oil and wheat bran. But creep feed the corn oil, unless you like cow pies.

The picture link did not work; you have it set to "exclusive" or something that blocks people.

Cheers!

Inyureye · Postby **Inyureye** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 11:08 pm

I think you gave us the link while you were in an edit mode at the webshots site. You have to back out, enter the site and got to the pick again and give us the link from there.

sulphurfire · Postby **sulphurfire** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 8:02 am

Okay feeding questions. shes being fed safe choice its a nutrena feed 14%, with calf manna added, free choice salt lick(hasn't touched). frree choice alicia/bermuda hay(grass hay), free pasture. She's on a mare and foal supplememet. This is the feed info:
Crude Protein 14.0%
Lysine 0.80%
Methionine 0.30%
Threonine min. 0.50%
Crude Fat 7.0%
Crude Fiber max. 15.0%
Calcium min. 0.90%-max. 1.20%
Phosphorus 0.75%
Copper 50 ppm
Zinc 160 ppm
Selenium 0.6 ppm
Vitamin A 3,500 IU/lb
Vitamin D 350 IU/lb
Vitamin E 100 IU/lb

Biotin .45 mg/lb

She's getting 11 lbs of feed daily.thats a total amount between two feedings
No he didn't do a thyroid, and wants to wait to have her teeth done after another week from tommorrow, as they aren't giving her any obvious problems. She did receive her west nile and her eastern/western enchapalitis vaccines.
She's already gaining condition back the weight is filling in in the area around her tailhead and spinal process. She has a good bag on her(she's being a very good momma). And her behavior is going from don't touch me to starting to seek out human interaction.

http://community.webshots.com/album/322919363lkKtZu

monicabee · Postby **monicabee** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:40 am

And her behavior is going from don't touch me to starting to seek out human interaction.

I was wondering how it was to have a mustang momma! Does she let you near the foal? It must add a whole level of complication to the transition from the wild horse lifestyle (I am assuming you got her straight from the BLM).

sulphurfire · Postby **sulphurfire** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:30 am

No she didn't come from the BLM (her BLM papers show her as being caught as a long yearling early two) she's 5 now and it's no different dealing with her and the foal then any other mare. The only deal with her is is that she's headshy so we have to work with that. She came from a not-so-nice place(there was iron jumk in the yard, less than an acre two other horses, no clean water,etc) plus she had been run through the local cattle sale about three weeks prior to that.So she's really just getting settled in good now, but from her actions I'ld say she hasn't had the best or easiest life. She's got a much better life now.

monicabee · Postby **monicabee** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 5:12 am

From her actions I'ld say she hasn't had the best or easiest life. She's got a much better life now.

I'll say! Thanks for satisfying my curiousity.
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sulphurfire · Postby **sulphurfire** » Wed May 18, 2005 6:32 am

Well life with foals is always full of surprises. Sunday evening when I went to feed it was discovered that Sassy( the foal) had slit her left nostril open. From the bottom to about an 1 1/2 inch slit, clean cut. That took a few stitches. And the "rodeo" time was on. She was not very happy with us, while we have been around her since birth she has no been handled very much. And with onlya loafing shed for their shelter. We could not safely catch her without setting up the round pen as a catch chute. But I was sure proud of Taffy(the mare) she let us do what needed to be done with a minimal of fuss. We have an appoinment next month with an equine dentist for Taffy's teeth. I got a good look and it's not her grinding teeth that are bad, but her front teeth and they look to me to be her baby teeth. Is it possible at 4 to still have some of her baby teeth? We'ld be briinging her sooner to the dentist, but the prices he qoted and our cost of moving rigfht now have forced us to wait on her teeth being done. They aren't causing any obvious problems (yet). And we have another mare on the way, as soon as we can get the coggins pulled, she's been turned out on 100 acres and left alone for the past two years, and we just found out that the owner is in jail, and worked a deal with them to purchase her. She is a 14-15 year old quarter pony type. I had the care of her and her (now deceased) pasture mate a couple of years ago, so I know what I'm getting here.
Okay I've said enough am probably boring ya'll with my chat. Have a good day
Now to track down an owner I used to work for and see if he wants to get rid of one of the geldings I used to work with, so I can have a Thoroughbred in my retinue of horses( btw his name is Tuff Twist he's in the db here). He was a nice honest horse to work with.