I would like to just briefly touch on pregnant mares. The feeding
requirements for them are basically the same as for all horses except during the
last trimester of their pregnancy. The nutritional demands are a bit higher here
as the foal is experiencing rapid growth and the mare will pull the nutrients
from her own body to supply the growing fetus. Here again it is almost easier
for most of us to overdo this regimen. Make sure she's getting what she needs
without excess. And if you have "fescue" grass in your pasture, be sure she is
not grazing on that for the last trimester or so of her pregnancy. I have also
heard removing her from the "fescue" can be done as late as thirty days prior to
foaling, but I guess, why take chances?
One final thought, it is very wise to discuss any and all feeding programs
with your veterinarian! There are nutritional requirements that may be specific
to your area you need to be aware of and your veterinarian or even a local
veterinary college would be the best source of information for these things. For
example, my area is deficient in Selenium. I have my horse's blood checked
occasionally for this to make sure they are getting what they need. Some areas
have an excess of Selenium present in the soil and some plants concentrate this
trace mineral. This can be extremely toxic! So always check with your
veterinarian when trying to set up an effective feeding program.
I hope this help take some of the mystery out of feeding and how to judge
your horse's condition. There isn't really alot of magic involved, mostly just
understanding how the horse evolved and trying to follow those "blueprints"!
