# Fat, pregnant mare worries



## Skye2308 (3 August 2012)

My mare is just over 3 and a half months in foal. She is on a really bare paddock, with no hay or feed and still manages to stay fat. Ive read that fat mares have more problems foaling but she just permantly stays this weight. She has a bit of arthritis which means i no longer jump etc. I would often go hacking round the fields and up the hills, do the odd trot and somtimes a short canter. She is a stocky type of pony, even when i used to compete on her she always appeared round. The 3rd pic i have posted was from when she was being rode most days and jumping etc taken in 2010. 

I know mares dont start gaining weight until later in their pregnacy, i just worry how big she will be in the later months and her foaling. Anyone else had a mare like this? Any advice or comments relating my worries would be great  The 2 1st photos were taken a week ago and she is in an even barrier paddock now :/

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...17790392_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/s720x720/558319_3788002053517_372579395_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3365581_n.jpg


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## Skye2308 (3 August 2012)

PHOTOS! The ones above arent working for some reason!


http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/488135_3788000693483_1217790392_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/s720x720/558319_3788002053517_372579395_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/37960_1481254586272_3365581_n.jpg


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## Mega (5 August 2012)

She doesn't look awful, could be worse!! My mare gains weight easily, I just manage her grazing v carefully. Our little pony (companion) has had a weight problem this yr so we've infested in a muzzle which has worked wonders, once we managed to keep or on her! If you're worried for could limit her grazing with a muzzle until the grazing gets poorer. Hth


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## oldywoldy (5 August 2012)

Just bear  in mind that she needs her vitamins, minerals and trace elements to produce a healthy foal - you ought to be giving her at least these if she is on starvation.  Either a small amount of stud diet or a feed like Top Spec Stud to just ensure she can support a growing foal.


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## jillygem (5 August 2012)

I wouldn't be overally worried as she has the winter ahead to slim down.  My mare was the same and I didn't give any hard feed until last 3 months but made sure she had access to mineral block in the field.  Foaling was quick and easy with healthy foal. Good luck x


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## gadetra (5 August 2012)

I feel your pain! I had 4 foals out of a chronic fatty. Just gave her a bare handful of balancer in the last three months and that was it. Just to make you feel better here is she 2 days before foaling and mahoosive! She's a Cinnie x ID some breeds are just tough and can live on thin air and foal down well inspite of their fat/thin-ness. 
Here's the pic to make you feel better!!:


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## Amymay (6 August 2012)

Ideally you should have dieted her prior to covering - to get her weight under control.

Why not give her some exercise?


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## CBFan (6 August 2012)

Hmmm... She is a little rotund isn't she! I would definately be working her a little. Even ride and lead if possible?

Also, if possible, putting her on a track system for grazing may be more effective at controlling her weight than in a 'bare' paddock.

Turnout unrugged (even in winter)??!


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## the watcher (6 August 2012)

I have a Highland mare who does very well, even on poor grass so even when in foal she is muzzled some of the time (just gets a vit/min supplement daily), she only gets full access to grazing in the last few weeks of pregnancy and initially with her foal at foot, but as the foal takes more hard feed she will be muzzled again.


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## Skye2308 (7 August 2012)

Yeah, she is due mid march so hopefully she wont be gaining to much weight over the winter. would be worse if she was foaling late spring. Thankyou very much.

I do ride her most days for 30 mins-45 but because of the arthritius i dont do much work, i would walk and trot round the field and sometimes the odd canter. Because she will be foaling early next year, she wont be rugged anyway so that should help a bit.

Gadetra you mare is lovely. Seems just like Skye. Dont know how they manage to live on air most of the time. Thanks for the photo and everyone for there comments


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## Skye2308 (7 August 2012)

The paddock she is on is bare, my yard owner though thinks she shouldnt be getting hay because of her size, or a very small amount. im worried though is it possible for a mare to lose the pregnancy because she isnt getting enough? she has been in this paddock for a few weeks and isnt showing any signs of losing the weight, so surely she would show signs of losing some if she wasnt getting enough?

Do you think, keeping her on the bare paddock, with some form of vitamin and a small amount of hay would be sufficient?


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## Megibo (7 August 2012)

Skye2308 said:



			The paddock she is on is bare, my yard owner though thinks she shouldnt be getting hay because of her size, or a very small amount. im worried though is it possible for a mare to lose the pregnancy because she isnt getting enough? she has been in this paddock for a few weeks and isnt showing any signs of losing the weight, so surely she would show signs of losing some if she wasnt getting enough?

Do you think, keeping her on the bare paddock, with some form of vitamin and a small amount of hay would be sufficient?
		
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if she's on too bare a paddock she'll conserve as much fat as possible due to lack of food. With my mare who got really fat at one point she lost weight on a 'bare' paddock, but with grass she could literally nibble on, and then the recommended amount of hay for her healthy bodyweight but soaked to take as much goodness out of it as possible. A balancer or vit and min supplement is a good idea.


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## Queenbee (7 August 2012)

oldywoldy said:



			Just bear  in mind that she needs her vitamins, minerals and trace elements to produce a healthy foal - you ought to be giving her at least these if she is on starvation.  Either a small amount of stud diet or a feed like Top Spec Stud to just ensure she can support a growing foal.
		
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pop her on a small feed, fast fibre or hi fi lite, and a stud/youngstock supplement.


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## Amymay (8 August 2012)

You do need to give her something, obviously.  And if the paddock is genuinly bare, then hay her twice a day.  And pop in a good vitamin block (something like rockies).

But is there a reason you can't exercise her?


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## Skye2308 (8 August 2012)

amymay said:



			You do need to give her something, obviously.  And if the paddock is genuinly bare, then hay her twice a day.  And pop in a good vitamin block (something like rockies).

But is there a reason you can't exercise her?
		
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There is some grass, but some areas are a bit boggy and uneven so she has to forage more for it. Yeah will look into getting a vitamin block, is that just salt or does that have all the vitamins she would need? i have hifi lite and vitamin E so ill start giving her that because you can feed that as a hay replacer and give her a small amount of hay.

She has a bit of arthritius so i would hack her round the fields most days and do a bit of trotting but i dont like to do anything to heavy on her now x


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## Amymay (8 August 2012)

At 3 months pregnant, there is no reason why she can't do a bit of quiet hacking daily.


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## Skye2308 (8 August 2012)

its more to do with her arthritus because before when she was diagnosed she was on a small bute daily, but i stopped giving her it before i sent her to the stud. She is totally fine for walking and trotting, just have to watch the hard ground


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## Amymay (8 August 2012)

If she has arthritis then gentle exercise will benefit her.  All you have to do is walk for 30 mins a day around the roads or on a bridle path.


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## Skye2308 (8 August 2012)

Yeah  Thanks for the advice.
Do you think when she gets heavier in foal, would it be alright to give something for her arthritis, like Flexi foint? i stopped giving her that aswell before she was sent to the stud.


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## Amymay (8 August 2012)

You'd have to discuss with your vet any medication or support she might need for her arthritis.  What did he advise prior to you putting her in foal?


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## Skye2308 (8 August 2012)

Yeah, the vet that diagnosed her with arthritis thought putting her in foal would be fine, it was mild but if things became worse i could try injections but if she isnt being rode heavily anymore i didnt think it would be needed. i havent asked her about the joint flex but, My local vet thought it would be fine to give her the joint flex and we have asked the shop that sells it and they thought the same


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## mynutmeg (27 August 2012)

You can give her a joint supplement while pregnant, also if she's on very little grass then putting out soaked hay will give her the roughage she needs without calories.
I would also have her on a balancer of some sort, either the stud balancer or a lite balancer. My mare is exactly the same, on the podgy side and lives on thin air but hasn't put any weight on with the top spec stud balancer, even at the full ration.


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