Archive for February, 2007
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Stalls: Your pregnant horse’s stall should be larger than her usual one. I recommend 24X24 stalls, though 20X20 is usually sufficient. She won’t need the larger area until the foal is born, but you don’t want to transfer her just before the birth. The mare should be comfortable in her surroundings to make the birth less stressful.
Vital Signs: Keep a daily record of her vital signs, including her respiration, heart rate, and temperature. These records will help you monitor her progress, and stay on top of her health.
In order to properly feed brood mares, you must invisage the changes that are happening in the mare’s body at the different stages of breeding, gestation and lactation.
Before breeding
The mare’s grain mix should be increased slowly.
Increase her grain ration by just a small amount daily. This will raise her energy level which is a natural trigger of a strong estrus.
Mares in the wild would consume more energy as the spring grasses became lush. This not only increased the mares ability to cycle but was natures way of saying that there will be plenty for the foal the following year at that time.
