Timothy hay has long been a favorite hay of horse owners, its popularity due in part to the fact that timothy hay is typically a very clean hay, free of dust and mold. This is critical for horse owners selecting hay, because of the potential for respiratory problems in horses.
Timothy harvested at an early stage of maturity (prior to early bloom) can provide a significant percentage of a mature horse’s nutrient requirements. For horses with higher nutrient requirements, such as lactating mares and young growing horses, timothy hay can be an effective forage but the feeding programs will require supplementation to meet the increased nutrient requirements of these classes of horse. However for mature horses at maintenance or doing light work, timothy hay is a good choice as limited supplementation will be required to meet the horse’s nutrient requirements.
Broodmares have special need compared to other horses.
The differences are the amount of feed required and the type of feed used.
The Broodmare goes through different stages of nutritional requirements that can affect the foal and it’s development.. Early Gestation (first 8 months) Late Gestation (Last 3 months) and Lactation (milking)
Broodmares should be in good flesh to conceive.
Body condition is the most important factor affecting the reproductive performance of mares. Mares in good flesh.
- Cycle earlier in the year( daylight may not be as big a factor as condition and energy intake).
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.
