# Broodmare weight



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Why is she nursing foals of such different ages? The 6 month old is likely robbing the 2 week old of the nutrience it needs to thrive, and it is too old to be getting anything more than tummy filler from the milk anyways. Wean it yesterday.

If that mare is a 1 on the scale, with her ribs, spine, and hips showing,BOTH foals need to be taken off of her and her feed needs to upped to 24-7 GOOD hay and some sort of senior feed or other high calorie feed.

If she is a 2 on the scale, take that 6 month old off of her and leave the 2 week old on, but watch them closely. Creep feed the foal, up the mare's hay to 24-7 hay and a good amount of high quality feed too.


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## nickers103 (Aug 10, 2010)

Ideally for a broodmare that is to be bred / pregnant, you don't want a body condition that is considered fleshy or fat. I was always taught that you would look for a body condition score of around 4 - 6 with 5 obviously being ideal. Anything under or over that could be cause for problems. Below is a chart depicting body condition scoring for horses.









As the animal is pregnant, she clearly will fill out more with the weight of the foal and her nutritional needs will increase, especially during lactation. As long as her nutritional needs are being meet, you're still going to want to keep her on a body condition scale of 4 -6. As far as weight goes, that will all depend on the breed of horse and each individual mare herself. Does this sort of thing kind of answer what you are asking?


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

:think: any brood mare feeding anything should be of a good weight, you should feed to maintain them.

If she has adopted a foal, the only way that she would have two of that age, then she needs as much food as she can eat. 

If you are talking about how she should look at 2 weeks, and then again at 6 months, then again, should be in good weight.


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

Sorry two different mares (couldn't edit after the fact), two totally different breeds, ages, backgrounds. One is a 1 nursing a 2 week old, the other might be a 1.5 to a 2 still nursing a six month old. 

Neither are mine, both owned by a well respected horse person in the area, no one believes me that their weight regardless of a foal or not, isn't good.

I was using a 0 to 5 scale, the one above they are both 2 or lower. My computer keeps correcting my spelling wrong.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Some pics. 

Ace with Angel at 2 weeks old, I'm happy with her here



One month old, just getting a touch behind the curve



Bert and Stewie at 2 weeks, she is fine



and then at 3 months, I got behind the curve before the grass came in, and you can see that she got drawn right down, while Stewie was motoring on. When she got like this I was asking for help and advice



One month later she was back into shape


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## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

Well, the 6 month old is less concerning, but still concerning. It could be weaned now with no issues.

The question is, why are these two mares in such poor condition? With totally different ages and backgrounds, it is obvious they are not receiving adequate nutrition or just adequate anything period. I would be seriously concerned if the mare nursing the 2 week old is already at a 1 because she isn't going to have much left to give this foal very soon. If the owner won't listen to you and these horses are as bad as you say they are, call the SPCA.


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

Both mares were in poor shape before but not like this, one is 12 years paint, the other 3, draft mix(bred through a electric fence). 

I've come to the conclusion the owner in a cheap skate or lazy and doesn't want to feed the mares well enough for them to maintain weight, let alone gain. Thanks GoldenHorse, yours don't even come close to what these ones look like.

The SPCA can't and won't do anything for two reasons, there is food/water on site, the other horses are fine (or most of them are), and she is actually is a respected horse person in the area who has taken rescues for the SPCA.

It's a case of I'm too young to know better than someone three times my age. People don't listen to me because I look like a 14 year old, while I'm 21, have taken courses from the University of Guelph both in horses and working towards a MBA, and around horses for 14 years. But no I'll the only person sees anything wrong with those horses.


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## Merlot (Sep 12, 2012)

Thi is merlot with Zephyr when he is about a week old - her condition was great







merlot (on left) when Zeph was 3 months old...







at 4 months (Zephyr) Merlot started to lose condition and I was PACKING food into her...







here she is now - Zephyr is 6 months - sucking the life out of her but I am hard feeding twice a day plus all the hay she can eat...








As the vet said when I voiced my concerns about her weight...."Have you not noticed the large parasite attached to her" LOL


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Here is my mare with her foal a few years ago at various stages of growth. This was my first experience with raising a foal and I did a lot of internet research and read a few books to get prepared. I guess what I am saying is that I am not an experienced breeder and I managed to keep weight on my mare.

It takes a little care to keep weight on a nursing mare but by no means is impossible. My mare never got thin but I did work hard at feeding her. If someone just fed the mare the same as she didn't have a foal, or they didn't really care enough to feed much extra, the mare could drop a serious amount of weight. In my (albeit limited) experience they take some TLC, but a nursing mare does NOT have to get thin. Similarly I have heard people say a horse is thin because he is old. With a little TLC an old horse does not have to be thin either. 

I love the quote about the parasite Merlot! :lol:


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

I think it is like when people say an old horse is thin because they're old. They don't have to be. Same with a mare that's nursing. 

I asked someone that I know well "If they were a complete strangers horses, and you drove by and saw that, what would you think?" They admitted that because they've known the owner for nearly 15 years, that they just assume that it's all okay, if had been a strangers place they would probably be horrified. 

All the pictures that everyone put, thanks, it puts in perspective that yes it's okay to lose conditioning, to become a little ribby, but with a good diet that doesn't have to become a big problem. That there is no good reason for the mares to be in that condition, it sucks that nothing will be done, nothing can be done, but the mares should be grazing soon hopefully it will help some too.


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

The mare should be at a perfect weight all throughout pregnancy and while the foal is nursing. If she is not, she is not getting enough food.

Here is my mare just prior to foaling...324 Days here, she foaled at 337 Days.


Here she is with her 5 day old foal. She looks wonderful here.


Chilly with 3 week old Wrecker.


Chilly with 5 week old Wrecker.


And Chilly back in work with 7 week old Wrecker. (This is taken at a show)


Wrecker is about 8 weeks in this photo. And Chilly is actually OVER-weight. Not being fed hay right now, just 24/7 pasture, salt/mineral blocks and fresh water.


My mare has always been an easy keeper but with her pregnancy, I watched her weight extremely close. Once a broodmare goes downhill, it can be hard to get them back on track. It's a slippery slope and I didn't want to go down that road with my horse's nutrition.

There is NO excuse for skinny horses. Including "hard-keepers" and "lactating mares" It's just not an excuse. It's sheer laziness/lack of proper care on behalf of the owner if they have a horse that's a 1 or a 2 on the scale, let another poor broodmares.


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## WyndellaRose (Nov 7, 2011)

Does your city or state have animal control that is not associated with the local SPCA? Or will someone in another district or jurisdiction take action? Someone/group not associated with the owner?


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

The RCMP actually does the animal control but most cases are past to the SPCA unless its proven case which legal action is going to be taken. This isn't abuse it is neglect, which is hard to prove because of the other horses on the property which are generally healthy weight or heavier side. If water and food is on site, there is no case.


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## WyndellaRose (Nov 7, 2011)

I think there is still a case although it would be harder to prove. It's selective neglect and abuse. Neglect is abuse IMO. If some of the horses are looking terrible then there is the possibility for all of them later on down the road depending upon how/what they do for the owner to be neglected. I'd contact a local animal control officer and ask to lay out your findings for him. Provide pictures if you can. See what can or can't be done. Sounds like the owner needs to have some horses taken away so proper care can be given to the remainder.


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## WyndellaRose (Nov 7, 2011)

Try googling animal control laws and what constitutes abuse in your area...if you can back up your case with actual laws, it'll strengthen it.


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

Sorry I was wrong it isn't the SPCA or RCMP that does animal for horses, only small animals, in 2010 it changed that the department of agriculture looks into horses along with livestock. I emailed them ask what are the conditions that warrant a visit to check on the horses.

I don't know in the US or other parts of Canada, but here there is no one else that is legally allow to take the animals.


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## WyndellaRose (Nov 7, 2011)

Glad to hear this! Keep us posted on what they say!


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

Well I don't know if it's good or bad news. No the conditions are not bad enough for them to come check on the horses. As long as they are a dry place to lay down, hay, water and a place out of the elements she's doing nothing wrong.

Even after pointing out that they had foals at side, the woman insisted that is was fine that they were underweight, that losing a lot of weight was normal with broodmares. 

They do have on record the complaint but unless someone else complains or something more serious happens (gets sick and not treated, dies, etc) they are not going to do anything.


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## Merlot (Sep 12, 2012)

Siiigh - unbeliveable.
Sounds like the SPCA in Canada is just as useless as it is here.


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

Not SPCA (they are now only small animal) it the Government Department of Agriculture, and your right they are completely useless.

But don't worry the SPCA is that useless too, I worked for them for a week and nearly pulled out my hair before I quit.


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## WyndellaRose (Nov 7, 2011)

Do you have any pictures of the mares you can provide them? Yes, some mares loose weight but they need to have something left on their bodies to support them, especially if the owner breeds them year after year. 

Any other neighbors in the area who would make an anonymous complaint?


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