Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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All the best,
Dr. Getty
Hello Amber,
At five months pregnant, your mare simply requires a balanced diet and the one that you're feeding your gelding will likely work. Check the rice bran product -- it should contain a full complement of vitamins and minerals in order to truly fill in all nutritional gaps. If not, I recommend Mare/Foal IIP along with some added flaxseed meal (Nutra Flax) -- these added to alfalfa pellets and/or beet pulp, will be a nutritious choice, along with free choice grass hay.
Once she reaches her last three months of pregnancy, she will need the same diet, but up the Mare/Foal IIP along with her calories -- so you can increase her alfalfa pellets/beet pulp mixture and increase Nutra Flax (flaxseed meal). I mention Nutra Flax because it is stabilized and does not have added cereal grain.
She should be in a fleshy state going into her pregnancy and to carry her through lactation, but overly heavy (more than a 7 on the Henneke Body Condition Score) is putting her at risk for laminitis. So, a sweet feed made from cereal grains such as Purina Strategy, is not a good idea.
If you need for me to go over specific dosing or other issues that she may be having, consider setting up a phone consultation. But I believe you are on the right track.
If you need any non-nutritional help with following her pregnancy, foaling, and taking care of the newborn, I highly recommend The Complete Foaling Manual.
One more thing... if there is any way to postpone the weaning of her foal until 6 to 7 months, that would be preferable. Horses that have been weaned too early, often develop behavioral problems, including cribbing, as adults. I discuss this at length in my book.
Keep me posted. Congratulations!
Happy Foaling,
Dr. Getty 
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse
My mare is 8 and we will get her 5 months pregnant. She is a TB that currently just foaled 2 weeks ago. The current owner will breed her back this week and we will get in her late septmeber-ish when their foal weans.
They currently feeding 15lb of purina stratagy and free choice of a alfalfa bermuda mix hay. When I saw her last, she was 11 months along and quite porky. I do not like purina products - nor grains in general - and wondered how I would go about switching off a diet that high in grains?
I have a 3 y/o appendix gelding that gets 3lb alfalfa cubes (thoroughly soaked) and 1/2lb stabalized nutrient equalized rice bran (mana pro max e glow) and he gets this twice a day. Also, we offer a round bale of meadow-grasses so he is never without hay.
Would my geldings diet be safe for my mare, or being that far along is it now safe to switch her? I will be offering an orchard grass when she comes, so not to expose her to any fescue.
We don't have alot of choices out here for grains, but I like to use beetpulp,ricebran and alfalfa mixes.
Any help on getting her grain free would be great, thanks!
Where are you from? Bayfield
How did you locate this forum? CO
Greetings Amber,
I'm glad you've got a plan in place.
You can order Nutra Flax on my website, if you like. The shipping is free and it is guaranteed fresh. Here is the link: http://gettyequinenutrition.biz/products/nutraflax.htm
I would be delighted to sign and personalize a copy of my book for you. Simply go to my book's website and click on the Order page: www.feedyourhorselikeahorse.com
All the best,
Dr. Getty
We agreed with the previous owner that weaning could happen any time they wish, as it is their baby and we don't mind if she stays at their farm until the foal is ready to be off but they're happy with 5 months.
I have not been able to find nutra flax anywhere, but I'll keep up my search.
I'll be getting your manual soon! How do I get a signed copy?
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO