Kinda of strange question.

[supaspot]

please dont be upset , no-one is suggesting you are starving your horses , their diet probably just needs tweaking ... the other posters are right , its better to split the hay into two feeds and a pregnant mare needs vitamins and minerals so dont forget to buy her a block/lick

I hope i didnt sound harsh but I sold a really good home bred 2yr old stallion not so long ago , now - my horses all carry a little extra weight but it hadnt done him any harm because he had won championships ...he was irelands top 3 futurity and was 3rd in his class at our national show under american judge bill fairchild but still the new owner put him on a strict diet , he kept him in a sand arena with tiny amounts of hay , the horse was hungry and tried to eat every last scrap of hay he could ....he got sand colic , his gut twisted and he died

even though he was sold and not mine any more my heart was still broken, I wouldnt want that to happen to you

 

[Eagle]

Superspot that is so sad. Sorry

 

[HGFarm]

Great advice from AnnaC - I would worm them again also with an ivermectin wormer- and do it again in 3 weeks or so. You mentioned about the foal being too fat- is it hay belly or are they truly fat all over? If a big belly, it sounds like not enough protein.

I agree, you are doing right by them, I also think you just need to tweak your feed program. If good hay is hard to find, maybe change their diet to include some Equine Jr. and Equine Adult or whatever will fit the case..?? The quality of those type of feeds is usually pretty good and pretty consistant and would help take up the slack on the hay quality. I know it's been hard for many to find decent stuff.

Keep at it, you are heading in the right direction!

 

[vickie gee]

You have come to the right place and you are getting some good advise. Just remember to do any change in food gradually. I saw your pictures of your horses on the gallery. They are sure sweeties. The one that has the poop problems and gas might be ulcerative. I would try adding alfalfa pellets to the food. It could not hurt and alfalfa helps keep them warm. Mine get alfalfa pellets mixed with their evening feeding in the winter.

 

[ohmt]

Too many vets think that a big belly means that they are fat when that is not the case at all. And you are definitely not starving your horses! But, it sounds like they do need more hay and probably more protein as stalky hay usually does not have the fiber or protein content a horse needs. Make sure you give the little one and your mare a 14-16% protein grain too.

Good luck to you and your 'babies'!

 

[Skylight_minis]

Its from her irritation in the intestine. Sounds like sand to me. I have some that are super sensitive to sand. They will start this but after being given sand clear it goes away. Wouldnt hurt to give it to her for a week to help get all the sand out and move her to a grassy spot if possible. Make sure she's not dropping the grain in the sand when she eats. That could be how she's getting so much sand. Feed on clean mats or out on a grassy spot.