My "rescue" mare

[LindaL]

Last spring, we adopted a "rescue" mare (her owner gave her to us because she could not care for her any longer). She had foundered and was thin (unlike most foundered horses who are obese). We have been trying different things to try to get her weight up and she had gained some, but now that we have moved, her weight has dropped again. Before we moved, we fed in their individual stalls, so everyone got an exact portion. Now, they are just in a pasture and I feed in buckets attached to the fence, so of course the horses most aggressive get the most (altho she is one of the aggressive ones!), so it makes it harder get make sure everyone is getting their share. At this point, I have no other way to feed unless I feed each horse on a lead away from everyone else til they finish, which would take me hours to feed everyone that way! All the other horses are at good weight.

I need some suggestions on how to get weight on her without making the others gain too much weight (by feeding a higher calorie feed).

BTW, I am feeding the Purina Mini feed and rolled oats with alfalfa cubes and they have some grass (not much) in the pasture.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

In my opinion the only way you're going to get her weight up is to seperate just her during feeding time to a private area where she will get her portion. I have never used that feed but I have had the best luck with feeding something similar to this:

- 3 cups Strategy GX

- 1 cup Amplify supplement

Fed twice per day and you should see her weight jump up every quickly - I love the amplify supplement and it adds a lovely glow to their coat.

If all your others are doing fine with how you are feeding now and it's just her, I would figure out a way to seperate just her during feeding time as this will be your best bet.

 

[Lori W]

Good for you to take in a special needs horse! You may not want to hear this, but I firmly believe you need to separate at least her at feeding time as she eats her pelleted food. She may be aggressive because she's anxious about another horse getting her food - that can be harmful to her and maybe even cause ulcers.

Do you know why she foundered? Could it have been a binge eating episode, colic due to worm overload, etc.?

Have you dewormed at least once? Are you feeding the amount of Mini & Pony feed according to her weight? I'd even bump that up a bit and feed her as you would a lactating mare. You could also add some fat using a product like Purina's Amplify.

I'm sure you'll get lots of advice on this forum - use what you think makes sense to you and your situation. Keep us informed of her progress and post 'before' and 'after' pictures, too! Good luck!

 

[2minis4us]

I agree with the others, can you buy some plastic posts and hot wire just to fence off a small area where she can eat by herself ?

 

[Ashley]

Easy fix to keeping them seperated at feeding. I never had stalls until we moved here. They all were fed on the fence just like you are doing. Get some bundgie cords and dog collers(the plastic snap latch). You can tie each by their dish. Then when they are done you just walk down the line popping them off. Really doesnt add much time at all, and they all get their part of the meal.

With a hard keeper you cant feed with the group. It will never work.

 

[cretahillsgal]

How old is she? Could cushings be at play here? A cushings horse is not always fat when it founders or shows founder symptoms.

I agree with the others that you are going to have to find a way to separate her from the others. I have 3 here right now that are separated so that they can get more feed. All 3 are submissive and/or slow eaters. I have small pens made with cattle panels where they go to eat. I come back about an hour later and turn them back out with the herd.

 

[LindaL]

Tying all the horses and/or separating her at feeding time are my best choices. I think I will try tying 1st; this way I know ALL the horses are getting their fair share at meal time and I can adjust anyone who needs more/less like I did when they were stalled at feeding time.

Adjusting to this new place with not all the same "conveniences" I had before is taking some time. My horses are not as "spoiled" as they were before...LOL!

Even tho our winters are not that cold and of course we don't have snow; it still concerns me that they go into winter at a good weight/body condition.

 

[chandab]

Tying all the horses and/or separating her at feeding time are my best choices. I think I will try tying 1st; this way I know ALL the horses are getting their fair share at meal time and I can adjust anyone who needs more/less like I did when they were stalled at feeding time.

Another good thing to come of tying for feeding... They'll start looking for you to halter them, as they know dinner is the next step. Its a great way to help teach horses to come when you call them, especially if you have one that is a little stand-offish or something.

I do have a barn, but limited stalls, so I have two mares that share the "diet" paddock. I tie the one girl at meal times, the other takes longer to eat, so by the time she is done eating and considering looking at the other one's dish, its already empty.

 

[mydaddysjag]

I agree with tying to eat. About 12 years ago we boarded my big horses at a barn who didn't have individual stalls, just a big loafing barn. Twice a day the horses would come in and get tied. There were ties already attached to heavy duty hook eyes in the tie posts, so no extra time tying a quick release knot for each horse. The horses all knew when feeding time was, and would come down out of the field and stand by their spot waiting to be tied and grained. Everyone stood tied until the last horse finished, then they all went back out.

 

[Miniv]

I definitely agree with feeding her separately. If she's still prone to founder and needs to gain weight, she needs a low sugar/low starch feed and no pasture grass. Grass hay and supplement is the best for a foundering horse, plus giving them B-L Pellets to help with discomfort. At least... that's what we've had good luck with.

 

[Marty]

Seperate for sure and actually if you could remove her completely from the sight of the others while eating it should keep her from being so anxious at feed time.

By all means:

1. treat 40 days for ulcers

2. probios treatments: Activia is great!

3. free choice hay. a round bale might be nice for this situation