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Giving them one or two meals each
day that can be consumed in an hour or so is not
natural. A horse is designed to eat a
generally poor quality, high fiber diet which
takes them many hours to consume. They eat for
long periods throughout the day, taking breaks to
rest, drink, roll, and socialize. So, what should
the pregnant mare eat?
It is better for horses, and
especially pregnant mares to receive free choice,
good quality grass hay or pasture with
vitamin/mineral supplements rather than expensive
concentrated feeds once or twice a day. Add a leaf
of alfalfa (uncrimped to avoid possible blister
beetle contamination).
Hay and grain should always be fed
by weight, not by volume. Weigh your leaves of hay
to see exactly what your horse is getting. There
is so much information on this subject that it is
impossible to give all the details here.
Some Guidelines are as follows:
 Free
Choice, Quality Grass Hay
Alfalfa
- Limited Quantity
Grain
Salt
Vitamin-Mineral
Supplement
Regular
Worming
Vaccinations
Vet
Checks
Keep in mind that recommendations
are general and subject to change due to new
research findings. A diet of free choice, quality
grass hay (fiber, protein, & phosphorus),
supplemented with small amounts of alfalfa hay
(calcium), a vitamin/mineral supplement specially
formulated for pregnant mares, and grain products
(not more than 12.5% protein). a 900 lb horse
should receive grain products according to this
formula or as recommended on the feed bag:
(900 lb x 0.005 = 4.5 lb of grain per day).
An overweight horse should receive less.
These are recommendations, for
more accurate analysis have your vet help you
determine what your mares dietary needs are. Also,
it is wise to have your hay analyzed for
nutritional content periodically so you know
exactly what your horses are getting.
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