Question

I have a 14-year-old, 1,050-lb (475-kg) Quarter Horse mare that is really thin. I recently weaned her 10-month-old colt from her. The persistent nursing really drained the mare. Right now, she has access to pasture all day, and I’ve not started her on feed as I wanted to taper off milk production as quickly as possible. How should I feed her to regain weight?

Answer

Because the foal is weaned and the mare will no longer have the energy drain associated with lactation, she should naturally begin to gain weight, especially if the pasture grass she has access to is abundant. By adding a ration balancer, which complements a forage-based diet, she will be well on her way to weight gain so long as her other health needs are looked after, including proper deworming and dental correction, if needed.

Adding a fully fortified concentrate will hasten weight gain, as it will increase calorie consumption. A concentrate will also supply all of the important vitamins and minerals. By carefully following the instructions on the feed packaging, you can be sure that she is fed the proper amount, which is likely somewhere between 5 and 10 lb (2.25 to 4.5 kg) per day. If possible, feed at least two meals each day. This is especially important when more than 5 lb (2.5 kg) of feed is offered per day.

In addition to forage and feed, supply a salt block and fresh water.