[lokismum]

I'm just buying my 2 year old daughter her first pony
36 inch Shetland 
and would like some advice form little horse owners and breeders
shes a 6 year old in foal for 2014
never been backed but has a good nature

my problem 
owner say they take her foals from her before they reach 4 months as she loses condition after that (they keep her just on grass)
with us she would be in during the winter
any advice on what I should feed her while she's in
gave my 16.2 mare a good quality mare and foal mix should I do the same for little one
what would be a good feed mix for her re: chaff  sugar beat  etc. and how much should I give her of what
don't want to make her fat but would like to give her and the foal more time together

after the foal is born and weaned I would like to harness train her so we could get a little light trap for her to give my daughter rides
any advice on doing this would be brill

thanks in advance

[shygirl]

5 mths is the absolute minimum, 6 mths is text book. we were sold a welsh foal who we didnt realise at the time was less than 4 mths, it really is too young and no point as his mother looked very well in herself and he was still such a baby. he was pushed onto hard feed by his breeder so he could leave sooner.
a native shouldnt lose condition if she is wormed properly (red worms especially) and she shouldnt need anything except hay and grazing. if they are losing condition then something is wrong somewhere.
we wean our highland foals at 6 mths if being sold or 8-10 mths if staying here. id advice play it by ear, if the mother is happy then let them enjoy the relationship they have.

[lokismum]

I have no intention of the foal leaving any time before its ready
my last foal I allowed to wean naturally and it was wonderful to see mum and foal enjoy the time together
foal will be staying with us so no rush

this will be my first pony and first native breed all the others are 16.1 upwards and are all fine boned horses
hence asking about feed amounts the others just tip buckets of food down

but I do know little ones are prone to weight gain don't want to make her fat but worry they said she looses condition
she will go on to a worming program with the others anyway so that wont be a problem with the egg counts done 
we have no winter grazing hence she will come in

[sabrina]

I fed my Shetland mares over the winter a high fibre pony mix with vitamins and speedy beet plus hay. they were stabled over the winter so I could rest some paddocks. A mare and foal mix would be too much for a native even an in foal one. Once weaned keep the foal on the same mix over the winter.

[lokismum]

brill thanks I did wonder if it would be to much
seeing as my big mare didn't loose an ounce on it and she fed her filly up to a year old

[mowhaugh]

Good advice above.

My mares are just grass fed where possible (which is most of the time), with a vitamin lick bucket, and then have good quality hay or haylage added if they are needing something extra, and then non mollassed suagr beet, and possibly some micronised linseed if still needing more.  i think they key things to remember, specially with a native, are fibre and oil, fibre and oil and nothing else.

I would definitely be checking for worms, fluke etc. etc. a young shetland mare really should be able to take a foal to 6 months off grass.

It will be difficult with a pony so small, but if your daughter is wanting to ride too, I would try to make sure the pony is properly backed in the same way you would something larger to avoid problems later.

[shygirl]

red worms dont show on a worm count and pregnant ponies and youngsters have low immunity. we have bought stock in with v high redworms from well respected breeders in the past. it can kill and is often the reason ponies dont thrive.

i agree with oil if needing condition, we get the big bottles from the supermarket and add to the feed but shetlands shouldnt need anything except grass and vitamins, especially if not out in all weathers.

good luck

[Rosemary]

Not a mare, but our two geldings (Highland and Shetland) came through last winter on straw. They do get two small feeds of non-mollassed chaff to which I add a mineral mix and garlic (partly to stop them going feral  )

[lokismum]

I give the 3 big girls global herbs vitamin supplements 
so she can go onto that anyway
and they all have licks and treats as well
went to see her today
already phoned my worming company !!!!!!!!!!
worming her for every type of worm is defiantly  the first thing happening as soon as she arrives at the yard followed by a good brush to get allllllll of that dead coat out

I don't have the choice of having her out in the winter at all but we have brill hay
dose anyone think I could just give her a little of what the biggies he
chaff
speedy beat
and a little herbal cool mix
and some ready grass
and Vitamin and mineral supplement
and we will be going for lots of walks out so we can nibble on some grass in the way
its much easier to sort out the big horses

[mowhaugh]

You will have to wait and see what she is like, but I would start of giving her just a teeny taste of chaff, enough to mix the vitamin and mineral supplement, and then wait an see if she needs anyhting else, I think it will be unlikely.  also the amont of hay she will need will be absolutely miniscule compared to what you are used to looking at, and if it is good hay, you may well need to soak it for at least 12 hours to remove the goodness.  I feed my highlands be eye and feel, but weigh our shetland's hay if he is needing any, because 1.5% of his bodyweight looks such a pathetic amount, and it has to be less than that if he is getting grass too.  If he gets a 'hard feed' it is one of my two year old son's tiny handfuls of Top spec Top Chop Lite.  And despite all of this, he is still fatter than I would like.  The pleasure he gives us makes him worth all the work, though, I'm sure your shetland will be the same.

I would speak to westgate Labs or similar about what worm eggs counts and so on should be done, and that way you won't be giving her any chemicals she doesn't need, and you will also be sure any you do give her have worked and there is no resistance issue.

[lokismum]

chaff it is then
all of my horses are signed up to intelligent worming program and will do the same with her
sample tubs are already on the way out for her
but cant wait for the results to come back 
will have to treat her as soon as she comes out of the box
then send the sample off  after to get her started
I'm sure she will be worth all the hard work of getting used to a native breed

[shygirl]

once you get to know her. you will know how much to feed her, laminitis is apparent long before it becomes text book lameness. even a very slight foot-sore should raise the alarm.
sounds like she has a lovely home - enjoy her - photos please !

[mowhaugh]

When does she arrive?

[lokismum]

with any luck as soon as possible
but I think it will be at the weekend

[rbarlo32]

I would just play it by ear saying she is a Shetland and so feeding her like she is an good doer might be the perfect thing for her or the complete opposite.  My Shetland mare held her weight terribly when in foal and for the first couple of months she was lactating and was on conditioning cubes, mare and youngstock mix, Alfa a oil, vits and mins and a weight gain supplement.  After a couple of months she was looking a lot better and now Vicky is 4 1/2 months old she is just living on grass.  We are planning to keep Vicky on Mara until Decemberish when she will be 8 months old if Mara keeps her weight on okay.  Then on the complete other hand my Appy cross mare piled on the pounds when fed mare and youngstock mix when in foal with Prince.