A mare may look much the same during the first months of pregnancy, while the nutritional work happening inside her is anything but ordinary. Then, after foaling, her daily nutrient demand changes quickly as milk production begins and a foal starts learning how to eat. A practical guide to feeding broodmares and foals must therefore begin with the whole ration, not a single bucket feed.
The aim is not to feed as much as possible. It is to provide consistent forage, enough energy and protein for the mare’s stage of production, and a balanced supply of vitamins and minerals without creating unnecessary excess. This is the roughage-first approach described in Annette’s book, The New Feeding Philosophy: start with what the horse is biologically designed to eat, then correct the gaps in a structured way.
Start With the Mare’s Base Ration
Good forage is the foundation for every broodmare, whether she is an easy keeper in early pregnancy or a mare nursing a fast-growing foal. Offer clean, hygienic hay, haylage, pasture, or a suitable combination in quantities that allow the mare to spend much of the day eating. Long periods without forage do not fit the horse’s natural feeding behavior and can make it harder to maintain a calm, consistent intake.
Forage quality matters as much as quantity. A mature, low-energy hay may suit some mares early in gestation, while a lactating mare may need forage with greater nutritional value plus carefully chosen additional feed. Whenever possible, use a forage analysis. It gives the ration a factual starting point and shows whether energy, protein, minerals, or trace elements need attention.
Body condition is your most useful day-to-day guide. A broodmare should not enter late pregnancy thin, but excessive condition is not a safety margin either. Watch her ribs, neck, shoulder, and tailhead regularly, and use a body condition scoring system consistently. Adjustments are easier when made gradually, before a mare becomes noticeably over- or under-conditioned.
Fresh water, salt, turnout, dental care, and parasite management also influence how well a mare uses her feed. A technically balanced ration cannot compensate for poor water access, uncomfortable teeth, or irregular forage availability.
Feeding the Broodmare Through Pregnancy
Early and mid-pregnancy: avoid feeding for two
During much of pregnancy, the developing foal is still relatively small. Many mares can maintain appropriate condition on good forage plus a concentrated vitamin and mineral balancer. This is often a better fit than adding large amounts of cereal-based feed simply because the mare is in foal.
The key task in this period is to avoid nutritional gaps. Forage alone may not reliably provide all required minerals and trace elements, particularly when forage is variable or grazing is limited. A well-formulated balancer can supply nutrients in a small daily serving, helping owners keep the overall ration proportionate to the mare’s actual workload and condition.
Late pregnancy: increase gradually and deliberately
The final three months are when fetal growth accelerates. The mare’s need for nutrients rises, but her abdominal capacity is also reduced. Rather than making one large change, assess her condition, forage intake, and ration quality every few weeks. If more feed is needed, introduce it slowly and divide concentrate meals where practical.
Quality protein becomes more relevant at this stage, not just calories. The ration should provide suitable amino acids alongside sufficient minerals and trace elements. Calcium and phosphorus need to be considered together, and the broader mineral profile matters too. Adding a single mineral without knowing what the forage and existing feed already supply can create new imbalances.
Avoid abrupt feed changes close to foaling. Keep routines calm, forage dependable, and feeding quantities easy to monitor. If a mare has a history of poor appetite, marked condition changes, or previous nutritional concerns, involve an equine veterinarian or qualified nutrition professional early rather than trying to correct the ration at the last moment.
Feeding the Lactating Mare
Lactation is often the most demanding feeding stage. In early lactation, a mare can produce a substantial amount of milk while also rebuilding after foaling. Her appetite may increase, yet she may still struggle to consume enough energy from forage alone, especially if she is a larger mare, a heavy milker, or working lightly alongside motherhood.
Keep forage available and assess whether the mare is holding her condition. If she is losing more condition than desired, increase the ration in measured steps. Choose feeds that complement the forage analysis and deliver useful nutrients without turning meals into large, starch-heavy portions. Splitting additional feed into two or more meals can be sensible when larger daily amounts are required.
A lactating mare’s ration should be checked as a complete picture: forage, pasture, compound feed or fiber feed, balancer, supplements, salt, and treats. This prevents accidental doubling of vitamins and minerals when several fortified products are combined. More products do not automatically make a better ration. Clear roles for each component do.
A Guide to Feeding Foals From Birth to Weaning
For the first months, the foal’s principal food is milk. The mare’s nutrition therefore remains central to the foal’s early development. Foals will also begin nibbling at forage and copying their dam’s feeding behavior surprisingly early. This is normal exploration, not a reason to rush them onto a substantial concentrate ration.
Offer mares and foals access to clean water and good-quality forage from the beginning. A foal needs a safe, calm place to investigate feed without being pushed away by adult horses. Where additional foal feed is appropriate, a separate creep-feeding area can make intake easier to observe and reduce competition.
The timing and amount of additional feed depends on milk supply, growth rate, pasture quality, breed type, expected mature size, and the planned weaning age. Bigger is not better. Rapid growth driven by excessive energy is not the goal; steady, well-managed development is. Measure the foal, monitor its body condition, and use the same scale and routine each time so changes are meaningful.
A foal or young-horse product, such as a targeted grower formulation, should be used as part of a calculated ration rather than as an automatic extra. Look for a product designed to complement forage and provide appropriately balanced nutrients in a manageable serving. Introduce any new feed slowly and keep the foal’s daily routine consistent.
Weaning Without Nutritional Guesswork
Weaning changes both behavior and nutrition. Before separation, make sure the foal is confidently eating forage, drinking water, and accepting its own ration if one is needed. A foal that has learned to eat independently is generally easier to manage than one facing several changes at once.
Do not use weaning as a reason to make dramatic feed increases. Milk is removed, but the foal’s new ration still needs to suit its actual growth, forage intake, and condition. Continue to monitor the mare as well. Her concentrate ration will usually need reducing as milk production declines, while forage should remain the base of her diet.
Common Feeding Mistakes to Avoid
Most problems begin with good intentions: extra feed “just in case,” several overlapping supplements, or a change made too quickly because a mare looks temporarily tucked up. Four habits make a meaningful difference:
- Do not estimate forage intake if it can be measured. Weigh hay nets and assess pasture realistically.
- Do not copy another mare’s ration without accounting for forage, size, breed, condition, and stage of production.
- Do not make sudden changes in feed type or amount. Introduce adjustments gradually.
- Do not judge a ration by appearance alone. Use forage information, body condition, regular measurements, and professional input where needed.