This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Equine Reproduction » Pregnancy, Foaling, & Neonatal Care » Pregnant Mare Care and Nutrition »
  Discussion on Breeding foundered mare
Author Message
Member:
mleeb

Posted on Monday, Dec 14, 2009 - 1:50 pm:

I'm considering breeding a shetland mare that I have. She has raised a foal before, but not in the 6 years that I have owned her.
She has a history of very bad founder, and was in terrible shape when I bought her from auction. We maintain her now on dry lot (grass hay only)with the ocassional hour or so on the grass, and turned out to pasture in late fall with the herd. Her body condition is excellent, and she does not run to obese like so many ponies do. We are able to keep her feet healthy with this routine.
So, while her body condition is good, and she is certainly getting enough to eat for her and a foal, I'm wondering about specific vitamins and minerals in her diet - like calcium - that are typically supplied in alfalfa, and not so much in grass hay. Should I be concerned of a potential lack, and if so, how can I safely increase these levels without putting her at risk of founder? Or, is pregnancy alone enough to induce founder again? Should I avoid that altogether?
Member:
mrose

Posted on Monday, Dec 14, 2009 - 8:15 pm:

Dr. O will be the one with "authoritative advice" on this, but I was just going to add my two cents here. I think with supplements, she can certainly feed herself and her fetus/foal correctly and avoid problems due to deficiencies. I would wonder about her carrying extra weight, however, and how that would affect her feet. Is she totally sound now and has been for awhile? Was her previous found caused by being overweight? wrong feed stuffs? Or do you know?
Member:
paardex

Posted on Monday, Dec 14, 2009 - 8:33 pm:

I used two old foundered mares years as broodmare. It was the best way to keep them from foundering[make a lot of milk esp.]But their founder history was caused by a retained placenta although both got easily obese. They did need additional help in the last three months and certainly a very carefull eye while and immediately after foaling out.
Jos
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 15, 2009 - 8:07 am:

Hello Michelle,
In general horses with a past history of founder that is now under control do not have problems with pregnancy but there are two different aspects of founder that need to be looked at to answer this question. The acute and chronic aspects of founder:
1) Is there still significant rotation of the coffin bone?
2) Is the cause of the acute episodes under good control?

With ponies the most common cause would be Equine Metabolic SynDrOme and the article on this disease discusses control in detail. Remarkable rotation might be seen as a stretched white line at the toe. So if it is present radiography might be indicated to document the position of the bone.
DrO
Member:
paardex

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 15, 2009 - 10:24 am:

Sorry forgot to mention that both my mares weren't acute whenever being bred and had no[or nearly no]rotation. One once foundered again after foaling out and obviously wasn't rebred until the situation was completely under control it was scary and unpleasant. But mum and foal made it perfectly well.
Their owners insisted on foals so I had not much choice don't know if I would have done it 'for fun'
Jos
Member:
mleeb

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 15, 2009 - 7:13 pm:

Since she was foundered when I bought her, AND had a colt at her side, I honestly cannot say what the initial cause was, although in the years since then, diet has been the cause.
We have loaned her out to families under strict rules that she be kept on dry lot, etc, etc, only to have her returned to us again severely foundered after the families grew tired of caring for her and turned her out. By severe founder, I mean feet as long as skis with an easy 12" of growth lying on the ground in front of her toes, with the soles turned up towards the sky. Looked like big long slippers.
We have never x-rayed her feet. Diligent farrier work and careful diet appear to have restored her to what I would say is 96%+ soundness at the very least. She has light use, and tears around the pasture with the big horses with comfort. She is more tender on gravel. I don't believe her white line is as clean a line as it would be on a horse without a history of founder, but in all honesty, it's been some time since I've picked up her feet and checked.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 16, 2009 - 6:26 am:

Michele if there is still (4%?) lameness present I would not recommend pregnancy till the source of the pain is discovered and fixed.
DrO
Member:
mleeb

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 16, 2009 - 9:31 am:

Ok, good enough advice for me. If I can't get her to 100%, I'll leave her open.
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC