Question 1

How do I feed my gestating mare?

Accepted Answer

Gestating mares have greatly increased needs in certain nutrients, including protein, in the last three months of pregnancy. It is therefore important that your roughage contains sufficient protein. Indeed, based on your protein content, you determine the supplement to your ration. In doubt about the protein content? Then do a Roughage QuickScan.

Does your forage contain enough protein? If your mare gets enough protein from the roughage, you can suffice in the first months of pregnancy with a standard concentrate such as Pavo Condition or Pavo SportsFit if you are still riding. From the 9th month onwards, we recommend switching to the mare chunk Pavo Podolac or Pavo PodoLac Muesli. You can also continue to feed this during the suckling period.

Does your roughage contain (too) little protein? If your roughage contains insufficient protein, it may be wise to switch to a protein-rich mare's pellet, such as Pavo Podolac or Pavo PodoLac Muesli, from the 6th or 7th month of pregnancy.

Question 2

How do I feed my foal?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Start with the foal pellet Pavo PodoStart or Pavo PodoJ unior, which is suitable for foals up to about 8 months of age. Would you like to feed less foal chow than the recommended amount, for example because the foal gets fat quickly? Then you can replace this partly or completely with the feed supplement Pavo PodoCare.

Ratio PodoStart - PodoCare
In terms of vitamins and minerals, 1 kg of Pavo PodoStart equals 200 grams of PodoCare. If you feed 1 kg of PodoStart per day, no supplement is needed. If you feed 500 grams per day, it is best to supplement this with 100 grams of PodoCare per day. If you do not feed foal pellets at all, we recommend feeding 200 grams of PodoCare per day.

Step 2: From 8 months onwards, you can gradually convert your foal to Pavo PodoGrow. This is a rearing chunk for horses up to about 2.5 years old. Feed a foal with an expected adult weight of 600 kg about 1 kg Pavo PodoGrow per day. Is he skinny? Then you can increase it to 2 kg per day. If, on the contrary, he will quickly become overweight, you can reduce the pellet and supplement it with Pavo PodoCare. The ratio between Pavo PodoCare and Pavo PodoGrow is the same as that of Pavo PodoCare and Pavo PodoStart.

Tip: Does your foal not like to eat the pellets? Then try mixing it with some alfalfa or Pavo DailyPlus for palatability.

Question 3

How do you feed a lactating mare?

Accepted Answer

During the first two months of lactation, a mare passes on an awful lot of essential substances to the foal. So it is very important that your mare gets the right feed then, so she does not have to give away her own reserves. With a slender mare it is important to keep her on mare's chow Pavo PodoLac or Pavo PodoLac Muesli. Is your mare slightly on the full side? Then it is better to give a little less mare's chow and combine it with the mineral supplement Pavo PodoCare. This supplement also contains all the necessary substances, but makes the mare slightly less full.

Question 4

How do you feed a 1 or 2-year-old?

Accepted Answer

A 1- or 2-year-old horse has different needs from a 6- or 7-year-old horse. Foals need a higher protein content in feed and, in addition, a higher calcium/phosphorus ratio is important. A foal pellet is also often higher vitaminised than 'normal' feed for adult horses. We therefore advise against giving 1- or 2-year-old horses basic or sports feed. Pavo PodoGrow is completely tailored to the needs of a young horse. And optimally supports your foal during this period of growth.

Question 5

My horse has turned 3, what should I feed now?

Accepted Answer

As soon as your horse comes out of rearing and has reached the age of 30 months, a switch to Pavo Condition as a basic sport pellet or Pavo Nature's Best muesli in combination with a good quality roughage is recommended. With a Roughage QuickScan you can have your roughage analyzed for protein, sugar and energy content. For your young horse, these are important values to adjust your complement of concentrate. Want to know the quality of your roughage? Have your roughage analyzed.

Low forage? If your roughage is low in protein and/or your young horse is still very skinny, you could also continue with Pavo Podo®Grow for a while.

Nutrition & breeding

The best start for a healthy foal!

Pavo breeding

The best start for a healthy foal

Pavo Podo: in 3 steps to a healthy foal!

Pavo's product tips for mare and foal

Gestation & lactation

Healthy growth starts with the mare

Products for mares

Birth

Every foal deserves a healthy start

Products for newborn foals

Feeding plan for foals

Products for foals and young horses

Personal feeding advice?