What feed do you recommend?

I bought a little 4 yo 12H pony mare, supposedly Shetland Grade cross. At any rate she is super sweet and awesome with kids. She's sane and sound but she's so very skinny.

Here are some pics, what do you suggest? While I think she's pretty icky looking right now, I think she's got a bucketload of potential.

Just put her on free choice quality hay for a while. Ponies don't usually need any feed. If she doesn't start picking up weight after 2-3 weeks, then I'd add 1/2-1 lb of Alfalfa pellets with 1/4 cup of flax or 4-8 oz rice bran (by weight) to her diet. Use some water to make it all stick if she sifts out the flax or rice bran.

Do you know her deworming history? With her coat so fuzzy and belly low, I'd worry about a parasite infestation. I'd deworm her know with a double dose (per-weight) of Pyrantel and Ivermectin in 3-4 weeks. I would also have the vet out to check her teeth.

She has been wormed regularly, and the vet just gave her a double dose about two weeks ago. There's a possibility that she's been bred, but the local vets won't do internal checks on ponies and there aren't any ultrasound machines here. I'm thinking of trucking her to Nashville to have her checked.

I'm not against the idea that she is in foal but I need to adjust her care accordingly if so.

Vet said she had good teeth, she's all over healthy just scrawny and fluffy.

I had a AQHA mare come to me that way and I put her on Nutrena Vitality and BOSS plus hay. Within a month she looked a hundred times better. I'm wondering if I should do the same with Timber.

Ouch, hopefully Nashville isn't too far of a drive to get her checked. I would consider doing that.

One thing to remember with ponies is that too much grain based feed can cause problems. I didn't pop on here just to advertise for my wife's company but they have had a lot of pony farms feeding IR pellets and hay.

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When she gets a bit older, try some rice bran.

I don't want her to go into shock but I pretty much agree with lustoride1979. Ponies almost seem to live on air and seldom need any grain just good forage and this pony while a little thin isn't close to being skinny. I'd rather see it 100 lbs underweight then 100 lbs over weight.

I am not trying to offend anyone but that is a huge myth that minis and ponies don't need feed/grain and this is why you see so many that look like the horse above. Another myth is a handful of hay is all they need

I would get this girl on either Purina Equine Jr or Equine Sri asap. Both are complete feeds so you don't need to add anything and both are very digestible. Also feed hay. Remember to always feed up slowly so you don't cause colic.

Do you have any idea when she could have been bred?? If she would be past 120 days gestation I will mail you a free urine pregnancy test that you can do at home. Given her condition she probably didnt settle but you never know.

I have many years experience raising, breeding and showing shetland ponies and miniatures and I can guarantee you that every single one of them gets a good feed plus hay and pasture. And no none of mine are fat or foundered :)

No horse NEEDS grain they may need additional nutrition or additional calories but there are much healthier ways to add those without loading them up on sugars and starches ...

The best thing for 99.9% of horses is free choice hay with a vitamin/mineral designed to balance said hay backing it...

If she were mine
mid quality or low quality hay to start with several times a day small amounts each time

I would slowly add in a GOOD ration balancer!!

Thanks all! The previous owner is certain she is bred - she was in a pasture with a pony stallion and hasn't come into heat since. I know. Genious.

So... here I sit. She's not horrificly skinny but her neck is so hollow I would just like to see her a little more filled out.