Nursing mares & thin horses

Question
OK..I have 2 questions but both probably lead to one. First, we moved from PA to TN 2 years ago and had several horses start dropping weight. We floated teeth, did blood work, wormed, you name it...vet said horses were healthy just skinny...ok..one died this past March <sigh> and vet did yet more bloodwork and nothing showed up!! Now we have 4 mares that have foals (our first foal crop) and 2 of those mares are skinny!! They were fat when we bred them and when they foaled!!! We still have 2 mares that are NOT bred who need weight as well. They are on TizWiz and Calf Manna but someone here told me to try the local feed store's sweet mix (and these people have some fat horses!) Also the one nursing mare has now acquired a lump under her belly on either side of her stomach further back that her girth. Her baby is healthy and full of life but we are starting to wonder if we should wean at 3 months to get this mare back in shape! So what could the lumps be and I would really like to see some FAT horses in my field again...oh and they have free choice hay of round bales...first cutting Bermuda/Bahaia grass. We fed hay of Timothy/Alfalfa in PA....but that is not readily found here in southern middle TN HELP!!

Answer
hi monica, im like you i like fat horses. lets see, well i need to tell you the basics that you already know, worm them regularly, check their teeth regularly, proper feeding. blah blah blah. ok now that thats out of the way. as for the skinny mares. feed then and their foal mare and foal, rice bran, and triple crown complete. the mare and foal will give them both extra nutrients their body needs, the rice bran is basically all fat, and the triple crown complete has everything else they need in it. the mares are skinny because the baby is taking alot of nutrients from them. i personally do not like bermuda and bahaia grass because it doesnt have any caleries.  alfalfa is the best way to go, im sure its hard to get it but if you can get if not give your horses more of the sweet feed. alfalfa pelletes are good too if they are available. as for the lumps they could be abcesses or sists. it is best to have the vet check that out. weight gain is a good supplement too, it helps alot. you can find this at the local feed store or you can order it online. other then that just do what your doing. good luck
amanda groff