Feeding the Miniature Horse
- Hay or forage. Hay or forage is the most important ingredient in a horse’s diet. ...
- Grain. Good quality forage is the mainstay of a horse’s diet, but horses may also need a grain mix (concentrate) to supplement their energy requirements as well as help balance ...
- Water. Miniature horses also need access to clean, fresh water daily. ...
- Supplemental fat. Flax seed is a great supplement to put a shine in your horse’s coat. ...
- Trace mineral salt. Providing a trace mineral salt block will encourage your horse to drink and will replace electrolytes lost through sweating.
- Dental health. Regardless of what or how you feed your miniature horse, attention to dental health is critical. ...
- Parasite control. To keep them in good health, miniature horses will also require regular deworming with parasite control products available at your local feed or tack store.
How much hay should I Feed my miniature horses?
A feeding guide for miniatures is approximately 1.5% of their body weight in hay daily (200lbs = 3 pounds of hay per day). If you’re showing them or they are in foal they will require more hay (3% of their body weight). It’s best to avoid coarse hay because it’s hard on their digestive system.
How to keep miniature horses from eating too much grass?
Muzzling or drylotting can allow them to get exercise and mingle with the herd while avoiding too much grass. Alfalfa hay is too energy-dense for most Miniature Horses; grass hay is a better choice, fed at the rate of about 1.5% of their body weight in hay daily.
Can you feed a miniature horse alfalfa?
Feeding The Miniature Horse They are prone to obesity and most owners tend to overfeed them. Feeding a miniature horse sweet feed or high amounts of alfalfa is one of the worst things you could do. Now I know some people will say I feed my mini alfalfa and have not had a problem.
How to take care of a miniature horse?
Provide your mini with good quality, soft hay at least twice a day. Include a grain or pellet feed (12 percent protein for adults, 14 percent for growing horses) as necessary to help your horse maintain good body condition. Trace mineral salt is important all year round to give your mini the minerals he needs and keep him drinking to prevent colic.
How much grain should you feed a miniature horse?
Because of their extremely efficient metabolism, Miniatures do not need a lot of grain. Many Miniature owners, who measure feed by the cup or half-cup, would agree that a full-grown Mini's grain ration should not exceed 1 pound per day, and as little as half a pound per day is often adequate.
Can miniature horses eat regular horse feed?
Miniature Horse Feed If your vet advises you to feed grain to your mini, avoid simply giving your animal a small amount of regular horse feed. Obtain commercial feed designed specifically for minis. These feeds contain less sugar and starch than standard feeds, and are nutritionally balanced for little equines.
How many flakes of hay do I need for a miniature horse?
This would be about 1-2 flakes of hay a day, depending on the type of hay and weight of the flake. In addition to hay, a ration balancer, like Essential K®, would be fed at a rate of ½ pound and divided over 2 to 3 meals per day.
Is alfalfa good for miniature horses?
Alfalfa hay is too energy-dense for most Miniature Horses; grass hay is a better choice, fed at the rate of about 1.5% of their body weight in hay daily. Some Miniature Horses are used for driving, breeding, or showing in hand, and these animals may have higher caloric demands than their idle cousins.
Do mini horses need a salt block?
Salt is the most crucial mineral required by horses and often overlooked in the equine diet. Despite providing a salt block, the vast majority of equine diets do not provide sufficient sodium. Salt supplementation is required for optimum health - regardless of the season.
Can miniature horses eat carrots?
Mini horses are known for having a sweet tooth—many horses enjoy apples and carrots, as well as soda, candy, and breakfast cereal. Although it is okay to indulge your horse every once and awhile, be sure not too give them too many treats!
Can mini horses be on grass?
Conservatively, putting two minis out on one hour of grass a day is a good way to start. As their bodies become adjusted to this influx of rich grass, you can slowly keep them out for two hours, then three, etc.
What does a mini horse need?
Horses, minis and ponies need at least 1-1.5 pounds of hay or pasture (on dry matter basis) per 100 pounds of body weight every day. For example: a 300-pound miniature horse needs at least 3-4.5 pounds of hay per day or 9-13.5 pounds of pasture (fresh grass is much higher in water content) per day.
Do mini horses need shoes?
Minis do not typically wear shoes, but they still need regular farrier care every six to eight weeks to ensure hoof health and prevent lameness issues. You should pick out your mini's hooves daily to clear out rocks and prevent thrush.
Is orchard hay good for miniature horses?
Feeding Your Mini Horse. there is a limited amount. Hay, whether baled, cubed or pelleted, is an acceptable alternative. protein and vitamins compared to timothy, orchard or oat grain hay.
Is Timothy Hay good for mini horses?
For all minis, just a nice grass hay or timothy hay is all they need. Bermuda/Coastal hay is also adequate but make sure it is SOFT and not stemmy.
Can miniature horses eat straw?
Although straw is often not the most palatable source of fibre, most horses will eat it, particularly if they are on a restricted diet. It can easily be mixed in with hay and soaked or steamed if necessary.
How to keep a miniature horse healthy?
Good nutrition is an important part of keeping your miniature horse healthy and happy. Be sure to feel your horse’s body on a weekly basis, especially in the winter, to be sure he is not getting too fat or too thin. Provide your mini with good quality, soft hay at least twice a day.
What is the best way to care for a miniature horse?
Dental care is vitally important to the welfare of your miniature horse. Design a parasite control program with your vet so the feed you put in your mini benefits him, not his unwanted guests! With these guidelines and the help of your vet, your mini can be a healthy partner and friend for many years.
How to get shine in horse coat?
Supplemental fat. Flax seed is a great supplement to put a shine in your horse’s coat. Buy a package of ground flax seed at the health food store and feed 1 level teaspoon mixed into the grain at one of the feedings every day. Do not give any other type of oil, such as corn oil, while giving flax seed.
What is the most important ingredient in a horse's diet?
Hay or forage is the most important ingredient in a horse’s diet. Every horse needs at least 1 percent of its body weight or 50 percent of total intake in good quality forage. Use a weight tape to estimate your horse’s weight or weigh the animal on a livestock scale. Buy enough bales of green, alfalfa-grass mixed hay or good quality grass hay ...
How thick should a flake of hay be?
Flakes of hay can vary greatly by thickness; a normal flake should be 1½ to 2 inches thick. When dividing the flake of hay, put it over the horse’s feed pan so that any chaff will fall into the feed pan. This chaff is high in protein and is desirable in the feeding program. Finally, when feeding miniature horses, ...
How often should miniature horses have their teeth examined?
Dental problems are fairly common in miniatures because their teeth are very large for their small jaws — nearly the same size as a full sized horse’s teeth! Like larger horses, miniature horses should have their teeth examined by a veterinarian or equine dentist at least once a year.
What is a good forage for horses?
Good quality forage is the mainstay of a horse’s diet, but horses may also need a grain mix (concentrate) to supplement their energy requirements as well as help balance for other nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals. When selecting a concentrate, make sure it is designed for your horse’s age, workload and production status.
Why do people get miniature horses?
A lot of people get miniature horses because they are easy to manage, they’re cute, they eat less and they don’t require as much room as a big horse. It’s very important to educate yourself on miniature horse care so that you can keep them healthy and happy. Miniature horses do have different needs than big horses when it comes to their care.
Why are miniature horses more prone to colic than big horses?
They are more prone to colic because of their hearty appetite and predisposition for dental problems. Miniatures tend to have more problems with their teeth because they have the same size and number of teeth as a big horse packed into ...
Why does my hoof die?
When this happens the hoof begins to. die because of the lack of blood flow. The coffin bone rotates and causes a lot of pain. This can be caused from, but not limited to turning them out on lush grass, but also from giving them high amounts of grain.
Is a miniature horse healthy?
If you’re determined to vaccinate your miniature make sure they are healthy. Read the vaccination label, the first thing it says is “For Vaccination of healthy horses”. A miniature with laminitis, pneumonia, strangles, WNV etc is not healthy!
Can miniature horses live a long life?
They can get a lot of things trapped in the heavy hair coat. Your miniature horse can live a long healthy life and a lot of potential problems can be avoided by providing the proper care and feeding they require.
Can you feed a miniature horse alfalfa?
Feeding The Miniature Horse. They are prone to obesity and most owners tend to overfeed them. Feeding a miniature horse sweet feed or high amounts of alfalfa is one of the worst things you could do. Now I know some people will say I feed my mini alfalfa and have not had a problem.
What do you feed a miniature horse?
Just like people, all equines need protein, vitamins and minerals , as well as energy (calories) to support maintenance, growth, reproduction and work.
What is a commercial horse feed?
Commercial horse feeds are usually a sweet or “textured” feed or are pelleted. Sweet or textured feeds include a mixture of grains, some molasses and pellets containing vitamins and minerals. Pelleted feeds include grains ground and mixed with other nutrient sources and ingredients and pressed into a pellet form.
Why do horses need forage?
All equines need forage for calories and other nutrients, as well as fiber to help keep the digestive tract healthy. Insufficient fiber can lead to digestive problems such as colic. Hay and pasture need to be high quality for horses. The equine digestive tract does not handle poor quality forage efficiently, and very poor-quality forage may ...
What is the body condition score of a horse?
In general, horses and ponies should be a body condition score 5 (moderate). Looking from the side, if you cannot see ribs but can feel the ribs easily under the skin, the horse is approximately a body condition score 5.
Can horses eat more than they need?
It’s common for horse owners to feed more than the minimum amount of forage recommended. Feeding more forage is fine as long as the total ration is balanced to provide optimal amounts of nutrients to meet the animal’s needs, including calories, protein, vitamins and minerals.
Can you feed a mini horse fortified feed?
If your horse, mini or pony is an easy keeper or gains weight easily, it may be difficult to feed enough commercial fortified feed to provide adequate protein, vitamins and minerals without causing the horse to gain too much weight. In this instance, a concentrated feed or supplement may be best.
Do horses need hay?
However, there are some necessary nutrients commonly lacking in forages, including some minerals in fresh pasture, or amino acids, vitamins and minerals in hay. Additionally, growing horses, broodmares and working horses usually need an additional source of calories.
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About The Author
Nancy S. Loving, DVM, owns Loving Equine Clinic in Boulder, Colorado, and has a special interest in managing the care of sport horses. Her book, All Horse Systems Go, is a comprehensive veterinary care and conditioning resource in full color that covers all facets of horse care.
How to keep a miniature horse healthy?
Keeping Miniature Horses Healthy by Managing Diet. They’re tiny, cute, and appealing, and just looking at a Miniature Horse makes the average person want to cuddle it and feed it a treat. With obesity being one of the most common problems among Miniature Horses, this very natural response can lead to health challenges in a breed ...
What is the best hay for a mini horse?
Muzzling or drylotting can allow them to get exercise and mingle with the herd while avoiding too much grass. Alfalfa hay is too energy-dense for most Miniature Horses; grass hay is a better choice, fed at the rate of about 1.5% of their body weight in hay daily.
How to tell if a horse has hyperlipemia?
One of the first signs of hyperlipemia is a decline in appetite. This may be followed by colic signs, weakness, muscle tremors, lethargy, diarrhea, or seizures. Early and aggressive veterinary treatment is necessary to save affected horses, and up to 70% of Miniature Horses with hyperlipemia die if the liver has been damaged. ...
How efficient is a miniature horse?
Second, as with many small breeds, a Miniature Horse’s metabolism is quite efficient at making the best use of everything it eats. Energy needs are lower than for some other breeds, and any calories that are not immediately needed are stored as fat. Miniature Horse owners who have owned full-sized horses may be tempted to use similar principles in ...
Can mini horses be exposed to stress?
Care should be taken not to expose Miniature Horses to extreme physical stress. A veterinarian should be consulted if a horse shows illness or loss of appetite, as treatment is much more effective if it is begun as soon as the condition is noticed.
Do miniature horses eat grain?
A seamstress tape is sufficient for taking these measurements. Unless they are in moderate to heavy work, Miniature Horses don’t need to eat a lot of grain.
Can miniature horses eat oats?
Yes, you can feed miniature horse oats. But sweet feed or pellets would be optimal here.
Other important things to remember
If your mini horse is losing weight, don’t make any drastic changes. Talk to your vet and see what they think.
