Things to remember
- 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.
- 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.
- Check those teeth! 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!
What should I replace miniature horse and Pony feed with?
If your horse gains too much weight at that minimum feeding rate, then you should replace Miniature Horse and Pony feed with Enrich Plus ® ration balancing feed or WellSolve W/C ® horse feed.
What do you feed a pony?
Ponies need only the fraction of the feed that horses do. Hay for ponies should be good quality grass hay. Your pony probably won't need the nutrition provided by alfalfa and clovers. These fodders, which are more energy and nutrient dense than many grass hay, are often too rich for a pony. Lush pasture is a danger zone for ponies.
How much hay to feed a miniature horse and Pony?
If feeding more hay, reduce the feeding rate of Miniature Horse and Pony feed by 0.5 pound for every pound of additional hay feed. Example: Using the chart above, if feeding 7 pounds instead of 6 pounds of hay to a 500-pound light working pony, reduce Miniature Horse and Pony feed offered by 0.5 pound from 3.3 to 2.8 pounds per day.
Can you feed a miniature horse too much grain?
Talk to your vet if you’re not sure. If you do provide grain, do so sparingly, as too much overall and too much at one time can be bad for a miniature horse's digestive system. In general, most miniature horses can eat approximately 1 pound (0.45 kg) of grain every day, split into 2 feedings.
What is the best thing to feed a miniature horse?
An average miniature horse weighs 200 pounds and should receive at least 2 to 4 pounds of forage a day. Look for a fine, soft, leafy hay rather than a coarse, mature hay. Feed at least one-third to one-half of a flake of a good quality grass or alfalfa- grass mixed hay twice a day.
What should you not feed a miniature horse?
Feeding Hay If your mini is primarily a pet and does no work, hay alone should suffice. Avoid alfalfa -- it's too rich for minis. A horse should consume about 1 percent of his total body weight daily, and that holds true for minis.
Do mini horses need grain?
Unless they are in moderate to heavy work, Miniature Horses don't need to eat a lot of grain. If a horse is too heavy or is gaining weight, owners have the option of cutting out all grain and feeding a balancer pellet to supply vitamins and mineral without loading up on starch-rich feeds.
What is the best food to feed my pony?
Whenever possible allow your horse to graze and aim for this to be the bulk of your horse's diet. Well managed pasture with a diversity of species, is the best feed for horses and will save you money because you then do not have to buy as much (or any) supplementary feed.
Do ponies Need grain?
Ponies eat grass, hay, and grain on occasion. A pony typically requires a daily ration of forage equal to 2% of body weight. They may need a mineral salt block if they lack essential minerals in their diet.
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. Remember, it is always important to remember to weigh out a horse's feed prior to feeding.
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!
What does a pony eat?
Horses and ponies are herbivores and mainly eat forage, based on grass, hay and haylage.
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.
Do horses prefer grass or hay?
While most horses do well and thrive on a grass hay diet, other horses with different needs and medical conditions are better suited to being fed a diet of grass/alfalfa mix, or an exclusively all alfalfa.
Can ponies eat carrots?
Horses are programmed to eat small amounts of food on a continuous basis, so your horse will ALWAYS want another treat, but for his well-being, learn to say no. What to offer as treats. Almost any fruits, and many vegetables, are safe treats for healthy horses. Apples and carrots are traditional favorites.
How much grass does a pony need?
5. If your horse or pony is kept stabled for some of the time, consider how much hay or haylage you are feeding. Most horses or ponies will do well and maintain their weight on a diet that supplies 1.5-2% (dry weight) of their bodyweight in total feed per day, eg. 7.5-10kg for a 500kg horse.
What can miniature horses eat?
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.
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!
How much grain should I feed my 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 have free choice hay?
Allow your mini to tell you how much hay and/or pasture he needs to maintain a healthy body condition. When forage is provided free-choice, minis will self-regulate their intake and typically consume 1.5 to 2% of their body weight for maintenance.
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 ...
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.
