Need any info on how to care for mini's

[patti]

Hi: I am new to this board and new to having a mini at my barn. I have had saddlebreds for about 20 years and have only seen mini's, never taken care of one. This beautiful mini is being boarded at my house for a person I just met last weekend who is moving about l5 miles and needed a place to put her daughters' mini for about a year. They dropped her off on Thursday and I haven't heard from them since. Her feet are extremely long, she is terribly overweight and was terrified of the people who own her. They haven't intentionally hurt this horse, they just have no idea what to do with any horse.

She is just an absolute love. They could not even do a simple thing like put on or take off her halter and could in no way catch her once they turned her out. They apparently had to "rope" her to catch her which has made her terrified of ropes. She has completely turned around in the week she has been here and just loves people and loves attention.

They were feeding her GRAIN (Sweet feed) and apparently lots of it because "she likes it"!!!!! And also what looked like very rich, green, moist alfalfa. I cannot believe that they didn't founder her. Anyway, I have to take this weight off of her, she honestly looks pregnant. I am used to feeding horses. I do everything by weight but I don't know who much hay to give her. I feed a small amount of alfalfa to my horses, but they eat mostly grass (Bermuda). They pretty much have Bermuda available to them all of the time. Can I do this with a mini?

Her owners said she had all of her shots when they bought her, which was two years ago. So, I assume she has had no vaccinations. I told them she needed vaccinations every year, actually twice a year and she absolutely needs west nile. They didn't know what any of this meant. They didn't know what founder was or that horses' teeth needed taken care of. The owner said she had had the horse's feet done, but she couldn't remember the name of the shoer. She was supposed to call me over the weekend with his name, but I never heard from her. I told her I would not have a horse on my property with feet like this and if she wanted the horse to stay here, she had to get a shoer. I am having my shoer do her feet on Monday, I'll pay for it and if I ever hear from these people again, they will have to pay me. Actually, I am hoping they never come back. I would love to keep this horse.

I wormed her and spoke with my vet about shots for her. I wondered if the vaccination dose was different for a mini. He said no, they get the same dose as a big horse. I got her a west nile shot, but haven't given it to her yet. The last time I spoke with her owners they said to purchase the shot and they would pay me for it and to give it to the horse.

Anyway, any info on taking care of a mini would be greatly appreciated. She is just a beautiful girl. She is a paint, with four white legs, white tail, brown mane with one white stripe through it and two gorgeous blue eyes.

Thank you in advance.

 

[MyBarakah]

:saludando: Hi!

This is a awsome place to ask for help/advice!!! This is like a "home away from home".... very nice people here!!! You will or should get lots of input here!

I'm not expert by no means...... I've had big horses all my life up until last fall....... And let me tell you.... all it takes is ONE mini and it has totally CHANGED my life & idea of what I want to do with horses..... I'm now down to my last big horse and he's for sale right now and just want to be with these minis! I absolutely love them!!!

You are deffinately an heaven sent for that mini mare!! Those people have NO reason for owning ANY horse! Hopefully they will never come collect the mare or owe you too much and decide they don't want her any more!!!

But anyways...... here's my 2 cents or if a mini like that came to me in that condition what I'd do with her....

I like to keep hay infront of my broodmares at all times (grass hay)..... they do also get some alfalfa, but only a couple months before they foal (and some get more than others with the alfalfa)....

I have a mini gelding, he's 8 and he can look at food and gain weight..... I could not keep hay infront of him 24/7 or he'd be obesse! He gets 1/2 flake of grass hay morning and night... and he gets maybe a handful of concentrated pelleted grain (only enough to know it sprinkled in his bucket, so he thinks he's getting "something"....) He needs to be on serious work program since my youngest son will be showing him....... but I have no indoor here and the weather's been so inconsistant........ so he will have a late start being in condition to show....

He is far from being over weight....... but this is what I would feed a over wieght horse..... And deffinately NO alfafla and would probally take her off or wean her off about completely (maybe a handful or less, just so she thought she was getting "something")....... And would deffinately put her on a excersise program (slowly)..... Just like a big horse.... will need to work up to being worked at a normal work routine... She may only beable to handle 5 or 10 minutes to begin with......

And yes...... especially with minis...... She deffinately NEEDS her teeth looked at!! And yes... she gets vaccines (the same amount as you'd give a big horse).....

You pretty much treat them just as you would a regular horse! They have the same "mind" (most the time) as a regular horse and would treat them basically the same (but in my opinion, are much cuter, funner and sweater and MORE addictive than a full sized horse! lol!

: )

Best of Luck!!!!

:

 

[Miniv]

Hi Patti,

Sounds like "your" new mini is in the BEST possible hands! Please feel free to keep posting!

Hmmm.......in answer to some of your questions --

Yes, a mini takes the same dosages for annual vaccines as a big horse.

Worming is according to weight (as you probably know.) But Quest wormer is toxic to minis! All other wormers are fine.

Bermuda Grass mix is fine for minis. Infact, many people shy away from feeding straight alfalfa to them. We actually WEIGH our feed -- for a 34" and under mini for us doesn't get more than 2 lbs of hay twice a day, but that is what WE do. We then adjust according to the individual horse's needs with grain/supplements. (Our usual flake of hay weighs about 4 lbs.) For a mini on a diet I would definitely NOT feed her sweet feed, just a supplement. Although, she will hate you for it!

:

Regarding the Farrier.......Minis don't get shoes. Trimming is usually needed about every 8 weeks or so, depending on their hoof growth.

Other than that, minis are basically treated the same as a big horse........until you get to foaling out. But that is another subject. Hopefully your girl is just FAT and not pregnant.

If you can figure out about posting a photo (which is easy once you have an online photo source), I would love to see your girl's picture!

Wishing you lots of fun with her!

MA

 

[kaykay]

how old is the mare?? pls remember you have to take weight off minis very slowly. if they lose weight too fast it can put them into hyperlipedia. (sp) I would get her off the sweet feed asap.

 

[mizbeth]

Hello and welcome!

Sounds like you are off to a good start already. A concerned and professional horse person. Maryann has about covered it all I believe. She is a lucky mini to have landed at your place.

Good luck and please feel free to bring any questions you may have to the forum. I would "slowly" decrease her weight tho., and worming, good feed will make all the difference in the world to her. Big belly can be wormy belly too and poor feed. (No protein was in her feed, just cause they said they fed her grain does not mean they did) Have you poked your finger into the top of her shoulders at the withers? If your finger sinks in she is fat. If not and you can feel the bone just under the skin, then she is definately in need of good feed and worming. You can also check for fat by feeling her backbone. Whether skin is just covering the bone (thin) or if some padding there or a roll on either side of her backbone. (fat).

Good luck!

Beth

 

[Marty]

Don't put her in with big horses ever and if she is in a stall, be sure that you make the walls low enough so that she can see out. Good luck.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

What a lucky pair you are, to enjoy each other!

I would go slow with doing too many things at once--weight, vaccinations, worming, feed change. All those are stressful and might be done at intervals. Ask your vet about how soon to give a second worming dose, then I would do a fecal exam before giving more wormers. As for weight, well, that is a hard one! A friend of mine recently got a plump mini, and as soon as she cut out the popsicles and sodas, the mare began to lose weight!

Love to see a photo!

Marsha

 

[patti]

Thank you all so much for the advice. I really, really do need it.

I think she has tics. She has a very, very heavy coat even though it is in the 90's here. My horses are all shed out. I have been grooming her every day and am noticing hard lumps all over her. One of her ears bothers her if I touch it, the other one she is ok with. I got some fly spray with tic killer in and some tic shampoo. Problem is she is afraid of the sprayer and of hoses. I worked with her a little trying to lightly spray her legs, but she is afraid and I don't want to upset her or fight her. I'll do it a little every day. I wiped some on some of the bumps, but I think I need to use the shampoo which I am sure is going to be a traumatic experience for her. My husband will help this weekend.

I just don't want to make anything else unpleasant for her. It would be so easy to over power her, but I want her to do things because she wants to becasue she enjoys things, not MAKE her do things because I can over power her. That is why she is in the situation she is in. They forced things on her which made her fear everything.

MYBARAKAH I am trying to feed her really light, about l lb. of alfalfa and a little grass hay. I took her off of sweet feed (I don't even have any). I am giving her just a sprinkle of oats. Can she have carrots and apples? I cut a few pieces of carrot and mixed with her teeny bit of oats so that she thinks she is getting something when my horses get fed.

MINIV I hope she not pregnant. I just brushed her and I CANNOT feel her ribs at all. She is terribly fat. The owners had a donkey on the properthy that is not cut. They weren't near each other with I was up there but who knows, she may be pregnant. Is there anyway I could tell. I have NO experience with breeding. I tried to push on her belly to see if I could feel anything, but I really think she is just OBESE.

BARNBUM I am walking her around our pasture when my horses come in. I am having her feet done on Monday, then I plan on taking her with me when I walk, usually one mile everyday. Other than just walking her, I don't know what else to do to exercise her. I would like to teach her to lunge, but she is terrified of ropes, I mean really terrified!!!! I don't have a round pen and I don't want to chase her--that is what her owners did and it made her afraid of people. She really wants to go with my horses, she calls to them and gets upset when I turn them out. They are all retired show horses, older ages l8, l9 and 20 but in really good shape. I would be afraid to let her out with the gelding, they can get pretty wild, but my mare is extremely gentle, has never, ever tried to kick another horse. The goats push her around and make her go where they want and she actually lets them do this. They push her away from her food and she just goes. So maybe eventually, Sparkle can go out with her. I think we will lead my older mare and the mini around the past ure together and let them get to know each other.

KAYKAY They told me she is two years old, but she can't be because apparently she waspregnant when they bought her. So if they had her for a "year or two" and if she was pregnant that would mean she was pregnant before she was born!! LOL I swear these people just don't have a clue!!!! I think she is around 4 or 5. I know where these people got her. There is a feed establishment here in El Paso, Tx. that is an absolutely awful place. The man who owns it gets a lot of animals from only God knows where/ He has parrots, and every other kind of bird, zebras, buffalo, sometimes deer, hundreds of goats (meat goats, apparently a hot item here is El Pase) chickens, llamas, etc. he even had a baby camel last year. I talked to him on Sunday and he told me when these people bought the mini the mini was just ready to foal. They left her at the feed store so she could have her baby. The baby was born and was not doing well, so the feed store took the baby to the local vet. The baby was there on IVs for about three days and then died. He told me that the baby just could not gain any strength.

MIZBETH What withers?? There is just fat, I cannot find her withers!!! She has fat pads on her but, her back is real wide. I swear she is as wide as my ASB mare. No rolls on her back, just a slight indention like it was going to start to get a roll.

BARNBUM I turn her out when I put my horses in. When I leave her, she just goes over by the big horses stalls and hangs out there in the cool barn isle.

MARTY Where we live, we really don't have barns and really don't need them. El Paso is warm all of the time with lots of wind. Get a little cold in the winter, but all of my horses have blankets which I will get for her if she stays here which it is looking like she might. They do have three sided shelters, for protection from the elements and large corrals.

Any ideas on what those bumps might be and how to get rid of them if they are tics?

 

[patti]

Thank you all so much for the advice. I really, really do need it.

I think she has tics. She has a very, very heavy coat even though it is in the 90's here. My horses are all shed out. I have been grooming her every day and am noticing hard lumps all over her. One of her ears bothers her if I touch it, the other one she is ok with. I got some fly spray with tic killer in and some tic shampoo. Problem is she is afraid of the sprayer and of hoses. I worked with her a little trying to lightly spray her legs, but she is afraid and I don't want to upset her or fight her. I'll do it a little every day. I wiped some on some of the bumps, but I think I need to use the shampoo which I am sure is going to be a traumatic experience for her. My husband will help this weekend.

I just don't want to make anything else unpleasant for her. It would be so easy to over power her, but I want her to do things because she wants to becasue she enjoys things, not MAKE her do things because I can over power her. That is why she is in the situation she is in. They forced things on her which made her fear everything.

MYBARAKAH I am trying to feed her really light, about l lb. of alfalfa and a little grass hay. I took her off of sweet feed (I don't even have any). I am giving her just a sprinkle of oats. Can she have carrots and apples? I cut a few pieces of carrot and mixed with her teeny bit of oats so that she thinks she is getting something when my horses get fed.

MINIV I hope she not pregnant. I just brushed her and I CANNOT feel her ribs at all. She is terribly fat. The owners had a donkey on the properthy that is not cut. They weren't near each other with I was up there but who knows, she may be pregnant. Is there anyway I could tell. I have NO experience with breeding. I tried to push on her belly to see if I could feel anything, but I really think she is just OBESE.

BARNBUM I am walking her around our pasture when my horses come in. I am having her feet done on Monday, then I plan on taking her with me when I walk, usually one mile everyday. Other than just walking her, I don't know what else to do to exercise her. I would like to teach her to lunge, but she is terrified of ropes, I mean really terrified!!!! I don't have a round pen and I don't want to chase her--that is what her owners did and it made her afraid of people. She really wants to go with my horses, she calls to them and gets upset when I turn them out. They are all retired show horses, older ages l8, l9 and 20 but in really good shape. I would be afraid to let her out with the gelding, they can get pretty wild, but my mare is extremely gentle, has never, ever tried to kick another horse. The goats push her around and make her go where they want and she actually lets them do this. They push her away from her food and she just goes. So maybe eventually, Sparkle can go out with her. I think we will lead my older mare and the mini around the past ure together and let them get to know each other.

KAYKAY They told me she is two years old, but she can't be because apparently she waspregnant when they bought her. So if they had her for a "year or two" and if she was pregnant that would mean she was pregnant before she was born!! LOL I swear these people just don't have a clue!!!! I think she is around 4 or 5. I know where these people got her. There is a feed establishment here in El Paso, Tx. that is an absolutely awful place. The man who owns it gets a lot of animals from only God knows where/ He has parrots, and every other kind of bird, zebras, buffalo, sometimes deer, hundreds of goats (meat goats, apparently a hot item here is El Pase) chickens, llamas, etc. he even had a baby camel last year. I talked to him on Sunday and he told me when these people bought the mini the mini was just ready to foal. They left her at the feed store so she could have her baby. The baby was born and was not doing well, so the feed store took the baby to the local vet. The baby was there on IVs for about three days and then died. He told me that the baby just could not gain any strength.

MIZBETH What withers?? There is just fat, I cannot find her withers!!! She has fat pads on her but, her back is real wide. I swear she is as wide as my ASB mare. No rolls on her back, just a slight indention like it was going to start to get a roll.

BARNBUM I turn her out when I put my horses in. When I leave her, she just goes over by the big horses stalls and hangs out there in the cool barn isle.

MARTY Where we live, we really don't have barns and really don't need them. El Paso is warm all of the time with lots of wind. Get a little cold in the winter, but all of my horses have blankets which I will get for her if she stays here which it is looking like she might. They do have three sided shelters, for protection from the elements and large corrals.

Any ideas on what those bumps might be and how to get rid of them if they are tics?

 

[patti]

I have no idea why this posted twice. Sorry

 

[chandab]

The Lil Beginnings website is a great wealth of mini information, here's a link to the info pages:

http://www.lilbeginnings.com/links/info/

Sounds like you've already gotten great advice, so I don't have anything to add at this time.