Exercise program/ feeding

[mandi]

Anyone have an exercise program they like for overweight mini's. Also, how much do you like to feed yours. Our is a tub she should be around 275-300 and she is much bigger than that. My problem is that I am going to have to start feeding my horses in different places because she seems to eat more than all the rest.

 

[Skylight_minis]

Anyone have an exercise program they like for overweight mini's. Also, how much do you like to feed yours. Our is a tub she should be around 275-300 and she is much bigger than that. My problem is that I am going to have to start feeding my horses in different places because she seems to eat more than all the rest.

Minis differ. Some are easier keepers than others. I have a 10 year old mare that is on 3 cups of senior feed a day she's no where near fat. Then i have a 9 year old mare that is fat she's getting 1/4 to 1/2 cup of mare and foal feed. Yep she's prego but that belly isnt all baby. Then i have a yearling that I've been pouring the feed to and he still doesnt seems to be gaining weight no matter what. I have him on senior and mare and foal. All of my minis have all the costal hay they can eat and when the grass comes they will have all the grass they can eat. Other than my one 9 year old mare my minis dont usually have any over weight problems. Just have to keep the grass cut short. During the Summer fatty spends part of the summer on a dirt lot cuz she gets a little big but having a baby nursing helps keep her weight down. Best exercise for a mini is pulling a cart. Having them as a jogging partner works too. But you usally tire out before they do and too many people are going to stop you so they can pet your mini so not really sure how much joggin time you'll get in that way.

If your mare is really fat may want to cut out the grain. Just give her a handful of carrots. You may even have to separate her so you can limit her hay. And then theres the training to put a cart that will work. Or just put her on the good ole tredmil. Course those are expensive.

 

[mandi]

Actually, she doesnt get grain anymore. We gave her grain when we first got her and the previous owner never told us that they didnt give her any, so she ended up with severe colic and I had to walk her and stay up all night with her for almost a week. As well as giving her mineral oil twice a day. It was horrible she would thrash and roll around. Thank god she didnt get laminites or founder. Our vet told us that she doesnt need grain right now anyway since she is so overweight, but if she gets back into shape and has a job to do that she will need it. I think I just need to seperate the two because she eats more than my draft cross!