NewToMini's
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- May 13, 2015
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So, spring has just started, and one of my minis (Miracle) has come out of winter just as big as she was going in. She was sightly overweight going into winter, which I liked, so she would have an easier time staying warm, but now it's spring, the grass is growing, and she's still a bit overweight. I have her on Purina Miniature horse and pony feed (just switched over from Safe Choice Original). I believe the feeding instructions say to give her a pound a day, so that's what I'm doing now (still need to weigh it to make sure a pound of it is the same volume as a pound of safechoice).
I think I'm going to have to limit her grass, and I have 2 options of how to go about it...
Option#1 - buy her a grazing muzzle and make her wear it for part of the day. It would allow her to still behave like a normal horse and get enough exercise and socialization, while limiting her grass intake. But, I have another (larger) pony in the field that bullies her (though I haven't noticed any bite marks recently), and a grazing muzzle would take away some of her ability to defend herself.
Option#2 - Close her in the barn for part of the day. This would allow me to wean her now 1.5 year old filly (close mare up during day, and filly at night), and would restrict both of the minis access to grass (though I don't think the filly is overweight). However, the larger pony would have no access to shelter (except for trees).
I don't know which option is best for them :/
I think I'm going to have to limit her grass, and I have 2 options of how to go about it...
Option#1 - buy her a grazing muzzle and make her wear it for part of the day. It would allow her to still behave like a normal horse and get enough exercise and socialization, while limiting her grass intake. But, I have another (larger) pony in the field that bullies her (though I haven't noticed any bite marks recently), and a grazing muzzle would take away some of her ability to defend herself.
Option#2 - Close her in the barn for part of the day. This would allow me to wean her now 1.5 year old filly (close mare up during day, and filly at night), and would restrict both of the minis access to grass (though I don't think the filly is overweight). However, the larger pony would have no access to shelter (except for trees).
I don't know which option is best for them :/