New owner
- Thread starter EmmaRuby
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I have not seen any of your other posts.
Are you new to horses or just to miniatures? There is so much wonderful information on this forum. Use the Search if you want to research anything.
I like for my horses to have free choice hay if they don't have pasture. I am against sweet feed. A salt block is good. You will see lots of opinions on feeding, and much of it depends on the part of the country where you live and what is available.
Ruby is so pretty! Have you ever seen her without a winter coat? Be prepared for lots of grooming when she begins to shed.
Are you new to horses or just to miniatures? There is so much wonderful information on this forum. Use the Search if you want to research anything.
I like for my horses to have free choice hay if they don't have pasture. I am against sweet feed. A salt block is good. You will see lots of opinions on feeding, and much of it depends on the part of the country where you live and what is available.
Ruby is so pretty! Have you ever seen her without a winter coat? Be prepared for lots of grooming when she begins to shed.
Maryann at MiniV
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the Forum and the wonderful world of MINIS!!!
What are you feeding now? Did your seller tell you what THEY feed? Is your cute new one in good weight? (Rub your fingers down her back and down her sides.) When they have the winter fuzzies, it's hard to judge their condition. So it is best to do the "touch test". If you feel bone without pressure, she needs extra feed. If you feel ribs with finger pressure she is in good weight. And if you DON'T feed ribs with some finger pressure she is probably chubby. However, in winter, I don't advocate cutting feed back too much.
What are you feeding now? Did your seller tell you what THEY feed? Is your cute new one in good weight? (Rub your fingers down her back and down her sides.) When they have the winter fuzzies, it's hard to judge their condition. So it is best to do the "touch test". If you feel bone without pressure, she needs extra feed. If you feel ribs with finger pressure she is in good weight. And if you DON'T feed ribs with some finger pressure she is probably chubby. However, in winter, I don't advocate cutting feed back too much.
Welcome!
There is a thread that you actually posted on I think, in the main forum, called "what do you feed your minis", that has a lot of good general information if you read through it. Seems like most people feed first-cut grass hay and a ration balancer.
There is a thread that you actually posted on I think, in the main forum, called "what do you feed your minis", that has a lot of good general information if you read through it. Seems like most people feed first-cut grass hay and a ration balancer.
EmmaRuby
Member
Feed- she currently has 1 scoop pony nuts wet mixed with d-itch for sweet itch and a carrot and 1 small haynet for breakfast, 1haynet around 1, then again at 5:30 and again at 7:30
she is exercised 30mins lunging a day which is all trot or canter
I’ve been told to try her on happy hoof so I’m thinking of changing to that now
EmmaRuby
Member
Yes new to owning although I have rides and worked around horses when younger. I have had a look though the feed ones but I live in the uk a lot of what I’d posted I’ve never heard of here.
thank you, yes I’ve seen photos I’ve got a furminator to get all the loose hair out when she starts to shed but it’s still very cold here atm
EmmaRuby
Member
Thank you
EmmaRuby
Member
I feed 1scoop of pony nuts, carrot, sweet itch supplement and hay then 3 more hay nets through out the day and evening.
I don’t think she’s over weight I exercise her once a day for at least 30mins lunging which is mostly trot and canter.
EmmaRuby
Member
What is a ration balancer?
A ration balancer is a low carb/energy pellet or cube with vitamins and minerals added to make sure they get everything they need without getting grain. What are horse nuts? It sounds like your doing it right. I was taught even with the big horses to feed forage as the main part of their diet to keep their gut working properly. Horses are meant to nibble most of the time so your nets through the day is perfect. If her weight is good I'd keep doing.
weeburnsyg
Member
Hi @EmmaRuby, I'm in the UK as well! I used to feed mine pony cubes but as they are quite high in sugar I switched to Baileys Speedibeet (reasonably priced as well) - Product: Fibre: Speedi-Beet .
I've found it hard finding a feed that is low in sugar/starch but also offers around 12% protein (speedibeet is one of the few that offered a compromise as most other protein or sugar content was way too high). I have a weanling arriving soon and I'm going to put her on Baileys Lo-Cal Balancer to ensure she has enough nutrients while she's still growing.
You'll hear a lot of different advice as well so just weigh them up and make an informed decision.
I soak my hay, unless it's absolutely freezing, to again remove a bit of sugar/starch (minis are prone to laminitis) and feed it in small holed nets to try and slow them down a bit!
I feed mine 4 times a day, one of these being a meal feed (aim for at least 75% of their food daily to be forage). Plus low sugar treats like Thunderbrooks and the usual carrots and apples here and there.
Happy to chat re suppliers, I'm still finding my way as well
Ruby's gorgeous
I've found it hard finding a feed that is low in sugar/starch but also offers around 12% protein (speedibeet is one of the few that offered a compromise as most other protein or sugar content was way too high). I have a weanling arriving soon and I'm going to put her on Baileys Lo-Cal Balancer to ensure she has enough nutrients while she's still growing.
You'll hear a lot of different advice as well so just weigh them up and make an informed decision.
I soak my hay, unless it's absolutely freezing, to again remove a bit of sugar/starch (minis are prone to laminitis) and feed it in small holed nets to try and slow them down a bit!
I feed mine 4 times a day, one of these being a meal feed (aim for at least 75% of their food daily to be forage). Plus low sugar treats like Thunderbrooks and the usual carrots and apples here and there.
Happy to chat re suppliers, I'm still finding my way as well
Ruby's gorgeous
I would be a bit careful of working her too hard or too long in the cold weather. You don't want her to get sweaty and then chilled. I don't know if the UK is as cold as USA right now, but currently I'm in the 5-20*F range. But I am lunging one of our minis everyday for about 5-10 minutes a day too.
Ryan Johnson
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the forum
GraceandPoppy
Active Member
Welcome! What cuties you have there!
EmmaRuby
Member
Thank youWelcome! What cuties you have there!
Ilovehorses123
Well-Known Member
They are so cute! Welcome to the forum!
EmmaRuby
Member
Thanks!
EmmaRuby
Member
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