Miniature Horses & obesity

[siroiszoo]

I've kept my minis on 3/4 of an acre with my Quarters for 5 years. Only one has had difficulty maintaining a healthy weight even though I don't feed her; just grazing. My pasture has been over grazed and the neighbor let me use his pasture.

The grass hasn't been fertilized since spring, and it's no longer than what these two miniatures originally came off of. (Each miniature was bought from a different ranch.)

My little paint mini was only a year old, grazing on good pasture and being fed 1 cup of oats a day before I got her. She looked great. I've only grazed her on much less pasture with much shorter grass and fed her 1TBLS of pellets just to keep her out from under the big horses when they eat. This one has always struggled with obesity since I've owned her.

My little gray mini had the same beginnings before I bought her and maintained her weight very well up until I opened up the pasture.

Now, they only get pasture grazing; no pellets, no hay, no additions. Both look pregnant with triplets.

Any ideas as to why they can't handle the grazing now? They've been on it for one week straight (I did ease them into it by increasing in hour increments over two months).

Does anyone think their metabolism will balance out so they can handle the grazing or am I going to have to keep them in sandlots?

 

[ksalvagno]

I don't see why horses would be different than other animals. I have a llama that is 455 pounds. She is overweight. It is from hay and pasture. She only gets one measuring cup a day of feed. The only way I can have her lose weight is to put her in a stall by herself and then limit all her food (pellets, hay, pasture). So you may have to limit your minis on pasture time.

 

[freemotion]

Yes, limit them. It is not worth the founder. Or you could use grazing muzzles, if they make them for minis. I worry about the safety factor, though. I never leave halters on unless they are break-away.

Many small pony breeds developed in areas where grazing was extremely poor, so they are extra efficient with their calories. Not so good for them on rich grazing.

 

[dianneS]

Are they getting truly "fat" or do they just have hay bellies? The additional roughage could be giving them hay bellies.

I was just about to put a grazing muzzle on my mini, but then the weather started to turn cold, the nutrients are diminishing from the pastures, so I decided to wait until spring for the grazing muzzle.

I keep an eye on his body condition rather than going by the look of his belly. He is the more stout, "draft horse" build mini anyway, he's not a fallabella. His type always tend to have bigger bellies.

The only way I have found that keeps him from getting that big belly is to stall him a portion of the day, or night and limit him from the pasture altogether.

I don't grain my mini either.

 

[siroiszoo]

Are they getting truly "fat" or do they just have hay bellies? The additional roughage could be giving them hay bellies.

I was just about to put a grazing muzzle on my mini, but then the weather started to turn cold, the nutrients are diminishing from the pastures, so I decided to wait until spring for the grazing muzzle.

I keep an eye on his body condition rather than going by the look of his belly. He is the more stout, "draft horse" build mini anyway, he's not a fallabella. His type always tend to have bigger bellies.

The only way I have found that keeps him from getting that big belly is to stall him a portion of the day, or night and limit him from the pasture altogether.

I don't grain my mini either.

You make a good point. But with minis, at least mine, it's hard to see the body condition once the bellies blimp up and the winter coats come in.

The initial weight gain did happen rapidly, so hopefully it is hay belly. With the winter months here, I will try penning at night and grazing by day. Maybe this will work since the days are shorter.

I hate to keep them on my pasture. It really, really, needs a good rest. And it really boggles my mind since they came from pastures that were equal to or better than what they are on now. And they did just find on those pastures.

Oh well. Guess Ill get it figured out. I don't want founder, colic, or breathing problems developing due to their being overweight.

 

[dianneS]

I actually moved my mini from really good quality pasture, to lesser quality grass during the summer to give the first pasture time to rest. My mini's belly blew up very quickly too.

I came to the conclusion that the drier, less nutritious grasses were providing more roughage and less nutrients, so he was getting a hay belly from all of that fiber.

I moved him back to the good pasture and his hay belly went back down. He's been on 24/7 turnout for some time now, but I will probably bring him in at night so that the pastures don't get over grazed during the winter.

If he's on lesser quality pasture, it could very well be a hay belly due to his body utilizing less of it and most of it just being a fiber source.

I check my mini's neck, and make sure its not getting cresty. I check his chest for fat, I check all over him for fat deposits and of course watch his feet too. Oh, and you should still be able to feel a little rib, even with a hay belly. I make sure he gets lots of exercise too. I longe him a lot and he has all sorts of toys to play with, and he loves chasing the goats and the guardian dog!

I wouldn't jump to a sandlot just yet, I would wait and see if they adjust. I'd be willing to bet that they will!

 

[siroiszoo]

I hope that is the case dianneS. My little paint mini has always had that really fat round belly - at least since she was about 1.5 - 2 years old. But I've pet sat for some OBESE minis. My little paint mini always has that round pregnant look to her but no fat stored on the withers, neck, in the shoulders nor down the back. Just the round belly.

My even tinier gray mini has always maintained a good weight. Now they have shared my little pasture (probably slightly under 3/4 acre) with my two Quarter horses. I've managed to keep grass in it but it never gets taller than 1/4 " at best. So I supplement with plenty of hay and grain to the big horses. The little ones come in and clean up any spilled grain but it's not much. And the minis get 1 Tablespoon of pellets just to keep them out from under the big horses while they eat. Then I fertilize twice a year, aerate once a year.

Now, my neighbor is letting us use his 8 acres while he is out of town for a couple of years. I've removed all grain & hay since his pasture is nice. He fertilized every spring for his cattle. Since the minis came from pastures like his, I imagine you are correct in the thought that its the fiber that is bloating them up.

If I get a chance, I will find the 'before' pictures of my minis and take some 'after' pics.

Thanks

 

[laughingllama75]

it is NOT "hay belly". I have mini's myself, and one with IR (insulin resistance). VERY common in mini's. They (mini's) have a tendancy to get fat over the slightest feed, especially anything with protien over 10%. I keep grazing muzzle's on mine in the summer, they do fine with them on (you need to take them off at night and dry lot them and make sure they don't have rubs/sores).
if you want to know more, PM me. I am not saying this is what is wrong with your mini, but it could be and it needs to lose the weight....it is imperitive to it's health. my guy looked "cresty" and fat when I got him, and within 2 years he has lost about 114 pounds. yes, a mini.....lost 114 pounds and now looks fantastic. I have been able to maintain him on this "diet" for over 5 years....and he is no longer foundering or roaring. let me know if I can help in any way.

 

[siroiszoo]

laughingllama75,

I've always had that suspicion with the paint mini, that she might be insulin resistant. But I was spending soooo much money on my 30 year old quarter horse to keep her in good shape, I never had the money to have her tested. Then, it's always been something since then that keeps me from having the extra money.

To Date: she hasn't ever had any health problems; no breathing problems, no colic, no founder. But I do have to watch her much closer now that all this extra pasturage is available. I have been stalling them at night with nothing but water. I watched all day yesterday and they are going up into a shelter and sleeping during the day so they are not grazing non-stop like they were last week.

But I agree that I DO have to be careful with her.

My little gray mini is much smaller and never had a weight problem until I put her on that pasture. In a week she blimped up. So, I am doing the same with her.

Worse case scenario, I'll have to build small temporary paddocks with my portable electric fence charger.

But I would appreciate any information on insulin resistance. I did try putting the paint on Chromium supplements but it didn't seem to make a difference. I had heard that a quarter horse owner had success using it and research showed that it wouldn't harm her. So I gave it a try.

 

[havencroft]

We raise and breed miniature horses.
Feeding is the hardest thing to "get right" for most people.

Sometimes those round bellies are from hay but the weight and condition of a mini or horse shows in it's "topline"
You will really have to get your hands down under all of that winter hair and FEEL for that spine and those ribs.
If the spine is raised and you can feel those ribs easily, in spite of the belly you are looking at an underweight mini, (think starving children with large bellies from Africa, it's an extreme example I know)
Which means a mini usually on just hay and pasture is not getting ENOUGH nutrition. Sometimes with a mini weight is hard to read expecially in the winter.

A lot of minis do fine on hay and pasture, though I do not allow mine pasture 24/7 it's been a breeding ground for trouble for me.

Wormy minis also show large bellies. Coarse stemmy hay will create those bellies.

Here's what I do, keeping in mind I am working to achieve a certain amount of condition here.

The horses are on a good soft grass hay, wormed approx every 2 months, fed twice a day with a pelleted ration balancer (I have found that feeds with molasses, sweet feeds are a waste and had more trouble with feeds with corn and oats in it over the long term.)
The rationa balancer is designed for a grass diet, is a "locked formula" that provides 12 per cent protein, and it is low starch, (think oats and corn) which makes it easier for my minis to handle. Calories from fat like vegetable oil which makes for SHINY coats.

Everyone gets pellets and hay according to their weight, age and conditon along with hay in their stalls each AM, then turnout, and brought in around sunset, (they sure know when the sun is going down) for a secoung feeding of the same. Heated water buckets in the stalls so we keep everyone drinking well.

If you ask 100 people you will get 100 answers when it comes to feeding.

I have one older mare (just 16) who had gotten overweight and "cresty" on me. It made me keep a close eye on her, cut her ration back a bit and I put her on Remission a supplement (basically a magnesium addition) for minis that tend to be overweight "cresty (neck) and hwould have a tendency to founder. She never got foot sore but her feet did change and start growing quickly one year which is why I made the changes.

REally have to keep an eye on these little ones, and do your best to learn, learn, learn what works for your horse.

All the best to each and every one for the New Year.
Anne