Basic Feeding for A Happy & Healthy Horse

Disclaimer: It is always advisable to speak with your veterinarian about your horse’s unique situation. This information is to be considered a guideline of where to begin. It is no way a substitute for medical or nutritional advice from your veterinarian.

Feeding your miniature horse or pony doesn’t have to be stressful. It can be as simple as good quality hay, clean water, and a salt block. Throw in a treat every now and then, and your little horse should be happy. So how does it go wrong? Why do so many little horse owners have overweight or underweight horses? Read on to get better insight on feeding the average miniature horse or pony.   

The biggest problem I see is portion control – either too much or too little. Every horse, no matter the size, needs to consume 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent of their body weight daily at bare minimum. That is the total of all food sources, whether hay, grain, pasture, hay pellets, beet pulp, hay cubes, etc. Most of that should come from forage, i.e., hay, hay cubes/pellets/pasture. That means that a 300-pound miniature horse needs 4.5 to 6.0 pounds of feed from all sources per day. If the horse doesn’t get much exercise, you probably should start at the low end of 4.5 pounds. If the horse is worked a lot, such as training or conditioning for an event, you will likely need to feed more. Keep in mind that miniature horses and ponies tend to be easy keepers, which means they are great at maximizing their feed. This is why they tend to be overweight more often than underweight. Some miniature horses and ponies do well on pasture, but often they cannot be on pasture 24/7. If you need help with the math, there are many feed calculators online, such as this one from Standley Forage.   

Weighing hay for evening feeding

Every horse, no matter the size, needs to consume 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent of their body weight daily at bare minimum.

How often does your horse need to be fed? How do you make sure they are getting the correct amount? We feed our horses twice a day which is pretty standard. You can feed more often, such as 3 or 4 times per day if your schedule allows for that. Another option is having hay available in a slow feed net 24/7. Each option has benefits and drawbacks. Each portion of hay for our four horses is weighed. I am not good at eyeballing or estimating weight, which resulted in some chunky horses and wider variations in their weight. Managing our horse’s weight has been much more consistent since I started weighing their feed. It is also nice to be able to tell our veterinarian the exact quantity of hay or grain our horses are getting. This may sound extreme to some, but you got to do what you got to do in the best interest of your herd.

Our pony, Whiskey, who is somewhere around 500 pounds gets 3 pounds of alfalfa-grass mix hay morning and night. In the evening, he gets 1.5 pounds of grain with a hair and coat supplement. Based on his weight, he is getting 1.5 percent of his body weight – the bare minimum. Prior to last summer, we were feeding straight grass hay and alfalfa pellets to supplement the hay. We decided to purchase a mix last summer so we didn’t have to deal with alfalfa pellets. I’m trying to keep our feeding program as simple as I possibly can. After feeding the mixed hay for a month or so at the prior hay’s feed rate of 7 pounds total per day, I saw that he was getting a little pudgy. So, I scaled it back to 6.5 pounds for a few weeks, and he was still a little chunky. I scaled it back another half-pound to 6 pounds hay total per day. He lost some weight and leveled out nicely. He has maintained his weight through our frigid winter very well, so I know I am feeding the right amount. I may have to adjust his feed this spring as we gear up for show season and begins his driving training.

I choose to feed grain because it has extra nutrients that the horse’s may not be getting from just hay alone. Also, it is much easier to feed supplements for the horses that need them in grain. Not all horses need grain. It is perfectly acceptable to not feed grain to your horse. With that said, there are many types of grain and ration balancers out there. Do your research and pick what you think will work for your horse and your budget. You may need to do a little trial and error in finding the best option for your horse. If you decide to change type or add grain to your horses’ diet, start gradually and build up to the full ration. You will need to read the label and find out the recommended feed rate (portion) for your horse’s size. If the recommended amount is 1 cup, then I would start with a half cup for a week followed by the recommended 1 cup the following week.​

Do your research and pick what you think will work for your horse and your budget.

It doesn’t happen as much, but some miniature horses and ponies manage to get underweight and need extra feed. You need to feed as much as it takes to maintain a healthy weight on your horse. Winter coats can disguise an underweight horse, so you need to be feeling under that coat to be sure that your horse is maintaining his weight. Also, some may mistake the extra fluffiness as the horse being overweight and cut back their feed causing them to lose weight unintentionally. I cannot stress enough checking through the heavy, thick winter coat at least a couple times a month. Ribs and hip bones should not be obvious. Also, do not make any changes to a horse’s feed ration unless you have thoroughly checked the horse out with your hands. Finally, make any changes gradual so the risk for GI tract upset is lessened.

A final note, be sure your horse has access to plenty of fresh, clean water throughout the day and night. A salt block is good for them, and it encourages water intake which can ward off the dreaded colic or general GI upset. Remember any significant change, such as pasture to hay or grass hay to alfalfa hay, can cause GI upset or colic if made suddenly. Your feeding program can be as simple or complicated as you make it. Be sure you have a reason for why you are feeding a specific hay, grain, ration balancer or supplement. Do some research before making any changes and make changes gradually. If your horse is healthy and happy your feeding program is on the right track. ​