![]() ![]() (Girth x 13.18) – 326.07 = body weight in pounds.Īfter an owner has figured body condition and weight, the final step is to work out individual nutrition plans. Use the measurements (in inches) in one or more of the following equations:ġ. Length is measured from the middle of the horse’s chest, along the side, and around to a point under the center of the tail. The tape should be kept perpendicular to the ground, not laid against the horse. If there is a question as to the exact location of the withers, allow the horse to lower his head and neck as if to graze and measure to the highest point in front of the saddle area. For height, stand the horse squarely on level ground or pavement and measure the vertical distance from the ground to the top of the withers. Pull the tape snug but not tight enough to depress the flesh. To measure girth, place the tape just behind the front legs and over the withers. ![]() Because weight tapes designed for standard horses are not accurate for Minis, KER designed equations using measurements of girth, height, and length to yield a number very close to the Miniature’s correct weight. If a scale is available, this is the most accurate way to determine weight. The study found that owners of Miniature horses commonly over- or underestimated the weight of their animals by up to 20%, an error that could lead not only to inaccurate feeding programs but also to possibly dangerous dewormer or drug dosages. In a study conducted by Kentucky Equine Research (KER), 49 Miniature horses (mares, geldings, and stallions between the ages of 1 and 12) had an average weight of 213 pounds, and fewer than 15% of these animals weighed as much as 250 pounds. The challenge for the owner is to provide complete nutrition while keeping the horse within an acceptable weight range.Īfter looking at body condition, the next step in working out a feeding program is finding out how much the animal weighs. Miniature horses tend to be easy keepers, meaning that they seem to maintain or increase their weight on limited forage and little or no grain. Because colic, laminitis, and bone and joint problems commonly affect overweight horses, the owner’s goal should be to reduce the body weight of animals in this condition. These horses usually have rounded ridges of flesh along their backs so that the spine appears to lie in a depression, and ribs cannot be felt even with firm pressure. At the other end of the condition scale is an animal with spongy fat deposits on the shoulders, croup, ribs, and thighs. If the ribs are easily seen and the bones of the spine stand up from the body, the animal is in thin or poor condition, and the aim of a feeding program should be to allow this horse to pick up some additional weight. The back should be flat, with the spine neither sticking up nor paralleled by raised ridges of flesh, and a light layer of fat should provide a smooth appearance to the shoulders, neck, and withers. For a horse in moderate condition, the ribs should be easily felt with moderate pressure, but should not be seen. This is most easily determined not by looking at the belly, which may appear large even in an underweight horse, but by observing the ribs, spine, and fat deposits. Because very little research has been done on the specific requirements of Miniature horses, feeding recommendations must be based on standards for other equines tempered by experience with Minis and careful observation of individual animals.ĭeciding how much hay, grass, and grain to provide a mature Miniature horse involves, as a first step, an estimation of body condition. Factors such as body size, age, breed, work, climate, health status, and metabolism affect the type and amount of hay, pasture, and grain a particular horse should be given. Each animal must consume enough water, forage, and (possibly) grain to meet the requirements of growth, tissue repair, reproduction, exercise, and maintenance of all body systems. ![]() Regardless of their size, all equines have the same basic nutritional needs. ![]()
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