seattle
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I'm really starting to second guess my feeding program for my two mini yearlings. I got them six months ago and they're my first minis. They don't show or anything -- all they really do is hang out in the pasture, play with the kids, and look cute
As they're starting to lose their winter hair this spring, I'm noticing that they both have big bellies, but they don't have nice, even toplines and I can feel their ribs. They really lack muscle too (thin neck, not filled out in the rear), and the other day when it was raining and all their hair was plastered down, they did look underweight. I feel SO so horrible! I love these babies so much and I feel like I'm really failing them nutrition-wise. (They get dewormed every eight weeks, so I really doubt they have worms.) I'm pretty much convinced now that what I'm feeding them isn't sufficient. Here's what I feed:
Each mini gets a flake of grass hay in the morning, and a flake of grass hay at night. They're also on pasture for six hours during the day, but it's not a ton of luscious green grass...it's just a 40x80 patch of grass that they nibble on during the day...they've eaten it down pretty well already. They don't get any grain or mineral blocks, but I really think I need to change that. What are your feeding recommendations for these guys?? They're smaller - 30" or so...one might be under that still. SO, here are my questions.
1. What type of feed/grain do I feed them and how much?? I called the feed store and they carry Purina, but they don't have the Mini and Pony feed that I really wanted to get. They just have Strategy GX and the Equine JR. I could look into other brands as well, but I've heard really good things about Purina so far. What's the difference between Mini/Pony and Strategy GX? I'm really, really torn on what to give them for grain. I could wait a week to get the Mini/Pony feed in, or I could go ahead and get another kind of food.
2. Should I set out a mineral block or salt block for them? What kind?
3. Should I increase the amount of hay I feed? How many pounds should they get per day? I have to admit...this hay is not exceptional quality...not very rich or green. I'm wondering if I should be switching to new hay?
Whoever reads this novel is a saint, and I thank you SO SO much for any advice you guys can give me. These minis are SO special to me and I really want to see them be as healthy and happy as possible.

Each mini gets a flake of grass hay in the morning, and a flake of grass hay at night. They're also on pasture for six hours during the day, but it's not a ton of luscious green grass...it's just a 40x80 patch of grass that they nibble on during the day...they've eaten it down pretty well already. They don't get any grain or mineral blocks, but I really think I need to change that. What are your feeding recommendations for these guys?? They're smaller - 30" or so...one might be under that still. SO, here are my questions.
1. What type of feed/grain do I feed them and how much?? I called the feed store and they carry Purina, but they don't have the Mini and Pony feed that I really wanted to get. They just have Strategy GX and the Equine JR. I could look into other brands as well, but I've heard really good things about Purina so far. What's the difference between Mini/Pony and Strategy GX? I'm really, really torn on what to give them for grain. I could wait a week to get the Mini/Pony feed in, or I could go ahead and get another kind of food.
2. Should I set out a mineral block or salt block for them? What kind?
3. Should I increase the amount of hay I feed? How many pounds should they get per day? I have to admit...this hay is not exceptional quality...not very rich or green. I'm wondering if I should be switching to new hay?
Whoever reads this novel is a saint, and I thank you SO SO much for any advice you guys can give me. These minis are SO special to me and I really want to see them be as healthy and happy as possible.
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