Few questions??

[jandjmc]

Several things come to mind-1. Nix the chicken wire around all horses. It's meant for chickens and will get equines in all sorts of trouble. 2. Your young mini needs a place, secure from the big horses where he can eat and rest. If he is jumping out of his present pen, make modifications so he can see and be relatively close to your mares but safe from them. 3. Gelding him as soon as you get him settled, hopefully he'll drop soon. (How old is he? Did he come directly from his mother to your farm?) An ungelded young colt around mature large mares is a recipe for disaster. 4. Make sure he gets enough protein. What was he eating before you got him? 5. Watch his manure to make sure he isn't loose.

You have entered a wonderful world of minis. They are smart, cute and loving. But keeping minis with larger horses requires some modifications from your present set up. Do you have the support of someone who could help you? Could you contact someone in your local area who is knowledgable about mini to mentor you? Your colt will start to settle down as soon as he gets used to your set up but it takes a while for a youngster who is afraid and away from his herd. You spoke of being out of town, please make sure the little guy is safe in a secure pen, with plenty of clean, warm water, appropriate feed and at least a view of other horses, he's a baby and is frightened and frightened horses, no matter what size/age , do stupid things!

Best of luck! He is a real cutie and will return your affection 100 fold.

 

[Becky Horat]

We have big horses as well and our Minis are seperated by pipe panels from the big horses. They will stand along side the fence and really enjoy each other's company (the bigs and Minis). But they are never allowed out together. They become great companions this way and you can pony them along from your big horse over time. But I wouldn't do this until your Mini is gelded and a little older and getting along a little better. Just be smart and you'll figure it all out, as you are. You'll have so much fun. We've all had to figure this stuff out just as you are.

 

[KingsLuckyNight]

He's 9 months right now. He came from his mom to me yes, but I've been with him since he was 2 months old. He was eating hay and grass before I got him and a salt block. What protin supplements do you recommend? I'm not exaclty dumb about mini's xD! Hahahahah. There very similar to bigger horses they just need more special care for their well being. I also work at a mini farm, where he came from. While I'm gone I have someone looking after him.

He's been out with my smaller mare under my supervision. He really likes her and she likes him. She's acting all motherly to him. She and him get along pretty good. Him and the other mare will not be let out together ever. She's a ^%#* and I won't risk it.

 

[chandab]

At only 9 months old, a good growth formula feed would be a good choice for him; every company has one, so which would depend on what's available to you. What do you feed your mares? [Their feed may or may not be appropriate for him, depending on what they get.]

 

[KingsLuckyNight]

I feed them high performance feed and oats sweet grain. He doesn't get the performance. He's getting very little sweet grIn. The lady who he came from said Mini's get diabities really easily. But I don't know. I looked it up and more then a handfull of people said sweet grain was fine in small quanities.

 

[KingsLuckyNight]

..

 

[ohmt]

He is not getting enough food to grow....and I have never heard of minis getting diabetes regularly so I really wouldn't worry about that. At his age I highly recommend supplementing with some alfalfa and a 16% feed (i use omelene 300), or if you're set on the grass hay i'd look into a high protein supplement like Purina's Enrich 32. He will need much more protein than what your mares get. I free feed my weanlings/yearlings through winter on grass/alfalfa mix and they get warm beet pulp twice a day along with quite a bit of their 16% sweet feed (about 2 lbs per horse each feeding) and they come out looking fantastic in the spring with nice toplines, no hipbones, but no extra weight either. Have yet to have one even a little bit overweight. During the warm months of their yearling yr I control their intake or they will get chunky, but their feed stays the same through winter of their yearling year. As 2 yr olds when it starts to warm up I switch their sweet feed to a 14% (strategy) and again control intake. During the winter I increase their hay amounts, but don't free feed (though it's close!).

I have never had a foundered horse, or insulin resistance, or any metabolic disorders, but each horse is different, though I promise it is nothing you should worry about just yet. He needs protein and calories right now.

 

[KingsLuckyNight]

Will do! I also have him on hay, not sure what kind. I think its just pasture grass, its off of a big round bale. I'll get him some more feed and what not when I get back. I have to leave for a week tomorrow unforunatly(I really don't wanna go. XD!)

 

[chandab]

If you don't want to feed a sweet feed to him, Purina also makes the Junior pellet, it can be fed as a complete feed, but better to feed with hay. Other brands have their growth formulas as well.

 

[Boss Mare]

You got a lot of excellent advice. I hope you consider it all. Perhaps recommend the farm you bought him from to join the forum too.

I owned big horses first, then minis. Here's my story..

My QH gelding knocked some fence boards off the fence and this left a space big enough for a mini to get into his paddock. The mini was almost 38" tall and they shared a fence line for 6 or 7 years.. Scratching through the fence, calling for each other when apart, etc. As soon as the mini entered his area in one move the gelding grabbed her by her back with his mouth and slammed her to the ground and wouldn't let her go. The sound was horrible and I had to get a fence board to get him off of her. He was always so even tempered and a gentle horse. Never expected it, don't want to imagine what if had I not been there.

 

[KingsLuckyNight]

She already is, she may not be joined but she does come to this forum.

 

[Miniv]

We shy away from sweet feed too..... Check out what's available for a higher protein all around feed for him. 14 to 16 percent. Start with with just a couple of cups morning and night and see how he does. Depending on how good the hay you're getting is, you may want to either add more grain or mix in a small pelleted alfalfa. We do the KISS method with feeding...."Keep It Simple".

Try to feed him as far away from the fence where your big horse(s) are as possible.

 

[KingsLuckyNight]

When he eats I let him eat basically with them. But he's on the other side of the fence about 2/3 feet away. My horses aren't food agressive and don't mind him there at all. We put him in a bigger paddock area way bigger, today and for some reason uknown to me. He popped the chain off the gait and shimmied through. This mini might just kill me xD. So now the gait is paddalocked. (One of those barn gaits that you just slip the chain through the slit).

I found him un harmed and fine down there with the alpha mare. She was eating beside him. She got angry when we went to put him away she didn't like it to much. Has stayed by his pen for the last 4 hours.

 

[chandab]

I have a couple that fiddle with gates, so all are chained with snaps added for security. I also have a slide latch gate that I had to add a chain to, as they could slide the latch and let the gate open. they are so darn smart and always into something, very entertaining always, but sometimes it get to be too much.

 

[ohmt]

If you are using round bales, a 32% supplement and a mineral block along with his salt block will probably be best. It is extremely hard to find round bales that are even semi decent. You could even add some alfalfa pellets to that. Some shy feom sweet feed-works best for me, but it depends on the horse and I think the area you live in. We have such rough winters, I like how where sweet feed keeps them.