Supplements

[PaintMeAMini]

Does anyone give their minis supplements? If so what kind and how much? Thank you I’m advance!

 

[LostandFound]

I do. I tried a coat supplement last year that didn't do anything. But I just switched to a different one, and remission. I give a half a horse dose. Which actually might be why it didn't work.

 

[dalvers63]

My two get Triple Crown Gold balancer (1/2c twice a day) and some FlexMax for joints.

 

[Kelly]

I am feeding Enrich plus ration balancer and they also get about half a teaspoon of electrolytes daily. Thunder also gets a squirt of a prebiotics once a day, to hopefully help with his chronic colic.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I've used Dynamite products for almost 20 years. Consult with whichever company you choose about which is best for your area; I do not want extra selenium, and mine is for horses on pasture. I use the recommended dose. Also supplement with prebiotics.
I do think supplements are important. People who say miniature horses can live on air boggle my mind.

 

[Abby P]

They can live on air, as long as the minerals are reasonably balanced!

I use a ration balancer (Triple Crown, what used to be the "30", not the Gold). Then I also give him non-iodized salt, some extra vitamin E, psyllium because he's prone to fecal water, and right now he's getting extra magnesium and chromium in the form of Quiessence.

I dose according to weight - of both the pony and the supplements. I don't rely on the companies' included scoops but figure out what a serving should be for him and use a kitchen scale to determine the volume I need to feed.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

They can live on air, as long as the minerals are reasonably balanced!

I use a ration balancer (Triple Crown, what used to be the "30", not the Gold). Then I also give him non-iodized salt, some extra vitamin E, psyllium because he's prone to fecal water, and right now he's getting extra magnesium and chromium in the form of Quiessence.

I dose according to weight - of both the pony and the supplements. I don't rely on the companies' included scoops but figure out what a serving should be for him and use a kitchen scale to determine the volume I need to feed.

Yes, I have to figure out the correct dose according to weight. If I am in doubt, I have the company advise me. I always throw away those little scoops that come in supplements and use a measuring spoon once I've figured out the amount.

Why do you use non iodized salt? I use a pink mineral salt from my supplement company, but have used table sale in the past to top dress. Cannot remember whether it was iodized or not...

 

[Abby P]

Because the ration balancer already has enough iodine, so he doesn't need more. Just depends on what else you're feeding, whether you'd use plain or iodized.

 

[chandab]

I keep most of the scoops that come in supplement tubs, because even if they aren't the right size for that supplement for the size of the mini in front of me, they might be right for another, and I don't have to buy scoops. My favorite scoop is the double ended teaspoon/tablespoon scoop; it works well for many supplements for miniatures.

 

[1roadtoad]

This is an old topic that I need to revive. I have noticed that my boy Cooper, 5 year old gelding, is sometimes eating manure and/or digging at the ground and licking it. This behavior is infrequent, but he does do it at times. I asked my vet about it when she floated my equines teeth last week. She said that it may be a mineral imbalance and that she has other clients who have used Redmond Rock Crushed-Equine Minerals to alleviate the issue. I hesitate to try anything on my animals until I get real testimonials from others who have actually used it. My vet, although very smart and responsive, has a varied practice. First and foremost, she takes care of bovines, followed by equines, camelids (i.e. llamas), etc. I do trust her and most of her advice, but she doesn't concentrate solely on horses, so I like to research things after her recommendations. The only things my horses currently eat are: 1/4 cup of Triple Crown Carb Guard (low starch) morning and night and local hay. Everyone also has a salt block (with minerals) in their barn stalls and there is the same salt block available to them under their outside sheds. Anyone use Redmond Rock or anything like it? Any advice or thoughts about the manure/dirt eating? Thanks

 

[Standards Equine]

In Canada, we have this fantastic company called Mad Barn who has very affordable supplements available on a subscription! Coolest thing. Although my littles don't require much - they are young and very healthy, I do supplement the harder working, older horses. I do a lot of muscle testing - not something that works for everyone or that everyone believes in, but it seems to be working really well for me and my animals.
I'm finding the need for magnesium quite high, and then we do joint support as well. Magnesium helps keep my own migraines to a minimum, I'm wondering if that has a similar effect on the horses. I also use Lysene, MSM, Thyronine, biotin, a probiotic, and zeolytes in addition to loose minerals and/or a ration or extruded feed.

 

[Crimson Rose]

I completely recommend Vermont Blend! They are very affordable and help balance my hay very well I follow a few barefoot trimming and grain free nutrition groups on Facebook, and they and a few friends of mine recommended it to me.

 

[1roadtoad]

Thanks folks, I'll look into these items.

 

[Abby P]

Yeah, Redmond salt is basically just dirty salt - it has minerals in it but none of them are very useful for balancing things for horses (similar to the red salt blocks - it's mostly iron which horses generally already get way too much of). You're much better off with a VMS or ration balancer designed for the type of hay you feed, if you can't test hay and supplement (or not) accordingly. I use CA Trace because it comes in a pelleted form and I can't wet my guy's feed. But VT Blend is very good too and if you're in Canada, Mad Barn seems to be similar to those two US ones.

 

[1roadtoad]

Yeah, Redmond salt is basically just dirty salt - it has minerals in it but none of them are very useful for balancing things for horses (similar to the red salt blocks - it's mostly iron which horses generally already get way too much of). You're much better off with a VMS or ration balancer designed for the type of hay you feed, if you can't test hay and supplement (or not) accordingly. I use CA Trace because it comes in a pelleted form and I can't wet my guy's feed. But VT Blend is very good too and if you're in Canada, Mad Barn seems to be similar to those two US ones.

I'm in Connecticut so I can check out the 2 you mentioned. How do you know if your horse actually needs supplements? I should have asked the vet if Cooper should have a blood work up or something, but it didn't occur to me at the time.

 

[chandab]

What feed are you using? Triple Crown doesn't have product called Carb Guard.
Usually, most don't need supplements provided they are getting enough of the commercial feed, but sizing down that feed from full-size servings to mini size servings can be a little daunting. What size is your mini? How old? Type of hay and how much? [And, clarify which product you are feeding. 1/4 cup 2x daily is too little of pretty much any feed or ration balancer for most minis, except for the tiniest (like under 30" and slim).]

 

[1roadtoad]

What feed are you using? Triple Crown doesn't have product called Carb Guard.
Usually, most don't need supplements provided they are getting enough of the commercial feed, but sizing down that feed from full-size servings to mini size servings can be a little daunting. What size is your mini? How old? Type of hay and how much? [And, clarify which product you are feeding. 1/4 cup 2x daily is too little of pretty much any feed or ration balancer for most minis, except for the tiniest (like under 30" and slim).]

You are right about the Triple Crown, I misspoke. It is Sentinel Care Carb-Guard, which is carried by Blue Seal. I don't know if Blue Seal is Nationwide or not, so you may have never heard of it. Your comment about the 1/4 cup being too little of an amount of grain served twice a day, is interesting, and not surprising to me. Previous to owning my 2 boys I had a 27 year old chestnut mini mare, Lady who passed away from Lyme Disease and Cushing's Disease 2 years ago. I also have 2 mini donkeys (jennys), which I have owned for their entire lives, which is almost 12 years. All 3 of these equines have required very little grain, if any. My donkeys are chunky and I had to watch Lady's grain intake because of her Cushing's. My vet has always cautioned me that minis of all types don't really need grain as it will cause them to become overweight and unhealthy. I give them grain, basically to entice them to come in at night and then give it to them again in the morning before I let them out.
With regard to the boys: Rocky is 9 +/-, about 32" and what I would call stocky. He weighs around 375-400 lbs. (tried figuring it out using 2 different methods, but can't nail it). Cooper (the manure and dirt eater) is about 37" and weighs about 317 +/-. He is not stocky and looks more like a mini should (if there is such a thing!). They are both extremely active and play and run around most of the day. My vet says their weights look good, which I guess could be true, but that doesn't address whether their necessary nutrients or mineral needs are being met. The boys also have a trainer that comes once a week or so and she has never mentioned that their weight, good or bad.
So, how does someone figure out exactly what and how much to feed? (I've had horses (riding) for over 30 years, but they always came with instructions regarding their requirements for food). Any info or insight would be appreciated.

 

[Minimor]

The time our horses were eating dirt it turned out we had a mineral imbalance. I started using Equest Range Horse Blocks and that fixed the problem. The horses gobble up the mineral when they need it, and they ignore it when they don't need it. No more issues with eating dirt.

 

[Crimson Rose]

I feed my two miniatures free choice burmuda, what little they can find in my pasture right now, and then Vermont Blend by how much is suggested by their weight and also flaxseed for extra protein due to having a lactating recovering underweight mare and growing filly. Grain free is best for any horse, but most of all for miniatures, ponies, and drafts. They are really not built to process extra sugars and starches.

 

[user 50942]

I recently brought home my first mini. I've done a lot of research and asked a lot of questions. I thought I had his feed down, (grain, supplement, beet pulp) including a mineral block. He was very thin so I'm trying to put some weight on him. That's what used with my other horses years ago. However, my vet said they might now get all the minerals they need in a block especially depending on where you live. She suggested adding a mineral supplement in his nightly grain to maximize his intake, not just because he is under weight. I've also heard this from several experienced horse ppl including a trainer I've known for 30 years. He seems happy and healthy.