Question

What kind of grain should I feed my pregnant Miniature Horse?

Answer

The basis of your Miniature Horse mare’s diet should be good-quality forage. Grass hay is often the best choice for Miniature Horses, as they have a tendency to be easy keepers.

To provide a balanced diet and the necessary nutrients for fetal development, feed a commercially formulated mare and foal feed. Carefully read the feeding instructions to determine an appropriate amount of feed. Depending on the manufacturer, 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) per day should be adequate. Alternatively, if excess weight gain is a concern, offer a balancer pellet that will provide essential nutrients in a smaller daily amount. Certain vitamin and mineral supplements would also be appropriate for this mare. In Australia, for example, look for Gold Pellet, whereas in the United States, Micro-Max would be appropriate.

If your Miniature Horse mare is a harder keeper, extra calories can be offered by increasing the amount of hay given daily or by adding a small amount of legume hay. Alfalfa (lucerne) or clover hay are popular legume hays for horses. Feeding more grain will provide the mare with additional calories if forage quality or intake are limiting factors.