The Mighty Mini is so often miss understood in the world of hoof care.
First off they are the easiest of keepers, and easily become obese. They should never be fed processed feeds/supplements and grain.
They were bred for long hours of work, with minimal feed.
Obesity in horses leads to many problems, one of the worst being their feet. They can get sore and suffer from a range of laminitis problems, which may lead to founder. This is a very painful problem for horses where the laminia holding the bone to the outer wall of the hoof lets go and rotates down toward the sole.
The main thing to keep in mind for optimal health for your mini, is hoof care by someone qualified every 6 weeks. A strict diet of low nutrient, high fiber forage. Barley or Oat straw is a wonderful “filler” to keep them foraging, like mother nature intended all day and night, with a flake or two of hay 2x a day mixed in. Access to clean water and a loose mineral is important as well. Lastly, loads of exercise….living with more than 2 horses always encourages more movement.
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