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care of a miniature horse

21 10:31:13

Question
What is the smallest amount of space you can keep a miniature horse on? And how much food do they eat. (If you know, how much does the food cost?) Thank you.

Answer
Hi Carrie-
This is from the webpage for the Virginia Miniature Horse Club-

A gentle, affectionate breed, the American Miniature Horse
today has evolved, after 400 years of selective breeding, as
an elegant, well-proportioned equine.  As a result of their
friendly nature and versatility, the miniature horse is the
fastest growing breed in popularity in the USA.  They require
less space (2 horses on 1 acre of good pasture is sufficient),
less feed (measured in ounces rather than pounds), and
because of their small size are easier to handle, especially for
children, or the physically impaired.

That being said, you can actually have them on a smaller space as they really shouldn't graze much anyway (they can founder easily). I have seen many mini thrive in smaller pens as long as they have good quality hay and feed. They do need company so it's always better to have at least 2 if you can swing it or some other companion. Pelleted feed usually runs between $10-15 for a 50 lb bag and they eat a tiny amount depending on formula so a bag could last a long time. I hope this helps! Best, Toni