ࡱ > E G D '` bjbj . 0 2 S0 U0 U0 U0 U0 U0 U0 $ 2 h n4 y0 y0 0 ^ ^ ^ . S0 ^ S0 ^ ^ k+ , P < + ?0 0 0 0 , P5 : P5 ( , , P5 / 8 0 + " ^ M i y0 y0 T 0 d ` ` Ask A Vet: With Proper Research, Mini Horses can be Great Pets Sunday, January 27, 2013 Dear Dr. Weldys, My wife and I are the proud grandparents of four horse crazy grandchildren. They squeal with delight at the sight of any horse but when they have the opportunity to latch on to a miniature horse we have to pry them away. We are thinking of getting them a miniature horse. Any advice would be appreciated. -Spoiling Grandparents Dear Readers, You are not alone in adoring and spoiling your grandchildren. They are not alone in being so fascinated by the miniature horse. The pint sized proportions of the horse have their origins in Europe over 400 years ago. By selective breeding throughout the centuries they have become a scaled down version of the large horse. They were first imported into the United States in the early 1900s to pull ore carts in mines. The industrial age replaced them in the mines and their unique appearance and gentle nature has made them one of the most popular breeds of horses. Despite their small size, their care is nearly the same as that of the larger breeds but on a mini scale. They are great for children to learn about horses - years before they are ready for even a gentle big horse. Miniature horses are a good deal easier on grandma and grandpas pocketbook when it comes to feed cost too! These small replicas of the larger breeds are more susceptible to certain health problems than the larger breeds - much of it due to selective breeding for their small size. One of the most common problems is related to obesity. Miniatures most often are overfed due to their owners difficulty in feeding them such small amounts of grain and hay. Lush pasture in the spring predisposes the obese minis to grass founder leading to a host of other problems. Fatty infiltration of the liver will eventually occur in these chronically overfed tiny horses and sometimes ends in liver failure. Veterinarians and feed manufactures can help owners provide adequate nutrition and avoid many of these situations. Miniature horses seem to be more susceptible to colic than large horses. Impaction of the small colon is the most common cause of colic, hardened fecal balls and undigested feed are often found. Special attention to adequate water consumption and hay quality will help with this problem. Dental issues due to their small head size and the presence of the same number of teeth as larger breeds can lead to uneven tooth wear and incorrect grinding of their feed. Routine dental is strongly recommended. Dystocia (difficult birth ) is much higher in miniatures ( 15 - 20%) than is full sized breeds ( 2 - 4% ). The small size of the pelvis compared to the foals size can be a very serious problem. It can be difficult to correct a problem presentation when a dystocia occurs. Keep these health issues in mind and you and your grandchildren can have all the pleasures of horse ownership in a miniature package. -Dr. Jerry Sellon > ? 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