What do you feed a Shetland pony?

Answer 1

Shetland ponies vary in size, weight, and type, but I will answer your question to the best of my ability despite the limits set by the lack of information in this question.

You would feed a pony a variety of feeds. These might include, depending on the individual...

Hay: alfalfa, oat, grass, etc. Hay is very important to the diet of a horse, as grass is what they are naturally supposed to eat. You would feed a mid-sized shetland pony (depending on the size of the flake) 2-4 flakes once in the morning and 2-4 flakes once at night.

Grain: oats, dry cob, wet cob, etc. Grain is nutritionally important to the diet of a horse. Depending on the size, weight, and build of the pony, and the size of the scoop, 1-2 scoops once or twice daily.

Other supplementary feeds: pelleted rice bran, hot bran mash, alfalfa pellets/cubes, etc. These types of feeds are not usually vital to the nutrition of a horse, but are often important. Hot bran MASH is good for hydrating a horse, while pelleted rice bran is good for helping horses gain weight. These dosages would all vary greatly depending on the size of the pony, so I will not even attempt to list them here.

Supplements: too many to list, etc. There are many types of supplements to give your pony. Supplements for weight gain or control, hoof health, coat health, muscle tone, immune support, performance, and many more things help support your horse/pony. There will generally be directions on how to dose your horse/pony depending on size and weight and need.

Minerals and Salts: different kinds of licks, crumbles, etc. Salt licks are very important. All animals need salt to survive, and, unlike dogs and cats, a horse cannot get the sufficient amount out of its usual feed. So it is 100% needed to have a salt lick available to your pony.

Treats: apples, bought treats, carrots, peppermints, etc. Treats are not vital, but a nice yummy surprise for your horse. They are very useful when it comes to bonding, training, and catching your horse. Just make sure your pony doesn't become "mouthy" or start biting you while searching for treats! Feed treats from your palm, your hand completely flat, thumb out of the way. This ensures that your pony won't accidentedly bite you.

Remember to always have plenty of clean water available to your pony; an automatic waterer would be ideal. (Mosquito Fish/Barley help keep the water fresh and clean)

Make sure that you deworm your horse (with the proper dosage according to size, alternating dewormers) once every two to three months, and have its teeth floated once a year. Conact your veterinarian with any questions you may have, and stay in contact with a trainer/horse specialist in case of any problems you may run into.

Never ever EVER skip or miss feedings, and love your pony! Best Wishes!

Runninghorse

Answer 2

Shetland ponies vary in size, weight, and type, but I will answer your question to the best of my ability despite the limits set by the lack of information in this question.

You would feed a pony a variety of feeds. These might include, depending on the individual...

Hay: alfalfa, oat, grass, etc. Hay is very important to the diet of a horse, as grass is what they are naturally supposed to eat. You would feed a mid-sized shetland pony (depending on the size of the flake) 2-4 flakes once in the morning and 2-4 flakes once at night.

Grain: oats, dry cob, wet cob, etc. Grain is nutritionally important to the diet of a horse. Depending on the size, weight, and build of the pony, and the size of the scoop, 1-2 scoops once or twice daily.

Other supplementary feeds: pelleted rice bran, hot bran mash, alfalfa pellets/cubes, etc. These types of feeds are not usually vital to the nutrition of a horse, but are often important. Hot bran mash is good for hydrating a horse, while pelleted rice bran is good for helping horses gain weight. These dosages would all vary greatly depending on the size of the pony, so I will not even attempt to list them here.

Supplements: too many to list, etc. There are many types of supplements to give your pony. Supplements for weight gain or control, hoof health, coat health, muscle tone, immune support, and many more things help support your horse/pony. There will generally be directions on how to dose your horse/pony depending on size and weight and need.

Minerals and Salts: different kinds of licks, crumbles, etc. Salt licks are very important. All animals need salt to survive, and, unlike dogs and cats, a horse cannot get the sufficient amount out of its usual feed. So it is 100% needed to have a salt lick available to your pony.

Treats: apples, bought treats, carrots, peppermints, etc. Treats are not vital, but a nice yummy surprise for your horse. They are very useful when it comes to bonding, training, and catching your horse. Just make sure your pony doesn't become "mouthy" or start biting you while searching for treats! Feed treats from your palm, your hand completely flat, thumb out of the way. This ensures that your pony won't accidentedly bite you.

Remember to always have plenty of clean water available to your pony; an automatic waterer would be ideal. (Mosquito Fish/Barley help keep the water fresh and clean)

Make sure that you deworm your horse (with the proper dosage according to size, alternating dewormers) once every two to three months, and have its teeth floated once a year. Conact your veterinarian with any questions you may have, and stay in contact with a trainer/horse specialist in case of any problems you may run into.

Answer 3

The amount to feed a Shetland pony will vary according to it's weight. You should feed about 2% of the horses overall body weight in food everyday. (Example a 1,000pound horse needs 20 pounds of food daily.) So once you have the amount you must feed you'll need to feed according to the pony's work level. Most non competitive equines fall into the light work category which means nearly all of it's food needs to be forage like grass or hay and then just enough grains to balance out the diet. Always consult an equine vet about the correct way to feed a horse or pony.

Answer 4

Good management means feeding a horse properly so that it receives enough nutrition to be healthy and maintain a healthy body weight, determined by something called the Body Condition Score. Most of the time feeding a Shetland pony grass hay is sufficient. Too much or too rich food can make the pony sick with colic, laminitis, or even cause death.

If the pony has access to grass, it must be watched careful for weight gain. Grass must be limited; because if there is weight gain from grass consumption the pony is in danger of laminitis. Laminitis is an insidious disease that is difficult to manage and can cause much pain and lead to death.

Answer 5

As with ALL horses, it depends on weight,age,breed,ect. If you don't know this much, it is NOT a good idea to get a horse yet, you need to become WAY more experienced first.

Answer 6

sunflower ,grains