# Mini Horses & Acreage



## xCSx (Mar 13, 2012)

What is a realistic amount of acreage of pasture i should have per mini horse? Note, I do not own any yet, this is all for future planning. And I would assume hay in the winter is fine when there is nothing growing (location new jersey here)


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

xCSx said:


> What is a realistic amount of acreage of pasture i should have per mini horse? Note, I do not own any yet, this is all for future planning. And I would assume hay in the winter is fine when there is nothing growing (location new jersey here)[/QUOT
> 
> Do you have land already and you're just doing research or are you trying to figure out how much land you need?


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

Some people find they have to dry-lot their minis and feed hay year-round. Their grass is too high in sugar for the minis and they get too fat and/or risk laminitis. Might depend on the mini and the pasture, though. Something to keep in mind, however, because it can be so frustrating to have a huge lush pasture full of grass and yet have to keep your horse confined to a patch of barren ground and feed them hay.


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

We have had minis, ponies and horses. Some of the minis can go out on pasture, some we had to keep up and feed hay all the time. All of the minis that could go out on pasture had to be limited, to some extent ... they could not go out on 'lush' pasture 24/7 ... some of the ponies could and some had to be limited but we didn't have anything that could not go out some of the time. Horses we've never had a problem with.

The acreage necessary is going to be strictly dependent on where you are and what kind of land you have. In MT where I lived for years, with ordinary (non-irrigated) range land you had to figure 20 acres per horse in most places for summer pasture for the year, basically May into October (little rain, one grass 'crop'). Here in KY we summer 20 head of horses very comfortably on probably 8 acres of pasture ... cross fenced for rotational grazing, we can figure on sometime in April to sometime in November, depending on the year.


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## Oakshire_Farm (Dec 4, 2008)

Our minis are kept on a pasture that has been chewed down to nothing by the cows and are fed hay year round. I personally would NEVER put a mini on pasture, they get to fat to fast.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Yes I agree with what has been posted, plan on feeding hay to the mini's for the most part in a dry pasture.Most just don't do well at all on full use of a pasture, that rich grasses can really cause a problem.
I have always in the 35 years i have had the small ones been forced to dry lot them and feed hay year round.


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## xCSx (Mar 13, 2012)

Thanks all for the info, I am just doing research, do not own any land (Besides my 60x100 suburban lot!)

What about acreage per pony or horse?


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## yoopermom (Feb 9, 2009)

Our neighbors have a mini and a minidonk. Before that, they had had a horse. When they switched, they put up fencing to make like a ractrack around the inside of the existing pasture. It's a fairly thin strip that leaves the middle of the pasture to grow up as normal grass, but the two little critters have to stay on the racetrack around the outside edge (that's normally eaten down to almost nothing). They're supplimented with hay. I've noticed that they move the haybag around to different parts of the racetrack. I suppose this way the two little guys still get exercise, but can't get to the rich grass on the "infield".

Terri


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

xCSx said:


> Thanks all for the info, I am just doing research, do not own any land (Besides my 60x100 suburban lot!)
> 
> What about acreage per pony or horse?


See SFM's post above.


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## xCSx (Mar 13, 2012)

I see, thank you.


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

It varies so wildly that it really is impossible to advise you in that respect. On top of the climate, the drainage of the soil, the slope of the land, the management of the grazing - all of that can make a huge difference just between your property and the neighbor's.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

xCSx said:


> Thanks all for the info, I am just doing research, do not own any land (Besides my 60x100 suburban lot!)
> 
> What about acreage per pony or horse?


Do you plan to grain horses or feed hay only diets? 

What do you plan on doing with a horse? Drive? Ride? Let children ride? 

Right now, before you have any horses, I'd take lessons from an experienced horse person. I'm not talking about the type of lessons where they have you barrel riding by your 8th lesson. The more experience you have the better you'll be able to answer these questions.


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## nikko (Feb 7, 2007)

xcsx---where in jersey are ya? im in warren county! welcome to the forum.


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