Guide to Feeding Your Pony

 Ask a pony owner and theyll tell you ponies are tougher smarter stronger and healthier than any horse. They tend to be hardier have few hoof problems and are less prone to some types of colic. They run on a lot less fuel too. Rations that would starve a horse will keep a pony round and energetic. Learn what to feed your pony to keep them healthy.
Nutritional Needs
Most pony breeds developed where the pasture was very sparse the terrain rugged and the climate harsh. They had to work hard to find their food and so in a short time they have evolved to use what little food they could find very efficiently. When we pamper them feed special preparations and lush grass we very often do more harm than good. Overfeeding is more often a problem for ponies than underfeeding

Ponies need only a fraction of the feed that horses do. Hay for ponies should be good quality grass hay. Your pony probably wont need the nutrition provided by alfalfa and clovers. These fodders which are more energy and nutrient-dense than many grass hays are often too rich for a pony.
Pasturing
Lush pasture is a danger zone for ponies. Ponies can quickly succumb to founder if introduced suddenly to lush grass. If you plan to keep your pony on grass introduce it very slowly and allow it to fill up on hay before turning it out to graze. If your pony eats too much rich pasture or undergoes abrupt or rapid changes in the diet this could lead to colic or founder 2 You may never be able to leave some ponies on good pasture. Ponies can become obese very quickly and that can lead to health problems like metabolic syndrome.
Grass that grows slowly would be ideal. Or he could spend a small portion of his time on pasture and the rest in a grass-less paddock. It might be necessary to keep a pony off of pasture for a portion of the day. It sometimes takes a bit of creativity to find ways to restrict the amount of feed your pony is receiving. Some people use their round pen or a paddock where no grass grows. Another option is to use a grazing muzzle. Grazing muzzles let a pony graze but only have access to a few blades at a time. The spaces in the muzzle also allow the pony to