Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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All the best,
Dr. Getty
Dr. Getty, one of my minis got into the feed room the other day (yes, I've chastised myself a gazillion times for leaving the chain off the door). I'm paranoid about putting the latch on the door, but somehow missed it. Anyway, I always prepare the next meal ahead of time, so he ate his supper, his pal's supper and 4 cups of Lakin Lite pellets, and some bermuda hay. Luckily, I knew exactly how much he'd eaten when I called vet in a panic. After he listened patiently to my plight, the doctor said he was not terribly worried, but if my horse had eaten 20# of grain or if the beet pulp had not been soaked, he would have paniced, too. Fortunitely, the little guy is just fine and seemed to suffer no ill effects.
Sorry for the long story, but it brings me to my question: how much (quantity, assuming it fresh, good feed) is too much??? Had he gotten into the grain bin and eaten 10#? (he gets 10oz a meal)5#? Does it make a difference if it's bermuda hay or alfalfa? (I'm guessing yes here)?
Not sure there's an exact answer to this as I guess every horse is different. But it's a question that's botherd me ever since it happened. Thanks for taking time to listen.
Sincerely (and I do mean that)
Pam
Where are you from? Arizona
How did you locate this forum? Been here many times before
Hi Pam,
I'm so glad your horse is ok -- I know how scary that must have been!
You asked about how much is a problem -- well, there is no problem with too much hay -- all he wants, at all times, is the way horses are designed to eat.
Now, overeating grain, on the other hand, can be very problematic. This is because the stomach is too small to handle a large amount of grain, so he can colic. Or, worse yet, the grain reaches the hind gut and is fermented by the bacteria that live there, leading to laminitis.
How much grain is too much? Well, for a mini, a meal of about 1 lb is about the limit for their size.
Now, when it comes to beet pulp, this is not a problem like grain. But, eating too much dry can cause excessive swelling.
I hope this is helpful! I expect this will not happen to you or your horses again -- unless you have a kid like mine who constantly needs reminding to close the door!
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO
Dr. Getty, thanks so much...this was a BIG help. Hopefully, he won't get into the feed room again. Your input and your web site are great helps to us out here.
Take care,
Pam
Where are you from? ArizonA
How did you locate this forum? Been here before
Hi Pam,
You are MOST welcome! Thank you for your kind words and please let me know if I can answer any more questions for you in the future.
Best regards,
Dr. Getty
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO