SmartPaker Sophia & Teddy’s “Mini” Must-Haves

Posted on November 13, 2020 by Sophia Hall — 2 Comments ↓

When a fluffy little miniature horse made his way into my life, I truly had no idea how wonderful this guy would make the barn environment and how much joy he’d bring my barn family and me. He reminded me of a teddy bear, which inspired his name, Theodore Roosevelt. You’ll often hear me call him Teddy or Teddy Bear or Cutie-Patootie because honestly, have you seen a cuter face? (The white little snip is what seals the deal for me!) I have only had harder keepers before, horses that needed their fair share of grain and sometimes even additional cool calories, so I had to determine what this easy-going, mischievous mini needed to be kept happy and healthy.

The first thing that I knew Teddy needed was some type of feed. Since I knew he didn’t need any additional calories in his diet, I immediate began looking for a ration balancer. He came a bit under muscled, so this helped narrow down my choices to find a ration balancer with amino acids. I chose GRO ‘N WIN because it checked off all my boxes and would make sure Teddy was getting all of his required vitamins, minerals, and proteins each day. To determine how much, he’d need based on his body weight and workload, I went onto the manufacturer’s website to view their feed guide. I also confirmed the amount with my trainer and vet to make sure everyone was on the same page with Teddy getting the best diet possible!

The next thing I knew he needed, was something to slow down his fast eating. I have always loved our SmartPak Slow Feed Hay Bags but figured Teddy wouldn’t need the four-flake bag like his friends. I got him the SmartPak Slow Feed Hay Bag in two flakes, with two-inch openings. He hadn’t used a hay bag before, so I didn’t want the openings to be too small, and two inches felt like the right size without making him frustrated.

Because Teddy has a pony stall, I was limited on space to hang his hay bag. My trainer came up with a great solution to hanging his bag in the front of his stall, by using a Likit Holder. The bag easily clips to this and it makes taking it in and out super easy, especially if Teddy is in his stall when I give him his dinner.

Once I got to know Teddy a little more, I realized he would walk a bit stiff in the mornings when he came out of his stall. Since he’s in light work, and his primary job is being my barn’s mascot, I wanted to put him on something to help with this, all while keeping it simple. I was immediately drawn to our Smart & Simple Turmeric Pellets. I really liked how the only ingredient Teddy would be getting was the active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, which has been shown by research to help combat discomfort associated with exercise and aging. It can also be great for joint stiffness. Teddy has been on this for many months now, and I have been so happy with the way he is moving. He seems more eager to chase the big kids in turnout, and his attitude remains full of sass!

Since Teddy is such an easy keeper, I am always cautious of his weight. I wanted to add a supplement to keep myself vigilant of his ability to get a bit cresty-necked, so I added in Quiessence. While this supplement can be used for an herb-free calming approach due to the magnesium, it can also assist with overweight horses, since it has chromium in it too. This supplement can help support normal insulin and glucose levels and can help your horse achieve a healthy weight, along with a proper diet and exercise routine.

Since Teddy is a miniature horse and under 500 lbs., I appreciated being able to adjust his SmartPaks to be the right dose for him. It’s also great to a get a fresh supply every 28-days and makes it super easy to handle changes if needed.

Did I mention already that Teddy is a bit mischievous? He loves to stir the pot in turnout and is often found trying to entice the others. He has no clue he’s the littlest at the barn! Because he always seems like he’s getting into trouble, I think I use the Equiderma Wound Ointment with Neem & Calendula on him the most! It’s made with neem and calendula to help repel insects from the wound site, which is a huge bonus in the summer. It also helps prevent scarring and helped heal a cut on his back, I’m pretty sure he got from trying to become an escape artist. I always have this on hand now!

When the weather started to get a bit colder last year, I knew I would need something for turnout. Since he gets fuzzy and I wasn’t going to body clip him, I knew Teddy didn’t need a sheet. However, it can still get cold here in Massachusetts, so I wanted him to have some sort of turnout blanket. I found the WeatherBeeta 1200D Foal Standard Neck Medium II and it was a perfect fit for him! Teddy measures 51 inches long, so sometimes it can be hard finding clothing for him, since he’s at the largest size for a mini, and the smallest size for a pony. This blanket was the perfect fit and I love that it’s waterproof, so Teddy can be protected when our temperatures drop and if it happens to snow while he’s outside playing. Last year was my first winter with Teddy and after one washing, the blanket looked brand new again.

All these items are miniature horse tested and approved. I like to think Teddy has given them all his hooves of approval (especially his birthday cake, but that’s a topic for a different blog!) Please let us know if your mini enjoys any of these products too!