An obese Miniature Horse is a health risk! Fat can also prevent a Miniature mare from getting pregnant. Your risk if dystocia increases dramatically if your mare if carrying weight; the fat actually takes up the foal's space. If you have an obese Miniature, you need to take the weight off VERY SLOWLY!

Hyperlipidemia occurs often enough that I like posting about it for miniature horse lovers to be aware. Maintaining a miniature's weight is sometimes kind of tricky. They usually are not so hard to keep weight on....it is the reverse, in that it is hard to keep them from getting too fat. You have to be very careful about how you take the fat off for taking fat off too fast can cause hyperlipidemia (or hyperlipemia).

Anytime a horse stops eating for any reason (such as stress, after foaling, illness), the body of the horse begins to rapidly release fat stores into the blood stream due to the body's assumption that it is starving. The fat gets into the liver and you will see signs of liver failure.  This often-fatal disease acts VERY QUICKLY, so be vigilant anytime your miniature stops eating. Call your vet!! Hyperlipidemia is diagnosed via a blood test. We just had a dear friend lose her Miniature Donkey from this condition. She was around the clock supplementing her long-eared friend, but lost her after much effort. Your only hope is to diagnose early. Karo Syrup can be some quick nutrition to pump in when you suspect this is occuring.

If you have a mare who has recently foaled and is losing weight too quickly, watch for  Hyperlipidemia. It is relatively common in minis and usually fatal.

 

Here is an article that explains it in detail:

 http://wwwchem.csustan.edu/chem4400/SJBR/99boyce.htm