A Falabella will continue to eat, except for a few hours of rest. It is therefore important that the pasture is "lean", and... beautiful is maintained, i.e. without the application of much artificial fertilizer or organic manure. In the summer time, besides the grass, not much additional feeding is required. In extremely wet periods, some hay can be added occasionally to firm up the manure. In winter, grass alone is not enough. Supplementary feeding should include grain mix, kibble and hay. The amount of chunks and grain mix depends on various factors, including weight, age and whether or not the dog is pregnant.

Pregnant mares may also have something extra during the last three months of their pregnancy. Foals and yearlings can always have a little more for a good one muscle and bone development. The horses must continue to be unrestricted clean and clear drinking water have at their disposal.

A guideline for feeding in winter is that a Falabella may receive 1 KG of hay and 0.5 KG of concentrate per day per 100 kg of body weight, depending on whether the horse is in training, you can expect 0.2 to 0.00 per hour of work here. Add 5 KG of concentrate. Divide the food at least 2 feedings.

As mentioned earlier, one also remains Falabella searching for food, even when it is no longer available or insufficient. During this search it can absorb sand, the horse goes over the ground with its lips and thus ingests a lot of sand. An excessive amount of sand in the intestines can lead to colic. It is therefore best to keep and feed the horses in the stable at night during the winter months.

I am often asked this question, how much space does a Falabella horse need?

Falabella miniature horses require much the same care as large horses, just in smaller amounts. 1 hectare of pasture is sufficient for 2 Falabellas. It is possible to keep a Fallabella in a large backyard + 600 M2, provided it is sufficiently fed, and sufficient attention and exercise gets by playing and walking with him. The manure must be removed daily to avoid a vicious circle of worm infestations. However, in the context of animal welfare, it is not permitted to leave 1 Falabella horse without it company to love someone of the same kind.

A Falabella is a horse with the same needs as a large horse. A horse should not be left alone, loneliness is perhaps the worst form of neglect. So company is a requirement.

If kept in a small space, you will need to walk the horse for the necessary exercise. If the horse has enough space to run around, he will get the necessary exercise himself.
A healthy Falabella can tolerate the cold well under normal circumstances, but rain and cold are a different story. Then there would at least a shelter should be on the land, but it is of course best to keep your horse in the cold and wet months at least in the evening to put. Eating and drinking can be done in a controlled manner, because there is no competition from other horses.

Of course, a box for a Falabella does not have to be as large as that of a riding horse. The minimum size is approximately 2.00 x 2.50. We use two products to cover the box floor, straw and flax. For hygiene in the stable, it is necessary to remove the manure and wet spots every day. A number of instructions for the stable:

• Protruding objects can injure the horse and should not be present

• Hay nets are dangerous because they can get tangled in them with their legs and hooves

• Hay in a dry place, the food in a suitable feeding bowl

• Always clean drinking water (preferably an automatic drinking trough, because they like nothing more than knocking over a bucket.

• Ensure good ventilation, but be careful that there is no draught.

The fencing of a meadow for Falabellas does not have to be high, 80 to 100 cm is more than sufficient. However, the material is important. If power wire is used, the wide band of 5 cm width is ideal. Then make sure that the wire always remains well tensioned. A barrier with posts or planks is of course also possible. Gauze is not very suitable, because the hooves can also get stuck in it.

In the meadow there are many plants that are poisonous to Falabellas, in particular yew, conifer, jabobs ragwort and juniper. Ensure good pasture management!

The hoof requires care and should be checked regularly pebbles or sharp objects and, if necessary, scraped out. Stones and the like can cause painful bruises in the sole. Wet soil, manure or sand, if left in the hoof for too long will soften the sole and cause inflammation like hoof rot cause.

Just like with nail growth in humans, the hooves of some horses grow faster than others. The farrier should trim the hooves every 3 months. Let your farrier know that Falablla's delicate weights and bones and that he/she should handle them with care. The hind hooves should not be lifted above the hock or extended too far when being trimmed.

Falabellas have like all horses winter- and summer hair. Good overall care and proper nutrition have a major influence on the coat. In addition, brushing is required. In the summer months this is a pleasant job with the thin and fine hair. In the winter months this is a little more difficult, but it should preferably be done once a week for good blood circulation. A healthy horse also has a shine and color to its coat in winter, and the hairs will lie in an even structure over the body.

In addition to brushing, washing is a party in the summer, Falabella's are water lovers. Washing removes the sand on the skin, allowing the hair to grow better again. Tail and mane may be washed more often, with a mild baby shampoo. After washing, the horse should be dried in a warm, draft-free place.

It is best to keep a Falabella's nature-given "jacket", but sometimes we cannot avoid shaving. For yearlings, shearing in the spring is often the solution to remove foal hair, an alternative to daily heavy-handed brushing to get the thick strands out.

A Falabella inspection also requires horses to be shaved, or in the case of a skin condition, where the treatment is more effective, if the hair is removed. In winter or spring, a shaved Falabella will certainly need a cover/blanket, and in the evening when the temperature drops below 12 degrees Celsius, the animal should in the stable to go.

A vaccination program must be followed carefully. At the birth of a foal there is the so-called “foal syringe“, prevents this vaccination on the first day tetanus within the first 10 days. After 3-6 months, the foal receives the basic vaccination for influenza and tetanus, which must be repeated again after 6 weeks. This is followed by the annual general vaccination, which must all be added to the passport.

Worms are a constant threat to the health of any horse, including the Falabella. Especially Falabellas that are on a small meadow and are hardly grazed, run a high risk of a constant reinfection. If nothing is done about it, the worms living in the appendix and colon can cause loss of condition, illness, colic and even death. It is therefore important to have one good deworming schedule to maintain, in the correct dosage, with an effective dewormer.

Good deworming already starts before birth in the pregnant mare (approximately 7-14 days before birth). The foal itself must then be dewormed 8 days after birth and then every 4 weeks during the nursing period.

Depending on the circumstances, a Falabella at least once every six months to be dewormed. Consult with your veterinarian about the correct product and the frequency in which it should be used.

There has now been sufficient resistance among horses to all chemical deworming agents, and a manure examination by the vet with the associated advice for a suitable product is the most efficient way to combat worm infections. If you have this carried out regularly in combination with a clean pasture and stable climate, you can keep your horse free of worms.