A beginners guide to keeping Falabellas
There is little difference in the keeping and management of a Falabella to that of any other horse or pony. Any good book on horse care will help you to look after your Falabella. The expected life span of a miniature horse is longer than that of their larger friends. You could still be looking after that lovely little foal you buy 20 to 30 years later. A Falabella you buy your child to grow up with could well do the same job for your grand children.
As with all horses there are many things they will need on a regular basis so constant handling will make these jobs easier for you and your Falabella.
The Farrier – teaching a horse to have its feet picked out every day is a good way to accustom your horse to having its feet handled in readiness for a visit from the farrier. It also allows you to check the condition of the feet and spot any problems before they get too serious. The farrier will need to trim the feet every 8 to 12 weeks, this will vary according to how hard the individuals feet are and how much work they do on the ground. Overlong feet will cause damage to the tendons making the horse go lame.
Worming – the control of internal parasites is another requirement that must not be forgotten. Just because you cannot see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Keeping the paddock clear of droppings will cut down on the number of worms your horse can pick up. But regular worming must also be carried out, this will be every 8 to 12 weeks depending on the type of wormer you use. Your vet or feed merchant will be happy to advise you. If left unchecked worms will cause your horse to lose weight, become prone to colic and have a shorter life.
Teeth – another cause of weight loss can be the uneven wear of your horse’s teeth. All horse’s teeth are constantly growing. As the teeth are worn down through eating, sharp edges can occur causing pain. This is made worse if your Falabella has teeth that are misaligned e.g. an undershot or overshot jaw, so regular visits from a horse dentist are advisable, again your vet should be able to do this or recommend a good dentist.
Weight – care must also be taken to ensure your Falabella becomes neither too fat or thin, both of these conditions can have serious health problems attached, such as Laminitus with an overweight horse. Special care must be taken in winter to ensure your horse does not become underweight – with a thick winter coat weight loss is easily missed. Regular handling will help you spot the condition before it can affect your horse.
Mental health – this is something that is often overlooked, but before you buy a horse you must give it some thought. All horses are herd animals. This means they are only truly happy when kept with other horses. If you can only look after one falabella but have a place to keep it with other horses then it should be happy. It is not advisable to keep one out on their own. Although there are horses that can cope with isolation, there is a greater risk of it developing behavioural problems. This can also affect stallions when they are not allowed to run with their mares. Even the company of another animal such as a goat is better than nothing at all, but it will not satisfy their basic needs of playing and mutual grooming.
Breeding – if considering breeding with your Falabella you must first ask yourself these questions.
1. If you already own or are about to buy a Falabella, is it good enough to breed with? Is it physically capable of reproduction? In the case of a mare is she old enough (in the summer of her 3rd year) and have enough room to carry a foal to term. With a stallion does he have two testicles? Are there any generic faults? There is a strong possibility that these will be passed on to offspring e.g. overshot jaw.
2. If you need to look for a stallion you must look for the best suited to your mare. Are you prepared to travel to use the best? Do not use the little fluffy one down the road just because it is easy!
3. If you are going to buy a stallion, do you have enough space for him? Can you cope with his behaviour? Do you want a foal every year? Can you afford the best for your mare?
4. Can you sell your produce? Or will it end up as another mouth to feed by you or some charity?
5. Can you cope if it all goes wrong? What if you lose your foal or your mare – or both? You must consider these points and weigh up the pros and cons and then ask the final question
6. Do you hope to make money? If your answer is yes then prepare to be disappointed. If this is your sole intention then you are breeding for the wrong reason and are unlikely to succeed.