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The Chilean Horse (el Caballo Chileno) outnumbers all other equine breeds in Chile, a country situated along the southwestern coast of South America. The country boasts a population of about 55,000 Chilean Horses.

Stoutly conformed with broad chests, wide backs, strong hindquarters, and substantial bone, Chilean Horses stand 13.3 to 14.3 hands (138 to 148 cm) and are used frequently in cattle work, rodeos, and for general pleasure riding. In movement, Chilean Horses are sure-footed and agile.

In addition to Chilean Horses, other breeds are well represented in the country, including Thoroughbreds, used primarily for racing, and to a lesser extent Quarter Horses, Warmbloods, some draft-type horses, and Arabians, which are gaining popularity for endurance pursuits.

Though pasture is available, especially in the southern regions of the country, alfalfa (lucerne) hay is the predominant forage fed, though some grass hay is offered, too. Occasionally, horses are maintained on land rife with crop residue, including corn stubble, though that is season-dependent.

Although commercially formulated feeds are available in many regions of the country, in practice, their use represents the exception rather than the rule. Horsemen tend to feed either straight oats or a traditional home-mix made from oatssoybean meal, and wheat bran.

Additional vitamin and mineral fortification is generally not used and there is a common misconception that the Chilean Horse may have lower requirements because of their diminutive stature. If mineral salts are used, they are typically very low in copper, which does  not contribute much to the diet of the horse and could skew the zinc-to-copper ratio.

Supplement use is not widespread in Chile, though some electrolyte and joint-health products are available.

Like many other Iberian breeds, Chilean Horses are remarkable for their metabolism. Because they are easy keepers, nutritional management has remained relatively unchanged over the last several decades, as it is reasonably easy for horsemen to keep horses in optimal weight on traditional diets.

As researchers and horse owners have come to realize, easy keepers are prone to metabolic problems. Chilean Horses are kept round and well-conditioned for much of their lives. The effects of long-term obesity in horses come to light as metabolic syndrome, characterized by unusual fat accumulation, insulin resistance, and a proclivity to laminitis, all of which are common problems with Chilean Horses.

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