I need to run to a Feed store, but what do I need?

[Anngee]

Thanks! I will look into the hay & feed type.

Yes! I had to just walk out of Tractor Supply today...I think I had double items & all kind of stuff I didn't know how to use! Going to a Feed store a few towns over, I. Have a knowledgeable friend there.

 

[MajorClementine]

Don't worry. No matter what you pick up today you'll think of something else you need tomorrow. Soon you'll be addicted to browsing tack and feed stores just for fun. It's bad enough around here that we seek out feed stores when we are in other parts of the country on vacation or business travel. Hey, they might have something we don't have at home. Something I'm sure I need....

 

[chandab]

Let's see if this will work, and these aren't all inclusive, just basics for getting started.

A very basic grooming kit:

http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/image/PetsUnited/TE013017?wid=210&hei=242

A very basic manure fork (with minis a small rake and scoop shovel might be easier, their little poops fall through the tines on many standard forks):

http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/image/PetsUnited/TSLT310780K_128537?wid=250&hei=282

Basic nylon halter and lead (shown appropriately adjusted on a horse's face):

http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/image/PetsUnited/TSLT731352?wid=210&hei=242

They need to see a farrier for hoof trimming every 6-8 weeks.

Talk to a vet in your area for appropriate vaccinations and deworming schedule for your area.

Most minis do well on clean grass hay with little or no grain (or commercial feed) added. [Common types of grass hay are timothy, orchardgrass, brome, Bermuda, and there are others, but these are off the top of my head.]

 

[Anngee]

Thank y'all very much. I will browse those links. I hope I handle horse shopping better than I did with my first show dogs! I would probably be dangerous if I understood half of what I was looking at...lol

 

[paintponylvr]

Hmm... already commented on that LOVELY mare of yours in your intro post. One of my fav colors (she appears to be a silver bay, but could be a chestnut) and a great, drafty type build for doing all the things I like doing.

I just about died laughing when you stated you'd gotten a whole lot of stuff (& double no less) from TSC. Must be very different than ours!! Ours has very little supplies/equipment for horses at all and NONE that would work for small minis. Welll.... let me rephrase that - basic health care is the same. If there isn't a local feed store that has mini sized equipment there are several specialized mini tack companies on line that have adverts right here on the forum. I have links to a few others on our website as well.

AS to harness - well you do this - single driving to a cart - (the orange worn by Stuffy is hand made pleasure harness made by braiding recycled haystring from large round baled hay; the black worn by Flower is betathane pleasure harness with a shaped breast collar)

and this - pulling tubs of manure to the compost heap at the back of the property -

pulling the sawed off chunks of the tree that fell next to the drive way up to the burn/bonfire pile for the next "PAR-TAY". This is Bell & Cassie wearing biothane farm spot harness with collars and hames.

And this - close up of Koalah & Bit in a Christmas Parade with our 1/2 ton geared pony wagon. They are wearing biothane farm spot harness with collars and hames.

and did someone mention farm work?? This pair of 40" shetland mares can't pull this full size (meant for REAL Draft Horses) disk all day long, but they did show they could do a full row in deep going and surprised everyone at the Plow Day with their ease of handling (while pulling my 'not lite hiney", too). No I didn't keep them in the field long and Yes, they were tired when we completed our full row. But they weren't tired enough to sustain injuries, they were quite happy to "receive" guests/visitors at our trailer after their demo, and they didn't become "sour"... O, and also most people think of these girls as OLD. In this pic, they would have been 19 & 20 years of age. Now they are 24 & 25 - still pulling carts, wagons and farm equipment. Back to TSC - this pic was taken at a Plow Day function 3 hours from our home while a tornado was flattening the TSC just 17 miles from our house..

Took several years for the TSC to be rebuilt and sadly, it's not the same.

Welcome to the Forum. THERE are lots of things you can do with minis and small ponies!! LOVE THEM ALL. Easier to haul... all their stuff....

 

[paintponylvr]

There are others on the forum who do Therapy work with their minis.

Here is a pic of our 1st shetland baby - when our daughters were still very LITTLE/young.

That same shetland mare in 1998 with almost 5 yr old Sierra riding -

Stuffy giving therapeutic rides to a special needs boy in 2011. This family leased Stuffy for 6 months before they found a mini they purchased.

and that SAME MARE in Nov 2012 with oldest daughter Skye and her 2nd daughter Gwen. Gwen is 8 months old here.

and Stuffy with her 4th foal (Rio) for us with Skye's oldest daughter, Gracie, in April 2013. Gracie is 2-1/2.

Stuffy is 20 yrs old this year! She is a registered Shetland, but is Mini sized at 37.5" at the withers. We've never done a "true" mini measurement.

 

[sfmini]

A good book to read (yes, my name is in the credits) is Getting Your First Horse by Judith Dutson. Her intended audience is adult first time horse owners and everything in there applies to all horses, big and small.

Listen to podcasts by Horse Radio Network, especially Horses in the Morning and Driving radio, actually all of their podcasts are entertaining and very educational.

​We feed straight oats and grass hay to the chubby guys and the young and oldies who need more are getting either a 14% sweet feed or Purina Senior.

Get an ok quality grass hay so you can feed more. The richer the hay the less you can feed. Alfalfa shouldn't be fed, too rich and just not needed. We just feed the grain on top of the hay since they just dump their feed tubs anyway.

 

[Anngee]

Thanks so much Paula & Jody.

Paula I have to look into teaching the baby to pull a cart so my oldest could ride a little. Is it very hard to train that? I will look into it after I get her foaled.

I will pull mini horse tac up online....I ended up putting the stuff up & leaving TS.....lol I was way in over my head. The only Mane and Tale combs they had were just plastic. Not sure if y'all use that or metal combs.

Loved seeing your babies!

 

[sfmini]

The smart thing to do, especially with no horse experience would be to send your mare to a trainer to start driving. It is very important that she gets a very solid education in the basics and started the right way. A wreck in the cart can ruin a horse for life for driving not to mention get one of you hurt. Take lessons driving her once she is going well.

As for grooming stuff, get what feels right to you. Metal or plastic doesn't really matter. Also in my case I get the kid sized curry combs because my hands are small and I was always dropping the big ones.

 

[paintponylvr]

Well, I'm funny about grooming and I like to save money. I like pretty simple, too. A good curry comb (metal - usually used to clean your brushes, except during shedding season) OR a rake like the one already pictured. A rubber curry comb - many different styles - you have to hold them to get a feel. I do have some sized for a child, too. I also like the "dog" ones that are shaped and have the thick, but bendable "teeth" that just grab lots of hair - gently. A good stiff brush - those seem to be hard to find these days! A soft brush for faces. I use a combo of metal combs with the flexible black bristly hair brushes from the dollar store for manes and tails. A good hoof pick - again you have to hold/manipulate them to see what you like. I have tried some at the stores only to put them back. Two of our local feed stores get a good laugh every time they bring in new products as I hold them, sit on a bucket and pretend I'm grooming a horse...

I also like these - they scrub legs & faces dry or can be used for washing with shampoo.



I now use a plastic "knitter" from a Hobby Lobby to make a flat bath mitt (dishcloth) that is double layered and works great to groom off extra hair and wash them with. I will have to take some pics of mine. OF COURSE, I'm using recycled haystring for these. My hubby gave 2 of them to the ladies at Pet Smart that groom our dogs...

 

[Anngee]

Great...Thanks for the grooming info.

I will look into a trainer about driving.