8 miles a day?

[Loren&Rocky]

Rocky Rocket is a stout 34 inch boy. I have been thinking about training him to drive and thought it would be fun to take my son to school (When he is old enough. He won't be 3 till March!) in a buggy being pulled by Rocky. It is 2 miles there and 2 back. If I picked him up and droped him off it would be 8 miles a day. Is that too much for a little guy on the road?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

O my, no! What fun for you all! I would love to be able to drive mine to some goal, but we live 11 miles from anywhere. That is 22 miles round trip!

Marsha

 

[justaboutgeese]

Eight miles a day would be very easy for an animal that size. I drive mine distances like that on a regular basis in one stretch. Our roads here are lais out in 1 1/4 miles sguares and just going around one makes it a five mile trip. I do the single blocks on days when we are busy and when we have time do the 7 1/2 miles taking in two blocks. One thing that has me concerned and I watch out for is some of our paved roads have no shoulders and the pavement wears the feet. Many times I take routes that keep me on dirt roads. One of these days there will be commercial shoes available through regular sources to fit minis.

 

[Loren&Rocky]

And if no regular shoes, maybe easy boots?

Thanks guys! I guess Rocky is gonna start his training!!

 

[Voodoo]

I don't think that 8 miles is in any way too much for your mini. I drive alot and the surfaces around here are pretty abrasive so his little feet get sore. I looked all over for something that might work on his feet and finally decided to just shoe him like a big horse. I know everyone says you can't nail on real metal shoes like a big horse, but I'm here to tell you that it can be done (and with no ill side effects, long or short term). I had some special shoes made for his little feet and some tiny nails and he's now wearing shoes on his front feet. He's much happier and we drive everywhere now without worry. I'll try to take some pictures later this afternoon and post them on here.

 

[Margo_C-T]

As long as you condition the horse for that amount of driving, and protect his feet if necessary, then it should be FINE! Yes, Easy Boots can work well. The newer model has some design changes which make them even better. Look for the "pony"size in the Valley Vet catalog. Currently, for a set of 4, they are $32.95 each; for full information, go to the website of Easyboot; there is some misleading info 'out there' regarding what sizes they actually come in...The "pony" fits my 38" mare exactly, and would fit my 34"ers with a little adjusting, which is possible.

Have fun!!

 

[Buckskin gal]

I am really waitng for that day! Affordable, easily available, footwear for minis. Would love that for my minis. Mary

Red highlights mine.

Eight miles a day would be very easy for an animal that size.  I drive mine distances like that on a regular basis in one stretch.  Our roads here are lais out in 1 1/4 miles sguares and just going around one makes it a five mile trip.  I do the single blocks on days when we are busy and when we have time do the 7 1/2 miles taking in two blocks.  One thing that has me concerned and I watch out for is some of our paved roads have no shoulders and the pavement wears the feet.  Many times I take routes that keep me on dirt roads.  One of these days there will be commercial shoes available through regular sources to fit minis.

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[rabbitsfizz]

There are some farriers that will do the resin shoes- not glue on, this is fast drying resin that is fitted to the foot and then filed down- I'll see if I can rustle up a link. 8 miles a day is going to be EASY- especially as it is broken down into little 2 miles "hikes"- Might I suggest you invest in a buggy with a roof??

 

[justaboutgeese]

When I said shoes available through normal commercial sources I meant normal horse shoes. I can purchase 000 shoes for $1.50 each that is about six dollars plus the fitting which my farrier charges two dollars a foot. These resin shoes and slip on shoes are considerably more expensive and IMO are not nearly as serviceable. In the slip on shoes thats another bit of work to do in preparation for driving. When you already drive everyday do you want to put its little shoes on everyday as well ?? If you were taking them to a hospital or nursing home once a month but hooking up a team on a daily basis I do not see them as practical or cost effective.

 

[Sue_C.]

Hey Rabbit...are you referring to the Vettec product? I think it is called Super Thane, or Super Fast...something like that. I too, have been thinking of trying it for the last year or more. One of these days.......

 

[midnight star stables]

minitack.com has mini horse shoes/ boots that are GREAT for this thing.... thats what I have

 

[Laura]

I don't think that 8 miles is in any way too much for your mini.  I drive alot and the surfaces around here are pretty abrasive so his little feet get sore.  I looked all over for something that might work on his feet and finally decided to just shoe him like a big horse.  I know everyone says you can't nail on real metal shoes like a big horse, but I'm here to tell you that it can be done (and with no ill side effects, long or short term).  I had some special shoes made for his little feet and some tiny nails and he's now wearing shoes on his front feet.  He's much happier and we drive everywhere now without worry.  I'll try to take some pictures later this afternoon and post them on here.

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An old farrier of mine used to clip nails down to make them small enough for one of my 34" mares. We kept shoes on her for several years to help relieve pressure for weak tendons that were never treated as a youngster.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I had Rabbits sire shod but I lived to regret it- I had had no idea just how fast his feet grew!!! Had to take them off after four weeks- never did that again. Now this horse worked in harness and did, oh about two miles a day, maybe, on gravel and hard gravelled tarmac (which is why I had him shod

) His feet never got beyond short- he never went lame or even tender, so I never worried again. The one time he was shod the farrier used normal nails and made the shoes for him out of normal weight "stamps". He only had tow nails on the inside and three on the outside.

 

[Relic]

Your little boy is going to be the most popular little guy at school to have his mom bring and pick him up with a mini great idea and it really isn't that much for the horse at 8 miles a day split up like that. We drive 10 a few times a week just to exercise them.

 

[Fred]

Hey guys, you live in NH as I do I can set you up with some shoes if you find you

need them. I live on the seacoast in Stratham. Linda B

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

While I think a horse in good condition could surely do that... I do caution those that tend to spend most of the time trotting- I see that often here people trotting there minis most of the time down the street and that constant concussion is just not good for there legs

 

[Loren&Rocky]

Hey guys,  you live in NH as I do I can set you up with some shoes if you find you

need them.  I live on the seacoast in Stratham.  Linda B

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Hay thanks! I am in Canterbury.

I will see how Rocky does in training. That will tell me a lot about how far I can push him and how much troting he can do and if I will need shoes or not.

Thanks all!!