are there enough homes for all the minis?

[My2Minis]

I want to preface this by saying it is a real question, I do not want to offend.

I thought of this after buying an older former show horse who had fallen on hard times, with a lapsed registration. He is such a good horse...what happens to the others? Especially with the economy what it is right now.

With so many minis being born each year, are there enough homes? What happens to the ones that do not become successful show horses, or have nice conformation or color? The old ones who used to show but are too old? Are there enough pet homes? Do people keep the ones that don't sell?

I am just wondering what happens to them, since I don't hear of many ending up in rescue, whereas many large horses are facing neglect and being sent to the auction right now. Are the minis doing OK?

 

[disneyhorse]

It's a tough time for horses of all sizes. Unfortunately minis are not immune because of their small size. Even a couple years ago, I watched a pair of mini mules go through a local auction for $30 a piece, the family next to me bought them to eat. And I don't live in a rural area by any means. Now I try to stay away from any auctions of that sort... ugh.

Andrea

 

[~Lisa~]

You are right it can be hard for horses of any breed. I have seen registered Shetlands and minis sell for 20-30 bucks a head at auctions and heck some for 100 bucks or less on sales boards..

 

[Minimor]

There are Minis that end up in the rescues, and there are Minis that end up in the kill pens at some of the auction sales too. Many, many more sell through auctions for $20 or $30. Some of those do end up in good homes, others get not such good homes. Same go for those sold for more money through private sales--some get good homes, others don't.

Yep, very sad to say that while there are homes for many, not all of them are good homes.

I wish that some people would be more selective about who they sell to--there are those that want to sell no matter what, and if they cannot sell they just keep lowering the price until someone finally buys the horse....and then they continue breeding so that they have more foals to sell and make a few more bucks.

 

[Katiean]

Well, I am expecting 2 foals this year because I was not as careful as I should have been. If they do not sell I will have to keep them. I hope we have fillies and not colts. It does depend on what my foals look like weather I geld my stud or not (farrier had a big horse gelded for $150 so it does make it an option). He isn't what I wanted in a stud but he is now part of the family. I can't have any more horses here. I already have 4 and 6 is gonna be pushing it big time. So my minis won't be going to any sales or given away. They are small. We can always figure something out.

 

[weerunner]

Placing minis in new homes is the hardest thing for me. I do my very best to get to know the people who want to buy them, we meet several times. We discuss barn arrangements, feeding, care, etc... If I'm not comfortable with the people they dont get my horses. So far I've been blessed. My horses are happy and well cared for and I visit them whenever I like so I can be sure they are fine. I have three babies due this year and if I dont find the perfect homes for them, they will stay here with me. I've got room for them. Then I will stop breeding until they do sell. My limit for horses is 10 and with these three coming, that will be 10.

Even with being very careful on where they go, I do not sleep peacefully for a few days after I sell a horse. It is stressful for me, but I get over it when I see them again in their new homes. It's not an easy thing.

 

[raine]

In my opinion i think people should'nt breed anymore than they know they can keep...and i agree with the comment about bringing the price down . I think thats wrong, it also de-values them .

If i have a horse for sale for say 2000 ,thats the price it stays ,it doesnt come down to 1500 in a month than 1000 two months later.

I am very very very fussy about where they go also..

If the horse dosent sell, than fine i keep it and if i could'nt afford to keep it or didnt have the room than i wouldnt breed it in the first place.......Just my opinion and the way i feel about this subject..

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

Selling any of my "kids" is the hardest thing for me to do, I check out every possible referance I have been given but then still "wonder". So far I have been very lucky in finding great loving homes. No, I do not believe there are enough GOOD homes to go around for all the minis being sold. I have 35 minis, (had 54) and have not bred a single mare for the past 4 years, so it is very safe to say mine will all be "keepers" until I can find the perfect home, if not they will live there lives out in our barn/pastures, as companions. I know my horses are all happy and healthy, and also kept UTD with everything. I think it is deplorable when people have mares and just breed them yearly, not giving a second thought about the resulting foal, or if they will have the means to keep and vet that foal if it shouldnt sell, which seems to be the case alot of times. I would never think of putting any of my horses thru a auction. If everyone would quit breeding for a few years it would help the mini horse population a great deal, or even be alot more selective in what they breed. Selling or placing a horse of any size is never easy if you really do care.

 

[shoegirl]

I believe all equine both large and small are in need of homes and TLC. I started with theses wonderful miniature creatures 5 years ago and wanted to show and have a foal . After rescuing and rehabbing some neglected and abused minis the showing and foaling dream went out the window. I love my little not so perfect little boys. I still hope to maybe have a foal one day and have a nice show horse as I loved showing big horses all my life. I believe there are some wonderful people in this world that will always have the room to take in and rehab an animal in need. It seems like every time I save the money to find my dream show mini. A horse in need enters my life. Not complaining I'm a sucker and can't say no.

 

[bevann]

I am another who will NEVER AGAIN put one of my horses in an auction.I did it many years ago and the 2 were bought by Charles Penland, the owner of Sweetwater farms in the south.The filly had her first foal at age 23 MONTHS!!! as did lots of his horses that year and was bred every year after until she was sold.I have lost track of her.She was a beautiful little show filly(according to Delmer Moody of DELS Miniatures who saw her at the sale)After she and her half brother were sold to Penland I went in the bathrom and cried since I didn't know where my babies were going.I have made some mistakes in selecting buyers or a few of my horses ,but most have excellent homes.I have recently given several away because I knew they would be special to the recipients just like they were special to me.I am no longer breeding(last foals were in 2007) but I really miss the foals.I now have the geriatric special needs bunch 3 with Cushings and 1 with melanoma and a 30 yr old Arabian boarder and a few with no problems.I think I owe it to these animals to provide for them in their old age.

 

[barnbum]

No, there are not enough homes. That's why I don't breed any more. My actions resulted in six new foals over the years. I've kept three. The other three went to good homes, but it took me three years to sell two of them. I couldn't find the perfect home, or my heart wasn't ready to sell. I bred every other year so I would ALWAYS have room for every horse who didn't sell. My stallion was sold as a gelding and my colt gets gelded next month. There aren't enough home for cats or dogs either. People know what to do, but doing it is a whole nother story. It's been discussed--hotly--here several times.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Well, personally I believe there are plenty of homes, just not enough "quality" homes. I have two mares expecting in 2010 and if any are fillies they will stay here. If they are colts then they will most likely be gelded (unless they are of superb quality) and sold to an appropriate home unless I get attached. . .which is likely

.

I personally would love to keep one or two colts from my breeding program as geldings and show them in the gelding incentive program with my fiance. Personally I BASE MY OPINIONS of a farm by the geldings that they show. To me, that shows they are wanting to show that they have the ability to take geldings to the top, even without the promise of being able to breed that animal later on. So by showing a gelding or two with my farm name on it, promotion promotion promotion!

 

[Marty]

No there are absolutely not enough good homes out there.

Care to join CMHR and see how many horses we actually help and work with every single day of the week? It would make your head spin.

 

[My2Minis]

Thank you for the discussion and replies. It's horrifying that minis are going to meat buyers and auctions.

I will check out CMHR.

(I couldn't adopt another mini- I have two and that is all I can provide for and keep trained and exercised. But I would like to help somehow).

 

[targetsmom]

I agree, there are not enough GOOD homes for minis. JMO, but I think a lot of the problem has to do with the fact that so many people sell miniature horses for much less than it costs to "produce" them. If every single person who sold a mini made even a small profit, then I think there would be plenty of good homes. Around here, it takes several thousand dollars just in vet fees, feed, etc to produce a foal, so anyone selling foals for $500 (or less) must be losing money.