Buying The Right Mini

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I might be buying one or two minis soon. I have found a couple that I like. They are not that faraway and everything I am looking for. How do I narrow down to just one or two? What else should I look for or ask? It's so much different than buying big horses. I plan the mini(s) to drive around the farm and be used for therapy.

Thanks in advance
 
I might be buying one or two minis soon. Is adding a colt or filly better? I have a gelding (26) and mare paint (21) that are very close. Is the gelding going to think the colt is trying to steal the mare? The gelding had a little bay mare that came with him but sadly we had to put her down due to health issues. I had no problem with the 3 being together. Is buying two better in case the old guys reject it? Also the gelding and mare have gelding have health issues and we don't know how long they will be around.

How do you choose? I have a couple I like and are exactly what I am looking for. This is my first time buying mini(s). My mom found the other 3 for me.

Thanks
 
If your buying young horses, then you need to buy 2. Your others are at an age where they might not enjoy a lot of playtime and young minis will want to play. As for what, I would buy two geldings or colts and geld them, you will enjoy them a lot and not have to worry about pregnant mares. Make sure whatever you buy is what the seller is telling you, check paperwork, health issues, get promises made in writing. While they may just be pets, unexpected expenses are the same. Good luck and hope you enjoy your new kids.
 
I guess I can't be of much help because I haven't found much difference between buying big horses and buying small horses. I go with conformation , breeding, action and overall prettiness...I ask what handling/training has the horse had, and that about covers it, especially if it us a young horse. If it is a mature horse that is trained to drive then I would ask more--same as I would with a riding horse--I would want more specifics about the horse's training and behavior in harness, ideally I would want to see him being driven.
 
Also, since you want to use for therapy as well, it is MOST important that the horse be calm, quiet, patient and non-spooky. You can work to perfect it, but you will need a good foundation.(a good mind)
 
My go to test when purchasing is the 'scare the poop out of them and see how they respond.' Ask the owner - of course - then do something weird to try to spook them.

For example when I got my welsh x I leaned down, picked up his hoof, set it back down, and on my way of standing upright yelled 'hey!' And waved my arms, he jumped of course, then came back as if to say 'why you do that?' He didn't cower at the other end of the barn and he wasn't stupid by any means even though he was startled. He was in fact the best green baby of all time before his untimely death.
 

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