Getting a mini? questions and can I eventually keep with a bigger horse?

[horsenut50]

Horse love, I really think your set up is dangerous and with a stallion in there too it is just asking for trouble. Everyone is free to do as they wish but I would not encourage ANYONE to do this.

Totally agree with this ^^^^^^^^.

 

[horsesdances]

oh my! so sorry to read

breaks my heart

thanks for posting

I took a measuring tape to the barn and also measured my dog who is 30"

makes me realize in context how tiny a mini really is!

and how fragile of course the can be. And a heartache is the last thing I want and to see a innocent creature suffer because of my mistake.

 

[Tab]

Welcome to the wonderful world of minis!

could I eventually keep a mini with the herd? or he-she should be kept in a separate pasture, but beside the horses so he-she doesn't get lonly, just remains safe?

I usually do this at first to introduce the horses and after about a month if all is well, introduce them together supervised periods of time.

That will depend entirely on how well they get along when introduced gradually. They could very well bully a mini or the mini could bully them. You could introduce first through a partition, next in hand, and finally loose, but this is always a risk. You have to weigh this for yourself. I had my mini mares in with one large gelding who had a rather aggressive temperament, then another time mini mares in with a large mare. Minis do best with horses of similar sizes. If you do combine sizes, make sure there is plenty of space for the mini to get away if he is chased.

Would a stallion be a problem if I get a young one, with my 3 gueldings (same or different pasture)?

I know it depends on the specific horse, but if some of you want to share some experiences, advice etc it would be great

My short answer, "yes." This again depends on the horses in question and that particular stallion. I have a mini stallion who gets along with other colts/stallions his size, but he bore a grudge against our large Morgan. To the extent that my mini stud pushed through a board to get to the large horse and then chased and bit (attacked) him underneath his belly. Some horses cannot stand a particular horse, similar to human-to-human prejudice.

would a mare be a problem with my 3 boys, the standard horse beeing very stallionish with females... (even as a guelding)?

If he tries to mount other large mares then this would be a big problem. He could hurt a mini mare quite badly, I think.

and finally if the mini could not get along or was not safe with the herd... would he-she be miserable in a pasture besides the others?

I don't believe so. A mini could be quite happy living near large horses!

Sounds like you are well on your way!

 

[TinaJeff]

I rarely pass along YouTube videos that make me cringe, but for those wondering about running the bigs with the Littles search for "Mini gets kicked in the face by Thoroughbred". You will see how an innocent play time can come very close to causing a mini to lose an eye.I have been helping to place at risk minis and ponies from auctions and craigslist for a while. I am now at a full 30% missing an eye due to kick injuries from large horses. Sadly they are often the little ones left behind because of the disfigurement. The one story I will never forget is the woman telling me she had to put their mini down because she couldn't afford the $1,000 surgery...and as I scanned over her pasture I saw at least three unoccupied paddocks where her mini would have been safe. Her response was "yeah, I know. What I would give to turn back the clock."My vote? It's never worth it.

 

[TinaJeff]

Oh, and while I'm here would anyone believe this one? I went to go look at an unregistered mini stallion off of craigslist in hopes that he could be gelded and given a better life than what he was currently getting. I arrive and he is as studdy as ever walking around but definitely with a hitch in his get-along. So I ask the woman who owned him why he was limping. She commented that she didn't think he was but he probably irritated one of the mares and got walloped. Ok. After telling her I'll think on it I watch as she calmly puts the lead back on him, walks around the corner and puts him in with a large quarter horse mare. Within seconds he was kicked in the shoulder. She turns and looks at me and says "well that probably explains it!". Seriously?! It was all I could do to keep from kicking her!

 

[Aristocratic Minis]

Welcome to the forum, Horsesdances.

It sounds as if you are a very accomplished horsewoman and responsible.

I know some people who keep minis with biggies, but I would not do that. After all, with horses you never know what mischief they are going to get into or the various ways they can get injured.

Minis are the most loving little things. They each have a personality and are so clever! They can think up the most creative things to do and things to play with.

You would enjoy doing liberty and other things with them because they are so versatile.

Welcome.

 

[HGFarm]

As said before, for those that mix the sizes- all is well until it's not. And it can be 'not' in the flash of an instant.

I sold a nice show filly many years back to some folks who were not new to horses- they had some nice cutting horses. The filly's pen was between two of them. One of them reached over the fence- and broke her neck. They found her dead. The big horse was not mean, nor aggressive to the Mini, but oh, what a cute little toy- end of story.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

To those of you considering putting your bigs in with your littles please consider this- it does NOT depend on the horses temperament. A nice, kind, gentle big old TB put out with another of his kind will stand around and be kind and gentle all day long. He would be the same put out with a 30" polite mini.

Then comes the day when the flies are bad and he kicks out at one. "Ouch" says his equal sized buddy "why did you do that?"

The mini, on the other hand, is now standing there with a broken leg.

Two equal sized, unshod, animals can play all day and, barring freak accidents with fenceposts or trucks, never hurt each other.

A mini can (and in my case did) have it's diaphragm ruptured causing instant death, by a friendly kick.

Yes, accidents can happen anywhere, anytime, but you do not leave halters on in pastures because of the risk. You do not let toddlers walk on the edge of a freeway because of the risk. You do not turn out big horses with minis because of the risk.

And I am very sorry to say such a seemingly harsh thing but people like horse love would appear to be beyond help.

I sincerely hope she comes back on here, explains herself more fully and redeems herself.....hopefully before she has a pregnant two year old and needs a backhoe for the (ex) stallion.

 

[horsesdances]

Hi mini lovers!

I have been thinking a lot, and went out to see a few minis.

Boy they are small! you realise how fragile when you get close to them.

( I had seen one mini only before thinking of getting one)

I wanted to give you generous people an update.

Thanks to you, and all the info and sad stories shared, I decided to keep the mini seperate from my other horses.

Just don't want an accident to happen, even if maybe things could go well. I just don't want to take the chance.

So you were right.

and ever more right on the "little potatoe chips" issue...

I convinced my boyfriend - well actually the minis got to his heart to!

and we are getting 2 minis!!!

one mini for me and one mini for him!

and we will keep them by themselves near but not with the big horsies. The minis will have their own paddock and mini shelter. They will be able to see the others and be in the barn with them rarely, in their own space.

This way everyone will be safe, my actual small horde will remain in harmony and we will have happy minis!

I didn't feel good about keeping a mini by himself, even with other horses close by.

I went to see a few and was very disapointed with how people handle (or not) them.

so I felt that if I had to invest so much work on training (most couldn't even respect me walking on a halter!). I might as well start from scratch and not repair bad training or bad habits.

So we are getting foals! even cuter!

My 2 last poneys were rescues and they are great today, grateful and very well behaved. But for the mini, I did think of a rescue, but wanted to have fun and not retrain this time. And it would not be fun for my boyfriend - his first horse.

I have already have found mine. He just won my heart over! He is with the herd, outdoors and happy right now, learning to be a horse! and 7-8 months.

We are going next saturday to choose the second one.

I just think getting another colt would be better. We think 2 colts would be the best, for my studyish guelding big horse...

and we can get them guelded later on if they develop behavior we don't like. We have no mare here, but that also means they will not learn to behave with a mare...when the hormones kick in...

or a mare? considering a mare but not sure...

Mine is a colt.

Is it complicated to have a "couple" . I have no experience in breeding at all

I don't mind getting a foal or some foals... just want the horses to be happy.

Would we have to seperate them at times or we can leave them together all the time? how about weaning? could we just leave them together and leave nature take its course?

These will be our little babies, we are not getting into breeding seriously. The only concern is the well beeing and hapyness of the horses.

if you have advice... I would really appreciate it.

thanks

 

[Songcatcher]

Congratulations! For your situation, I would recommend two colts, then get them both gelded. It will cause you fewer problems in the long run. Colts will also likely be less expensive as there is an overabundance of them. After getting accoustomed to the geldings, you may later decide you are interested in breeding. By then, You will know more about them and what to look for.

Congratulations again. I'm sure you will love them.

 

[Molly's Run Minis]

awhile ago i had a 14hh mare in with misty, my mini, when she was a yearling. they would sleep together, groom eachother, swish flies, they were best buds. one day the mare suddenly picked misty up by her mane and threw her. just threw her like a ragdoll! misty was fine, but after that i sold the mare and swore i would never house minis with big horses again. its wayy to risky.

 

[horsesdances]

thanks!

I tought that if they were ok for us, I could leave them as stallions, but if I think further...

to make sure they get along better with the bigger horses (even if they will be seperated they will all live here and still can get close at times, I don't want to worry to much about that. No pasture together, no playing, but they will be in the barn at times, walk in and out etc... I wouldn't want it to be critical if they got close or walk in front of a stall etc).

Also I think that altough we are planning on keeping them for their entire life, you never know what happens... so if something happened to us, if they are guelidings they would be no problems somewhere else.

If they were left as stallions lets say , and something happened and they are 15... it would be harder to rehome them, to someone with mares for instance. Maybe I am just paranoid... but I have to make sure we do the best for the horses, not just ourselves!

Congratulations! For your situation, I would recommend two colts, then get them both gelded. It will cause you fewer problems in the long run. Colts will also likely be less expensive as there is an overabundance of them. After getting accoustomed to the geldings, you may later decide you are interested in breeding. By then, You will know more about them and what to look for.

Congratulations again. I'm sure you will love them.

 

[horsesdances]

That is so shocking! I mean the mare.

I told my boyfriend that we have to put a wood piece on the bigger horses' stalls (especially the biggest one - he is a biter) just in case he could reach out and bite a mini. I tought I was overcautious... but reading this! really not!!

so I will add wood to the stalls, removable so if the minis are out my big guys can have more freedom to take their heads out but I will definetely place some for when the minis are in! or walk by!

I feered my 15,2hands horse could grab the mini by the neck, lift him and hurt him... out of leadership, not beeing mean of course.

thanks for sharing the sad story

awhile ago i had a 14hh mare in with misty, my mini, when she was a yearling. they would sleep together, groom eachother, swish flies, they were best buds. one day the mare suddenly picked misty up by her mane and threw her. just threw her like a ragdoll! misty was fine, but after that i sold the mare and swore i would never house minis with big horses again. its wayy to risky.

 

[Molly's Run Minis]

That is so shocking! I mean the mare.

I told my boyfriend that we have to put a wood piece on the bigger horses' stalls (especially the biggest one - he is a biter) just in case he could reach out and bite a mini. I tought I was overcautious... but reading this! really not!!

so I will add wood to the stalls, removable so if the minis are out my big guys can have more freedom to take their heads out but I will definetely place some for when the minis are in! or walk by!

I feered my 15,2hands horse could grab the mini by the neck, lift him and hurt him... out of leadership, not beeing mean of course.

thanks for sharing the sad story

i was quite shocked myself when it happened. luckily no one was injured and the riding mare has a nice home now where she teaches children how to barrel race. i still have Misty, i'd never sell my girl.

 

[rimmerpaints]

My minis are in a pasture with my 19 year old gelding. My other four big horses are in a different pasture. My old gelding loves the minis and they love him. My mini Robbie is actually the head of the pasture. Yes he tells my old big horse what to do. As for as putting them with my other four no I wouldnt. They fight amoung themselves way to bad and im scared on of them would hurt my minis. I think it really depends on the big horses personality.

 

[horsesdances]

I am sure there are exceptions. In my case, my 20 yrs cross arabian can very excited, bucky and kicky when he plays! he is beautiful and totally leader, a really good one. I know he likes poneys, but an accident can happen and I prefer not to take a chance altough chances are it would be ok. You just need one accident and it can happen in a split second. I just can't bare to grieve and be sorry at the moment, so I will go with "better safe than sorry" on this one!

 

[HGFarm]

I totally agree with Songcatcher about starting out with a couple of nice geldings. I have been around horses all my life and was involved in breeding full sized ones for years, but I tell you, breeding Minis is not for the faint of heart. Have fun with your geldings (ha when they are old enough I bet you will break them to drive- it is SO fun) and enjoy them and learn all you can about this fabulous little breed of horse. There are SO many wonderful folks on the Forum here with a zillion years of experience in all fields of the horsedom, LOL

We would love to see pics when you get your little guys.

I dont remember if I had posted but yes, sold a nice filly to some folks with big horses- and one of the big horses was able to reach over the fence and grab the filly- breaking her neck. My neighbors next door have big horses and the fence is so that they cannot reach in and reach the Minis. Otherwise, I may also leave an 'alley way' between fence lines so there is a gap of a few feet between pens and they cant reach at all.

 

[horsesdances]

The more I think about it, the more I tend towards 2 colts and eventually get them guelded (before they develop stallion behaviors).

I have seen that it can be difficult breeding minis, so probably not the best choice for a beginner in breeding.

Yes you had posted the sad story about the fence.

Worry not. I will have a gap between my fences so the contact will be only visual at first and eventually if all is well I will allow a little more (so the horses know each other) but only supervised and withing safe zones. I am gratefull for all this sharing and will not make the mistakes that I now know about.

Doesn't mean I won't make any... but I will try my best and use the advice I got.

Yes I think I would like to try driving, but would not ask for "work" until they really are old enough. Don't mind waiting, so many things I can do while they grow!

I am used to train my horses at liberty, and games, tricks to, so I can do some of that, show them tack, but not ask work while they are growing.

I wanted colts so I could build a good foundation and they will have time to grow for sure!

thanks

will be back with pictures for sure!!