I just smile...

[MyMiniGal]

Ok, how many of you get the comment..."How do you like walking your dog?" when you are taking your mini for a walk, down the road or wherever? If you have, what do you say back? Me...I just smile, and move on. I haven't thought of a come back, that won't sound snotty. LOL My husband and I took Halo out on the road, for the first time, yesterday...to get her use to cars going by. She did great, btw, but there was a guy, who stays at the RV part, where we board, and he walked by and said.."Taking your dog out for a walk?". I'm use to that, as, we have always had super small dogs and get comments, that are sort of like that...like, ..."Is that a dog or a mouse?". Anyway, just curious, if this only happens to us, or has it happened to others?

 

[Max's Mom]

Yes, I've definitely heard a lot of similar sorts of things, but they are almost always said so good naturally that I just acknowledge them in a friendly way. Many people are curious and ask a lot of questions- they don't see people out walking their little horse every day! The only time I got offended was when I was walking Max through a very populated area and one guy called out "Hey is that a donkey!?" and I asked if he saw any big ears... but then I felt bad because my daughter pointed out that he might not really know what a donkey or a mini or a pony even looks like, and he might have been serious. Like you, we keep our horse at a campground with a barn, and in the camping season we get a lot of spectators, many who want to take photos or videos. Some common questions can get a bit annoying like "Why are they wearing blindfolds?" (fly masks) and "How old is he?" (because they think he's a baby). Overall, though, I see it as an opportunity to educate people about minis.

 

[MyMiniGal]

That's why, I try and not say anything back, as I know these people, mainly men, don't mean any harm. I usually laugh, when I smile. We haven't had any serious questions about her. Yesterday, a lady came by, while I was trying to teach my husband a few things with Halo. So totally the wrong time for that lady to come up. But, I just told her, I was teaching him. She then questioned, "teaching him?". So my husband thought she thought Halo was a colt, but I just laughed and said, "Yep, teaching my husband". She still wanted to pet Halo, so I said yes, and let her. I also think the lady may of thought Halo was a baby big horse. I didn't think about that, until way afterwards. Since I know Halo is a mini, I keep forgetting other people may just see her as a baby.

 

[izmepeggy]

They rib me all the time at my barn about my big dogs..hehehe..One guy calls them my St.Bernards...Then one day I told him (and I never even smiled when I said it) that they are NOT St. Bernards..They are Great Danes..Look how regal they look..lol.A lot of people are just kidding..Be light hearted and just tell them they are the RAREST dogs on earth.

 

[MyMiniGal]

LOL I love the Great Dane comment. Believe me, I take it lighthearted..if I didn't I would be trying to come back with something good, but I just smile and laugh. I mean...with having small dogs all my life, I am so use to these sort of comments. May be next time, I will say..."Yep, walking my Great Dane", and see what happens. Of course, I would smile while saying it, so they know I was teasing back.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

I was at a clinic once on ground work. Some parelli nut had a full sized appy she couldn't do a darn thing with out the horse running her over, and she was late because it took her hours to get the freaking thing on a trailer (surprising, I know.....) . She went on and on about how my horse was "a waste of hay because you can't do anything with them." My response was simply a "well, he seems to be able to do more than your horse." Shut her right up and she dropped it right away.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

My other response to big horse people is "well he's cheaper than prozac" when they gripe about how worthless minis are.

 

[MyMiniGal]

Funny, I just told a guy, that Halo is my "therapy". Yep, they are our "anti-depressants".

 

[wingnut]

Well I take antidepressants and have minis...must mean I'm extra special

I don't mind the teasing. The rude remarks like Furstplaceminiatures experienced are the ones that set my teeth on edge. The non-horse people who genuinely ask "what do you do with a miniature horse?" get a laugh in response and the question, "What do you do with your dog or cat? Love them, spoil them, train them and take care of them, right? That's what I do with my horses." That usually gets 'em every time. The non-horse folks who ask with rudeness get asked why they aren't showing their dog in conformation, agility, tracking, dock-dog jumping? No matter who asks or how they ask, I explain nicely that I enjoy showing my horses, training them, and can't wait to be riding in a cart behind them!

Most people are fascinated and want to know more. I'm happy to talk for as long as it takes until I see their eyes glazing over

 

[MyMiniGal]

Well I take antidepressants and have minis...must mean I'm extra special

I don't mind the teasing. The rude remarks like Furstplaceminiatures experienced are the ones that set my teeth on edge. The non-horse people who genuinely ask "what do you do with a miniature horse?" get a laugh in response and the question, "What do you do with your dog or cat? Love them, spoil them, train them and take care of them, right? That's what I do with my horses." That usually gets 'em every time. The non-horse folks who ask with rudeness get asked why they aren't showing their dog in conformation, agility, tracking, dock-dog jumping? No matter who asks or how they ask, I explain nicely that I enjoy showing my horses, training them, and can't wait to be riding in a cart behind them!

Most people are fascinated and want to know more. I'm happy to talk for as long as it takes until I see their eyes glazing over

Well I take antidepressants and have minis...must mean I'm extra special

em!

Most people are fascinated and want to know more. I'm happy to talk for as long as it takes until I see their eyes glazing over

Yes, you are extra special. (Praying you didn't take offense to my anti-depressant comment, as I have been on them before, so I meant nothing by it, but meaning that, at least for me, having Halo has helped me extremely since losing my Dad last year, and having my Mom hurt, this year, I do consider her my "therapy" horse)

I love your last comment! I've seen that glazing you are talking about. LOL

 

[MyMiniGal]

Oh, gosh, the first time I tried to "quote" while replying and it is all messed up. LOL

 

[amysue]

This sort of "prejudice" from full size horse people inspired me to start my business. It started as a joke really, I would write directions for the staff on the chore board like "water all horses etc." and as a joke people would call and ask "you just want the real horses done or should we do the ponies too?" So I started writing "ponies included " which got abbreviated as ponies inc. The mini herd grew and the big horse population dwindled as the market changed. People started jokingly calling us "ponies incorporated" And before i knew it, our business took off in a way we never imagined. Today my husband and I run Ponies Inc. A boarding and training facility on 80 acres with a riding, training, and breeding program that supports us both comfortably. We are even beginning to develop a pony exclusively themed retail division/tack shop. We breed/ sell ponies and minis and participate in multiple events locally. We registeted the name officially and ran with it. We NEVER thought we'd give up on "big" horses but it got too costly and we feared for the welfare of the business with the high feed prices and slew of defaulting boarders. The minis are so much more cost effective and more fun. People say all sorts of stupid things...I just come back with a delicate sarcastic response. I hear "oh you raise those dwarf horses" a lot. I just respond "SHHHH we dont call them minis...they're vertically challenged. Theyre very sensitive." I too use situations where people attempt to insult me and my horses to delicately put them in their place and educate them about the breed. I ask the people with big horses who dont take minis seriously what it costs them to feed their horse they usually just drop the subject. I tell them that i can feed a herd of 15 head on two bales a day...ive had thoroughbreds that put that much away a day by themselves! Dont let people get you down. Hug your pony and you'll feel better...always cheers me up.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I was in a condition class with Rabbit, over twenty years ago, and this snooty female steer looked down he nose at him (to be fair she had to as she was quite tall) and said sweetly " Oh (insert giggle) what is it?" I ignored her. There were (I counted them ) sixty horses in that class, end to end on we made a complete circle round the ring! In the end I won the class (of course I did, you saw that coming, right??) and pulled in above her. I leant round the horse in between and said "A minute ago you asked what my horse was? Well, he is the stallion who is beating you!" Never got another peep out of her! As to the good natured comments- smiling and answering nicely will actually make you a lot of friends, so I would carry on with it. I usually say something like" Costs less than a pedigree puppy to buy, less to keep and I can put the poop on the roses!"

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I've had the donkey question too, and I used to bother me, but I think you are right, it is a serious question from people who do not know the difference. I've also had people ask me how old my horse is while driving. I tell them he is 16--they think I am cruelly driving a foal, no doubt!

While walking with my horses, or driving, on my rural roads I have had innumerable drivers stop to take their picture. There is just something about the little ones that makes people smile.

I also get the comment about blind folding my horses with a fly mask. But I have seen my horse spy a walking stick insect on the side of the barn and go to check it out while wearing his mask.

 

[MyMiniGal]

LOL Rabbitfizz...poop on the roses! Love that! Yesterday, that same person, who made the dog comment, was talking to us, and he was saying how cute Halo was, and then he even pointed out, she is a horse. Come to find out, he has started helping at the place I board. So smiling and not getting upset, was a good thing! LOL

 

[wingnut]

No worries Lisa

I'm not shy about my need for anti-depressants. I lost the genetics lottery in that regard and am happy that such help is available!

 

[Performancemini]

Wow. I can relate with most all of you. We used to walk our first minis down the roads of a nearby subdivision where we boarded at the time. Had a lot of folks come by and say they thought they were dogs at first from a bit of a distance. We always laughed along with them. No offense there. Have had the "mule" and "donkey" comment a lot too. I think most is from lack of knowledge. If it's smaller children-well. We take one or two minis to preschools and elementary schools every year and have had that question off and on. So we just explain to them that donkeys and mules have longggg ears like bunny rabbits and that horses and ponies have little ears. Cute "dog" story: When we got our first two minis (a yearling and 2 year old and black in color) we had gone to a grand opening of a new Petsmart store. When we went to leave; two gentlemen came in with two whopping big beautiful Newfoundlands. My husband commented to them; 'Gee, we have two full grown horses that size!'. The store's District and General managers happened to be standing there and asked us if we could bring them to the store for the rest of the grand opening the next day. That started us off on sharing the minis out and about.

And,, I two like the 'therapy' they can be. I take a med for low-serotonin. I have been 'benched' for months now with an ankle injury and ??? (wish they'd finish finding out) and can't doing much of anything. I miss my dose of horse. The ground is too bumpy out by the pastures to really go out and do anything (poor hubby is doing almost everything-he is so super). I guess I need to give myself a mental kick in the butt and at least go out and 'horse watch'!

 

[Rhondaalaska]

My girl is my therapy as well. Not only for my emotions but she is my physical therapy as well . With her I can walk and do a lot more than I do with out her. She motivates me to move more even when I do not feel well. And if I am having a bad day than there is nothing better than a horsey hug and kisses.

I have met so many neighbors this past year that I have had Diva than I have in the eighteen years I have lived here. We hear the big dog comment a lot , we laugh and than they always ask if they can pet her. So we let then then we get talking all about minis and all the things diva is learning to do. We always get smiles and waves when we go down the road. Even when we took Diva in to town and drove her to the post office . We pulled up in the cart and we had people come up to us and say " we say you going down the road with your pony" Our little horses realy can open people's hearts. And I too get the how old is she. Many people think she is a baby pony.

Lol

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I've gotten the dog comment, I think people just want to say something to start a conversation about the mini and that is the first thing to come to mind. I used to laugh and tell them "Oh no, my dog is at home, he is much larger" lol. It was true at the time (my present dogs are not so big). I also have gotten the age question when I drive my very small (28 -28.5") mare. She is pretty feminine and altho she handles driving beautifully and really seems to enjoy our outings I actually had one person who was quite upset with me for driving a foal. She had a small amount of knowledge about horses and felt it was her duty to tell me I was doing wrong by that baby making her drag me down the road. LOL, I listened to her tirade and when she wound down I explained to her that Dyna is (was then 5) an adult and her ancestors were bred for just this kind of work. I told her to observe her stance, she was relaxed and not braced, her breathing, she was not breathing hard at all and her general attitude, she was happy and alert. I then thanked her for being concerned about her welfare and assured her that I always considered Dyna's well being before my own pleasure. We ended up having a long chat about horses in general and minis in particular (which was a perfect opportunity for Dyna to practice standing patiently

) and I think/hope she went away a bit better educated than when we first met.

 

[Tab]

You just have to laugh, most of the time people aren't trying to be mean. I think a smile is perfectly appropriate. Or you could say, "he's a horse." I used to get that when driving or walking my horses. Most people think they are quite remarkable! They get a double-take!