Just wanted to say hello and intraduce my self

[Mike K]

My name is Mike. My wife Amanda will probably join shortly. I have never had any experience with Mini but I have spent most of my life around horse's and raising cows. She has wanted a mini Horse as longs as I have known her and this month is her birthday and our anniversary. I have been looking around for a while and settled on this little guy

His name is Dandy and he seams to be settling in quite well. He is just shy of 3 years old and has been running with a full size stud for about 2 years. He was trained to pull a cart but he is going to take a bit of work to get him back in to the swing of things see that for almost 2 years he as done nothing but run around a pasture. He has already settled down a good bit and leads quite well for the most part. I will probably have lots of questions but I have already been reading everything I can on here for a couple of weeks.

any ways let me know what you guys think.

Mike

 

[shelly]

WELCOME MIKE!!!!! Dandy is just dandy

:wub How tall is he and is he registered with either AMHA or AMHR?

 

[ThreeCFarm]

What a good husband you are! And welcome!

 

[Mike K]

thanks for the welcome. Yes he is registered temporally with the AMHR. His full name is Rosa Roca's Yankee Doodle Dandy. I have to get the paper work sent off to get him in her name and get him permantly registered. I haven't had a chance to measure him yet. I didn't want Amanda to know that she was getting him so there was no work on a stable or fence done untell after I got him home yesterday. Amanda drove up to find him standing in the front yard. I spent most of the today building a stable and putting up fence on what is going to be his pasture. Best guess I would say he is around 35".

What is a good feed for the little guy?

Mike

 

[HGFarm]

Welcome Mike from sunny central Arizona! Congrats on your purchase there! I think you will have fun with your new guy! Sounds like a great size for driving when he is ready!

 

[muffntuf]

Looks like he weighs around 250 lbs. A good 12-15% grain at 1% of his body weight (2 - 2.5 lbs his weight). Access to loose minerals. And hay about the same ratio 1-1.5% of his weight. Get a weight tape and figure out how much he weighs.

 

[Mike K]

I plan on taking him into the vet next week to have him checked out so I will get a weight on him then.

I do not know if it is for sure but I was told this is him puling a cart. It was posted a year ago and I cant tell if it is him or not.



Mike

 

[LisaF.]

Mike - Welcome to the forum - I would LOVE for my husband to surprise me like that.

The brand of feed I like is Omelene. I am sure there are other great grains out there, that is just the one I prefer.

I wish I could help more - but, I am sure you and your wife will get pleny of help her on the forum.

 

[Minimor]

Greetings from friendly Manitoba--welcome to the forum, and to the wonderful world of Miniature horses!

I cannot watch the video--my old computer doesn't let me watch youtube videos--but if your guy was trained to pull a cart, but hasn't done anything but hang out in the pasture for 2 years...and if he is only 3 years old now then that would have to mean he was just a year old when someone was driving him?? Most people do not drive yearlings, but I suppose there are a few that do.

That was a nice surprise for Amanda to come home to, a little horse in the yard! What did she say when she saw him?

 

[AppyLover2]

Welcome to the forum. I expect your wife was delighted with her wonderful gift. It is hard to tell from the video whether it's him, but the snip on his nose looks the same to me. Wishing you all the very best of luck and lots of fun days with him.

 

[dreaminmini]

Welcome from Toronto, Canada. Your wife is very lucky and you picked out a cute little guy. I hope you realize that one is never enough. We got our first mini in May and we're already looking for #2.

Everyone is really helpful here, and very good answering newbie questions.

 

[Royal Crescent]

Hi and congratulations are your new mini. Of course, you know what this means, don't you?

Now you have to buy another one to keep him company!

They like to have a buddy, another little gelding or a little filly. Seriously, I hope your wife has a great time with him. Driving is so much fun!

Barb

 

[Tapestry Minis]

Welcome Mike!! And as many will tell you if they haven't already be careful.....minis are VERY addictive!

You'll soon need to get him a companion

But they are sooo much fun and once he gets going under harness you'll have a blast zipping around with him. Good luck!

 

[Sixstardanes]

What a grand gift!

I know 1st hand as that what my boy Saber was a year ago... tho he wasn't a surprise as I checked him out and chose him.

All the best with your new family member!

 

[Mike K]

thanks every one. yea she was very very excited. I have already started looking for a mate for him. He is a stud so I would like to find the good mare down the road. Right now he and my lab seam to have taken up with each other. Kinda funny they are both colored the same. Even there markings match up pretty good. I just looked out on them and the lab is in the stall with him sleeping. Once I get the fence built I may look a bit harder. Earlier today I took a brake from building the stall to get a drink. They where both in the yard and Dandy was following Jake "the lab" around the yard like Jake was leading him. Every step Jake took Dandy followed. Finally Jake went to the porch to climb up in his chair and Dandy just stood there looking at him. Funnest thing I have ever seen.

Mike

 

[Jill]

Hi, Mike, and welcome here from Virginia

We feed all our minis here (all age groups) complete senior feed and soft orchard grass hay. The senior feed is formulated to be easily digested and has extra nutrients, fat and protein. We're happy with how our horses look on it and our vet also approves of this program, and the "why" of it

And, oh yes... if you all are like almost ever single one of us (99.99%), you will not have "just one" mini for too long

 

[Charlene]

hi and welcome from west central, illinois. little dandy is a cutie!

my second mini was 9 when i got him, broke to drive. he hadn't been hitched to a cart for 5 years. first time out, he never missed a beat. you're in for some seriously fun times.

 

[fancyappy]

How thoughtful and kind you are. I can't imagine how overjoyed your wife is right now. Congrats on your new horse and I hope you both have many good times with him.

 

[Cathy_H]

Welcome to the world of miniature horses & to the forum from the bluegrass state of Kentucky.

 

[ErikaS.]

Welcome from Nebraska! Congrats on the cute little guy.

I think all good husbands should buy their loving wives a mini or two.