Hi Tess - WELCOME to the world of Mini Horses!! And to the Forum.
I agree with Ryan - mini horses and shetland ponies are the most destructive equine around. I've found that non-electrified wire (woven, welded, small sq meant for equine, small square meant for sheep/goats, larger square for livestock, even the heavier gauge livestock panels that are 16' long and range from 33" to 52" in height) will be destroyed in a hurry once spring arrives OR with the temps doing what they are doing here this winter. Ours are typically "hairy horses" - and when the weather goes from 13*f to 70*f in 2 days - they sweat. When they sweat - they ITCH. When they itch, they SCRATCH. Whatever they put those "hairy bums" on - MOVES, BENDS, BREAKS or FOLDS OVER (including wooden or tin structures and trees). Come spring - longer days even if not really warmer - they shed. When they shed - they ITCH, then they SCRATCH. You get the idea. With two it might not be so noticeable, with my herd - even when I did only have two in a "group" - it was! Personally, to save both heart ache and your fencing $$ investment, I'd plan on at least one strand of hot wire & depending on what's on the other side of your fencing - you may need/want more.
Horses are horses. Regardless of size. I've seen injuries from legs put thru fencing - all types. Some of the worst injuries I've seen were actually from fencing made and "touted for" horses! If the horse is bored or hungry or driven by hormones (mares & stallions) - he will dig or paw at any fence line. If a good rolling spot is inches away from the fence line, he may look fine when he folds down to roll, but then go over completely and put a different hoof/leg thru each square of fencing. That can be "dicey" OR it can have no consequence whatsoever as he quietly removes his legs from their "traps" and then either rolls the other way or gets up from there.
Your fencing supplies should include a hammer with a claw end, fencing tool or a bolt cutter that you can manage BY YOURSELF in an emergency should you need to rescue your horse. If you keep wood fencing - pliers and tweezers to remove chunks and slivers.
Fencing becomes personal. It's what you like, what you can install (or have installed) and can maintain. Horses can do well in almost any fencing situation - if you watch them and keep your fences maintained. Hot wire, tape, rope - makes it a little easier and there are many kinds for all kinds of different looks.
I have a "smorgasbord" of buckets. I do know that they aren't the same today that they were in 1995 when I personally got back into horses after being overseas for 10 years. I still have some of the buckets i originally purchased in 1995 up in MT and have buckets I purchased last year here in NC that didn't last this up/down weather season. We have the little mini, hang over the fence type (hard plastic), different types/sizes of feed pans for ground feeding - plastic, stainless steel and the "old rubber tub". I also have both the 8qt rd/flat back buckets (Little Giant or Fortiflex) and the 20 qt flat back buckets (little Giant or Fortiflex) - mostly in purple since that is our farm colors but also in other colors due to needing a new one or finding some on sale. I personally like the 20 qt flat buckets best - they can be used for a multitude of uses besides just feeding and can be set on the ground or attached to fencing/walls at heights needed for the horse or for you. I have a friend that swears by the hang over the gate/fence type buckets (both the little mini sized ones and the large ones for the biggies) - but she is able to strap them down and the horses/ponies leave them alone. Mine - they removed them and then I had to go hunting them before I could feed - w/ the number of equine I have that made feeding an impossible chore!
Some of the best buckets have been the "free ones" - they come with equine supplements or from the local delis/bakeries/restaurants around us! You will find that you will use lots of buckets for many different things when you have horses (I love our BRUSH buckets that were color coded either for each horse or for each child). I, too, use bleach a couple of times a year for cleaning - try to do it in the spring and the fall.
There are many on-line catalogs now for equine. There are quite a number for Minis alone - several that are listed on this forum... You can peruse them for ideas and choices and purchasing.
Are you looking at youngsters or older trained minis? Mares, geldings? Size? How much paddock/pasture space do you have?
I find that ours pretty regularly exercise themselves - even my "oldsters" - but that's due to them all having access to each other. I have some that probably wouldn't exercise at all if they didn't have encouragement. The larger minis can be driven and many do enjoy having a "job" - whether it be driving, helping w/ farm work or in-hand exercising and therapy work. The smaller your paddock/pasture arrangement, the more exercise you may need to provide.
I have had very few equine over the years that played w/ any toys. I see all these fantastic videos (some from my acquaintances & friends) - but most of ours - don't seem to ever develop a love for any toys. It really varies with the equine, I think. My boarder has purchased several toys already for her penned mini - we spend more time chasing the darn things down when the wind pushes or blows them out then the horse plays w/ them. With our new set up here (very spread out) - I am getting much more exercise myself!
and so that you know - I LOVE our equine. I spend much time with them - not just because it's required for caring for them, but because I enjoy it. We currently own 2 larger equine, 1 "medium" 1/2 shetland pony, 1 "small" 1/2 shetland pony, 21 Shetlands in sizes from 32" - 44" in height. Our boarder has a mini that I think is 29/30" and now has one of our shetlands that is about 32/33" now (not yet 2 so still growing). Our current pasture situation is about 7 acres perimeter fenced, with paddocks w/i that (not finished yet). The two stud pens are 3 - 16' panels long and 20' (approximately) wide, 1 - 16' panel & 1 - 4' gate. Our round pen, when reconstructed, will be 60' - allowing us to work the larger ponies/horses from the ground or under saddle and actually hook/drive the smaller ones to a cart. We pleasure drive and drive for "work" - single, pairs and 3 abreast pulling farm equipment, carts, carriages and wagons. My goal is to have a 4 - 6 up hitch similar to Bsharps' set up - but not sure we'll get there... We just moved onto this property in December 2014 and the last of our ponies was picked up on January 19th from their temporary living quarters... The total property size is 21 acres - most of it in trees that will eventually have walking/riding/driving paths thru it w/o destroying the forested areas.