Mini's and big horses?

[Nichcole]

At this point I only have my mini stallion and i feel so bad that he is by himself. What do you guys think about putting him in with my yearling gelding ? My yearling is about 14 hands right now and is super calm, our other big horses beat him up so he is by himself also. I'm thinking they will be a good match but I have been told that this is not a smart idea. Please give me your guys opinons or experiances? Thank you for your info :saludando:

 

[disneyhorse]

Generally people will recommend you NOT put big horses in with minis. One accidental or playful kick from a big horse could severely injure or kill your mini. No one will advise it, but some DO get along depending on highly individual personalities. No one can predict what would happen.

Andrea

 

[misfitminis]

One of my mini mares will attack big horses. She use to be fine with them but in the last 2 years she will corner a big horse and attack. She will also attack a big horse through a fence. I don't recommend pasturing minis and big horses together. She has been lucky that she hasn't been pastured with a horse that will defend itself.

 

[Nichcole]

Thank you guys for your info, I've tried to pair my mini up with a new friends mini stud but they did not get along very well. I'm think it is time to invest in a mare

 

[nootka]

I would also advise against it. If you have a place where they can have pens nearby each other, it will likely help a lot in the loneliness factor. BUT if they share a fenceline, you might want to run hot wire over the top so the biggie can't reach over and grab the mini. It's happened more than once and can be fatal as well as having them in with each other.

I know some will say it's "OK" but in my opinion, it's too risky. There are some people that also say (for example/comparison), that it might be ok for kids to ride bikes w/out helmets, but that is fine until they have an accident and hit their heads. Shoulda worn a helmet! So it goes that it's ok til there is a problem. It's more of a risk than it's worth, so I would choose another option if I were you.

Liz M.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

PLEASE do a search in the archives- this is such a controversial subject that I fear another "range war" will break out!!!! :new_2gunsfiring_v1:

 

[PaintsRule]

Yes you can put them in together, I would not advise it. Some do and never have a problem, but then you have the tragedies.......

We had a pony (about 40 inches tall) turned out with big horses, and one day went to bring them in, and her cannon bone was broke about half way down. We were lucky enough that she healed, with LOTS of TLC, and confinement and casts, and braces, but I will never turn her out with big horses again. She is currently in a 16/16 pen with 2 sheep. Something to think about, you could get a goat for company.......

 

[Jill]

Thank you guys for your info, I've tried to pair my mini up with a new friends mini stud but they did not get along very well. I'm think it is time to invest in a mare

That sounds like a good plan to me

: :bgrin

:

 

[wildoak]

Not a good idea in my book - too much chance for serious injury. I know it is done, sometimes without issue, but it only takes one kick...

Jan

 

[jayne]

And be careful thinking that they're OK because you don't see aggression. My 31" gelding sustained a broken scapula from his best friend, a large pony, during play. They were pasture buddies for YEARS but just one kick put him in the hospital at OSU for two weeks and caused poor Yak and Pancake to have to get a 'divorce' that broke both their hearts. Yakki was also a great little cart horse but now he's retired at my place where I have to continually watch for the onset of arthritis.

Please don't do it. It is just an accident waiting to happen. I'm sure glad you thought to ask. Getting a little friend for him is a wonderful idea!!

Jayne

 

[Equuisize]

Before finding Lil' Beginnings....I bought my first mini stallion with

the full intention of his being a companion for my full size gelding.

My gelding is so mellow and was lonely.

No one suggested then, this might not be the best idea, so uninformed

and happy as a clam with my new mini I put them together for

2 1/2 years, without a single problem.

I found Lil Beginnings and read the threads on how this was not a good

idea and thought Nah, my guys are the exception, they love each other.

You could see them at any given moment eating right beside each other,

big guy grooming the little guy, liitle guy grooming big guys leg or tummy.

It was sooo cute.

The year the mini turned 5, and then had two fillies on the ground, he

suddenly decided he no longer 'liked' his 'big brother'. He went on the

offensive. Big guy put up with the nonsense for months and one day it

all changed.....he was fed up. He took off after him with vengence in

his eye and that was the end of their pasturing together. I'm so glad,

we were on hand as the results could have been disastrous....no question

in my mind.

So now I'm on the bandwagon with many other LB members-not so good an idea.

 

[Beccy]

We used to have a 35.00" gelding in with our large horses and ponies, and they were absolutely fine together. Then they were apart for a time and when we put them back together one of the large horses and one of the ponies acted like they wanted to kill him. They would likely have done him some damage had we not been able to get hold of him and get him out. I have never tried it again since, and wouldn't do it again. As mentioned, just because of the size difference, even a kick in play could be deadly.

Also I sold a colt to someone once, who tried putting him with a pony. The result was a broadside kick to the colt's ribs. Then they tried him with a weanling large horse colt, and it went fine for awhile, until a new horse appeared in a neighbouring paddock, which made the large colt try to assert his dominance over the mini. Though the mini colt was ok in the end, they needed the vet that time I believe.

So my answer would be no, I wouldn't do it.

 

[Bean Ranch]

My mini shares a fence line with my full size mare and mare's pygmy goat. The horses adore one another but the pygmy goat is quite aggressive to the mini. If anyone decides to get a pygmy goat please have their horns removed as soon as possible to prevent injury to your horses(s). I never turn mine out together for fear of an accident/playfulness.

Blessings,

Linda

 

[irishmini]

rabbits fizz is usually right...........

she gave me the same advice a while ago.. and thank god she did........

dont chance it... its alright, till its not,

i know

steph

 

[Joyce]

From many incidents I have heard about, I would not put a mini with big horses unattended at any time.

Too easy for the mini to get hurt or killed.

Joyce L