Well, we didn't end up with the Shetland/Mini cross because a nice woman was there with her daughter and they were interested in her and later did buy her, and the person selling her had a 12 hand welsh pony cross that he had just picked up from an auction that was in bad shape, and guess what? My heart broke when I saw her, I looked at my husband, and the poor man knew exactly what was going to happen.
We took the sick pony. I gave the seller $200, and we loaded her onto the trailer and home she came. She is in rough shape, and has a respiratory infection as well as being about 100+ lbs. under weight. I had our vet out this morning, and he ran blood work on her, gave us antibiotics, and we worked out a feeding, worming & medication schedule to bring her back to health slowly. She came from Kentucky on a truck full of ponies for auction, and didn't fare too well. I couldn't leave her there, she was so weak and tired and looked so helpless, I had to take her. She is in her quarantine barn now, and today she started perking up and taking an interest in her food. She was out with a large gelding and a smaller horse that were beating her up and not allowing her to get to the food or water, and after starting off in bad shape, she just got worse. The vet feels that she'll make a full recovery with time & care, and we absolutely are in love with her. My son has named her Dakota and he's been so helpful with her. It's rough with the quarantine, and having to sanitize everything, and run back and forth between the regular barn and quarantine barn, and change shoes, etc... in between, but I think she's well worth it.
She looks like she's lost all hope, and her eyes are so sad, but this evening when she heard my voice, she whinnied, which to me is a good sign. Here is a picture of her - she looks much better in this picture than she does now, but hopefully soon, she'll look amazing :0)
We have owned a miniature, but never a pony, so if anyone has any "pony advice" for us, it would be great! I can't wait to introduce her to my 2 QH's when she isn't quarantined anymore, I think they'll love her :0)
She is 7 years old and 11 hands. She is rideable, and I guess the womans children rode her, but my son is 10 years old. Is 11 hands too small for him to ride? She is 400 lbs., and quite a stout looking girl, but we were really looking to buy a Shetland because I had one when I was a child, and I adore them, but if that is large enough for him to ride (can't remember how many hands my Shetland was, but I rode him until I was around 12) that would be great. Please let me know what everyone thinks :0) and I'll post tomorrow if we get her!
