Riding Minis?

[lemonrockranch]

Hi all,

Haven't posted for quite a while, but have been watching and reading when I can.

I have currently got 6 of my horses up for sale. I've had inquiries, some are serious, some are not. However, I have had many inquiries from people wanting to buy LOW priced minis, and I mean dirt cheap prices. Is the market that bad right now? I don't want to over-price, but don't want to under-price too

Also, I've had several people call looking for minis broken to be ridden. By children of all sizes and ages? Isn't there a suggested weight limit up to about 50 pounds? I thought riding minis was primarily just for showing, when a small child rides the horse on a lead-line.

I have never trained my horses for such an experience. Am I mistaken?

Cheryl

 

[RAPfrosty]

The only time I think a mini should be ridden is by a toddler or in a lead line class specificly for minis. Even then, I think it should only be the taller, sturdier "B" sized minis. If someone is looking for a mini for the specific purpose of riding it, I would say no, don't sell to them.

As for the prices of you horses, from what everyone on here as been saying, yes the market is bad right now.

 

[bevann]

We have a very small petite 6 yr old girl in our Mini club who rides her Mini, but she has been riding since she was 18 months old.It is very difficult to find a kid small enough in weight who knows enough to train a Mini for riding.

 

[littlearab]

First off, I have to say I see nothing wrong with small childern riding minis. Only problem I see with it how do you train them to ride, unless you have a small kid to put on them?

As far as prices go. All I can say is I had 6 foals this spring all are up for sale. So far I've sold 2 of them... both were my lower priced ones. I seem to only get interest on the low priced ones... and I get some pretty low offers on the others. :new_shocked:

I can not understand way people would want the filly with a bad bite and not even ask about the one who has been shown and placed very well.....

: out of a national champion.

I've had lots of lookers at the lowest priced colt.

But the other 2 colts are very nice IMHO and I do not think I have them priced too high when I look and see what others are asking...

If the 2 nice colts do not sell , I'll just gelded and keep them until the right buyer comes along.

 

[YHFF Miniature Horses]

I've sold minis for riding, only 2 to a good friend of mine who has 3 &5 year old kids. They've worked with them and trained them. My friend has big horses to so when the girls are too big they'll move up to them and use the minis for driving. However, if you don't know the person well I would never sell a mini to them to be ridden. That was a special case with an experienced horsewoman, in which I sold minis to be ridden, both of which were over 33". I otherwise discourage people from riding the minis.

In my opinion, only those 33" and over should be ridden by a child under 75lbs--depending on the horse, the smaller the less weight. (ex. 33"--45lbs). I personally think that if you want a tiny equine to ride just find a small pony which would be better and encourage people to let their children age some more before introducing them to riding.

I also wouldn't sell my horses for dirt cheap--cheap horses are less likely to be well taken care of--and my horses are of too high quality to be given way--I'll keep them.

There's been to many cases where minis have been ridden by careless people in my area and seriously injured for me to just give away a horse to anyone.

Edited to add: by small pony I mean something around 45" perhaps large pony or small horse is a better term to describe what I am suggesting.

Goodluck with your horses!

Courtney

 

[susanne]

There is nothing wrong with a small child (I use 60 lbs as my limit) riding WHILE SUPERVISED. No reason to limit it to the show ring. That weight limit may be arbitrary, but I also worry about balance and weight distribution, as this can be harder on the back than weight alone.

It's very important to define what people mean by "ride." It would be a rare child who, at the size appropriate to riding a mini, would have the skills to actually "ride" a horse without a lead line, and those few who have learned to truly ride must still be supervised. No small child should be left unsupervised with any horse, no matter how gentle.

My B gelding adores children, and when he gave his first rides, he was amazingly gentle and careful with his young riders (Liz's Colton, and then Brandon), but his parents were right rhwew to balance and grab them if necessary.

 

[littlearab]

[ I personally think that if you want a small horse to ride just find a small pony which would be better and encourage people to let their children age some more before introducing them to riding.

IMHO a miniature IS A SMALL PONY!

a pony is a horse under 13 hands high.... so a miniature is a small pony... just with a piece of paper that says it a miniature horse..

:

 

[Minimor]

I know someone who has a B sized mini gelding, and her grandchildren have a blast with him. The granddaughter has now outgrown him & moved on to a small QH, but the grandson still rides him. When she was smaller the girl would trail ride him all over the place with the rest of the family on their bigger horses--she could trot & canter him around the field, and those kids could climb all over that pony. They also drive him, and I don't think the family will ever part with that pony even after the little boy outgrows him.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

The word "outgrown" is the important one here.

IF people are able to tell when an animal is outgrown there is absolutely no reason why a Mini of the correct size cannot be ridden by a child of the correct size.

We have ALL seen the ads, though =with some hulking great kid atop a poor depressed "kid-broke" Mini and I know we are all having this picture at the back of our minds.

I think this sort of thing has made us rightly leery of selling a Mini specifically for riding to someone we do not know.

I sold a 38" fairly stocky Appy mare two years ago to someone who wanted a pony that was not a Shetland as a fist riding pony for her tiny seven year old.

I did not know her but she had this pony's future mapped out for her, right up to her retirement!!

I was impressed- I also liked her children, which counts for a lot.

They bought the mare and I have never regretted it.

As a rule I would not sell a Mini as a riding pony but there are exceptions to every rule and I think you have to treat each case as it comes and go with your gut feeling.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I dont see why anyone would think that a mini isnt a small pony?

I dont think there is anything wrong with a child riding a mini in fact my first riding pony was about 34 in tall and I rode him all day long. He had no problem carrying me. The key is the build of the mini/pony IMO not the height.

 

[jdhand]

I recently sold a 37 inch 2 year old mini to a family for their young grandchildren. The situation was very unique. I had this particular horse priced high because I didn't really care if he sold because he was the most gentle and sweet horse I have ever raised at my place. He is also a gray leopard. Anyway the man came and looked at him and bought him anyway. I couldn't turn down the money plus the situation was perfect for the horse. This horse is so sweet it would be a shame for him not to be for children. They have him now and their 4 year old is riding him by herself. He is also driving for them. They just love him. I think every situation is unique, but the larger minis are really better in my opinion for small children.

 

[HGFarm]

I see nothing wrong with a very small child on a mini, however, who is going to use sense on when that child is too big to do it anymore? I know a lot of folks who have ponies with huge kids on them. The kids wanted a pony, the parents bought one, and now it is outgrown. The parents know nothing about horses- they leave it to the kids......

I dont ever recommend to folks that minis are for riding just for that reason. I have seen kids so big on them that their feet were down around the horses ankles!!! :no: