Showing mini horses verses

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blueprintminis

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Anyone out there have experience showing both Mini Horses and Mini Donkeys? Are the classes similar? Do you handle and "show" them the same way? both in halter classes and in driving classes? I know minis get their entire bodies sheared for the most part? Do they do the same thing with the mini donkeys? What about "make-up" and hoof black? The mini horses are often shown in those tiny cable halters. Would you use something similar on a mini donkey? What about show-ring attire for the handler? Would nice dress jeans and a blouse or sport shirt be o.k. if the show is at a local county fair?

Just curious about how many of you out there raise and show BOTH mini horses and mini donkeys. By the way, do mini horses and donkeys get along? Can they be kept in the same pasture?

Thanks!
 
We have a couple of mini donks. We keep them with our mini's. We don't show the donkeys. They seem to get along just fine. You might want to ask on the Donkey page.
 
Good Morning,

I helped work a donkey show in Conroe Texas back on August 13-14. There are some differences in showing.

Clipping: They do body clip and very little makeup if any

Hoofs: Donkeys hooves are trim as if they are club footed. No toe at all and yes they do black them for the show ring

Setting up: The one thing I saw (I was the announcer) is that they don't work them off of the lead to teach them to stand square. They can touch them on the jaw, but cannot touch their legs, set their feet, touch them on the shoulder, cannot touch them on the hip or stifle. They don't use "food" for bait, but can use their hats or just put their hand in front of them to get the donkeys to put their ears up.

They do have showmanship class, obstacle class, no hunter, no jumper, but they do pole bending, barrel race (in a cart), keyhole, snigging and a couple other classes that were new to me.

There were three of us there that had never worked or been to a donkey show and had a good time seeing the difference in showing.

If you are interested in getting started or need some information you can contact:

The National Miniature Donkey Association (they do have a website)

Karen
 
When they body-clip, it is with the lay of the hair, and not too short. the manes are pretty well roached, as well.

In the driving classes, they are only required to do two trots, collected, and working. They are never asked to "trot-on", as most donkeys do not have the reaching/lengthening ability that horses do. Some DO, I know, but it isn't required of them to do it.

Up here, we do have jumping classes for them, but there too, they differ. They are walked or slowly jogged to the jump, and they actually leap from a stand-still. They can jump very high, but it doesn't have the same form, as a horse.

They get along very well with horses; as much as horses get along with themselves.
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I am hoping to aquire a chestnut donkey myself, within the next few years. Friends of mine breed these gentle creatures, and I have learned to love them too.
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