taking mini for walks

[MPR]

I have 2 riding horses and am considering getting a mini. What I'd really like to do with a mini, is take him for walks around the neighborhood in the evenings. What I'm wondering is if a mini horse would like to go for walks, or would they be herd or barn sour like a big horse might be. I've heard that minis can be more like dogs. Dogs like to go for walks, but I'm concerned that a mini might not. Am I going to have to deal with the same things like barn sourness with a mini too. Would it be better to start out with a young one and get them used to this routine, or could I get a 5 or 6 yr. old acustom to this and hope they would be willing to go?

 

[whitney]

I've taken mine for walks down the road to get them used to cars, tractors etc. I will eventually be carting with them in traffic.

 

[chandab]

I live out in the country, but still take my stallion out for walks occasionally and he really seems to enjoying getting out and seeing stuff outside his pen. He doesn't even seem to mind leaving his girls behind in their pen. He seems to enjoy making the trek out to the mailbox and back (about 1/2 mile one-way).

Eventually, I hope to train him to drive and then that'll be our exercise, but for now we take walks. Helps immensely with his manners, too.

 

[Pandora]

Taking minis for walks is ALOT of fun. We do down to the road and on the road (live on a dead end road) and when we first got them, we would take them all over the property because my mom had just bought the farm and it was a fun way to explore it all. :aktion033:

 

[MPR]

So, they don't mind going out, leaving the other horses?

 

[Sandee]

So, they don't mind going out, leaving the other horses?

Yes, and no. They're a horse same as any other. The best answer is Most won't mind but then if you say always there will be an exception.

My filly was and is very easy going. She loves people and she loves other horses. The first place we took her was to the Midwest Horse Fair which isn't a show but an event promoting all horse breeds. We took her out of the barn with her constant friend (an older gelding) and she was very nervous. People wanted to see her and pet and by the time we returned her to the stall she was loving this "new place."

That's why I say like any other horse. Go slow exposing them to "new" situations. Make sure it's a positive thing and they'll get to like whatever you want to do.

 

[shane]

i live in the middle of a busy city, and i talk my four year old stallion, and my 2yr old filly for walks everyday, i take them down the road to the park were they meet and greet, kids and elderly and a lot of people who wouldnt normally see a horse, i take them to my daughters school, and i let them do there own thing in the park before heading home, they love it!!!!!!! my horses dont bat an eyelid at traffic no matter how big or small, try it its fun!!!!!!!!!

 

[susanne]

The only objection EVER with ours was with one that was left behind...that one would throw a fit.

We used to live in the middle of Portland, Oregon, and took our minis for frequent walks through the neighborhood and nearby city park. The director of security for Portland City Park asked only that we take along a big poop and scoop bag. He figured that we would be less of a probalem than his own two Great Danes...

Be a good citizen by cleaning up any manure and disposing of it properly, and be very aware of safety issues, both for you horses (watch their footing on pavement) and for people not savvy to the ways of horses (they can be very stupid).

We, our horses and everyone we met enjoyed the walks immensely.

 

[Leeana]

Taking them for a walk is not all you can do, you can take them for a Drive or train them to jump and take them over some jumps.

But, all mine go for a walk on average 2 or 3 times each week outside of the pasture. I take them through the front yard, walk them over to my sisters yard (next door). I also take my driving mini, Coco, for a drive on average once a week (when the weather lets us).

Normally they dont stand around in there stall all day, if they have a drylot and a buddy or two (beleive me, you will get more) ..you dont have to worry about them getting barn sore.

There really not like dogs, there horses and act like it. I use to take our big horses for walks around the yard all the time to, that doesnt make them a dog.

If your going to get a Miniature horse, your going to have to treat it just like what it is ...a horse and do all the horse type things with it.

Leeana H.

 

[RallyZ]

Before I had to take my mare (in my avatar) back to my sisters farm, for show season, I had her boarded at a friends farm just outside of the town that I live in. I would go out to see her every day and we would go for long walks through the fields and the bush and down the road. It was good exercise for me and I think it really helped to get her used to new sights and sounds. She really seemed to enjoy getting out and looking around.

Have fun with your new mini. :bgrin

 

[Flyte200]

My mini is born to walk and trot he loves it so much he see's me coming with his halter and lead and he comed troting to me knows where he's going too :bgrin :bgrin

Also he gets a bit of grass on the way back as a treat!! :bgrin

They love it and i live in the country to and our road is so busy with trucks and tractors they just say to themselves "another one of those seen thaem before"hahaha :bgrin :bgrin .

 

[BethC]

We take our Minis for walks all the time. Moonie does not care if we take him out by himself or leave him behind. Murphy cares a few minutes either way ... but then he forgets about it (and he used to worry about this more). We reinforce their "walk", "trot" and "whoa" commands when we walk with them, great exposure to traffic and things that jump out at you in the country (like bunnies).

BethC

 

[NMMack]

Ours go for walks all the time with me, or us! :bgrin

My Cardiologist wants me to walk as often as possible, so I take my little one for walks all the time! When Mike joins me, we take 2 with us, and we all have a great time! They love seeing new things, and I think that they feel Special getting to come out and spend one-on-one time with us!

The ones left behind don't seem to mind, they know that they will get their turn tomorrow! Little Peanut will push to get his nose in the halter now when I come out with it! I really enjoy having someone to take walks with, and being able to take one of my horses is a real incentive to me to get out there and DO IT!!!

:

Nancy

 

[luvmycritters]

My mini is born to walk and trot he loves it so much he see's me coming with his halter and lead and he comed troting to me knows where he's going too Also he gets a bit of grass on the way back as a treat!!

They love it and i live in the country to and our road is so busy with trucks and tractors they just say to themselves "another one of those seen thaem before"hahaha .

[SIZE=10pt]My mini's love to go for walks too. Even the one who was stand off-ish when I aquired her winnies when she see's me comming with the lead rope. There will always be the exeption to the rule. The way it is here though - the only one's who seem to have the problem are the one's who are left behind![/SIZE]

Lori

 

[Mercysmom]

What an awesome thread! :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:

We have taken many walks with a horse as a companion - we have enough horses at home that they don't mind when one leaves for the walk and the one going for the walk likes the special attention!

:

Only problems we encountered on the road was a neighbor's German Shepherd who ran out of his yard and tried to sniff Freedom while growling (my whip and double barrels from Freedom's hind end discouraged further contact) and two large horses that spooked when they saw Freedom...we had to hide behind a tree so they could pass safely.

:

Our former stallion Anakin had two large horse lady friends he liked to show off in front of.... one was a Morgan-looking mare and the other is a draft mare - looks like a roan Belgian. Anakin had a thing for the draft ladies... his pasture mate was my late Liberty.

Mercy likes walks for the food!

Any time spent with minis (or horses of any kind) is quality time in my book!

: :aktion033:

:

Denise

Silversong Farm

 

[Pepipony]

Shoooot my mini Truffle LOVES togo for walks! Only bad thing is he isnt afraid of a n y t h i n g!!!! Zip, nada, zilch! Had the schoolbus stop right in front of us, lights flashing, beeping, doors opening and he just stood there! Same with oil/gas field trucks blazing past, course they have to let the airbrakes out just as they pass, but Truffle never misses a beat. Funny some of the looks we get , me leading Truffle with my blind dog bringing up the rear LOL

: Cant wait till I start walking the goat too

:

 

[Devon]

We take ours on wlaks all the time!!

:

 

[SandyWI]

You can't get "a" mini! No one can have just "one" mini! They're too addicting! You'll want MORE!!!

Besides, where will you pasture him? It would be too dangerous to put him in with the big horses, although I did have one of my big horses pastured with a weanling. But that big horse was on the bottom of the pecking order and was very timid and mellow. He actually LOVED being with the mini!

As for walks, we live in the country, on a county road, and my daughter and I usually take them out three to five times per week for a walk. Or, I take one of them alone. They never seem to mind being away from the other horses, but then again, they probably think I'm one of them, as I'm always with them.

I've even loaded them up and taken them to town and walked right into stores with them. The people love it. But remember, this is a small town of 5,000 people, and everyone knows everyone else. This might not be too acceptable in a big city.

 

[MiniforFaith]

:saludando: I'm new to owning mini's, too. I have two and they get their walks everyday. And now that school is out, with my son's help, we are going for 2 to three walks a day... :bgrin . My two DO NOT like to be apart, so it is both, or it is a no go.. Bulldog got loose on the third day being with us.(The vet was here) It took us 45 min.s to catch him and in that time, we had to almost put up a new fence. Lucy did not like being by herself. So, they go together everyday. If my son doesn't help, then my hubby has been. It is really nice quality time together -- Family time-- and bonding time with our pride -n- joy's..

:

 

[BallynoeBaby]

Walking is the most important part of the day for my mini, except for dinner time. I got her at the same time as i got my dog and i swear that she thinks she is a dog, at the start she would not even need a lead, she just cam for a walk and did what the dog did, by stopping, getting a bit behind then running to catch up. Now she has learnt that if she stops to eat and doesn't run on i will always come back to get her. She loves her walks and we go on one every day.