What do breeders do with "too tall" minis?

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Freebird

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I know you're not allowed to advertize here, so I hope I'm not breaking that rule, but I just don't really know where to look. I'm not wanting some high priced show quality, registered Mini. I don't care about papers, and seeing as how I want something under the $500 range, I was thinking about finding a Mini that would be too tall to register, but where do I look? Do breeders ever advertize or even get such a Mini?

If this is too close to advertizing, then please feel free to edit this post. I'm not looking for people to tell me about a specific Mini, just wanting to be pointed in the right direction.
 
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[SIZE=14pt]By too tall do you mean over 38? Post a want ad on the sale board.... good luck they are out there im sure. Your biggest obstacle will be your price. Even unregistered ponys go for more than that here.[/SIZE]

Lyn
 
I'm sitting here half way thinking if you could catch my 40" or so pony, Sundance, and load in him your trailer, you could have him! Of course, then Harvey might divorce me though.

I'd also suggest posting a "wanted" add.

There is one buckskin TALL colt I remember seeing who is GORGEOUS. He was recently on the sales board, but I don't recall his price. I do think he is on the east coast and he's really a looker and I think right in your price range.
 
I know when I bought my Shetland pony It was because he was too SMALL The Lady ran a pony ring and this one was too small for her needs he only got to be 39-1/2 INCHES.. and because he was too small for her needs she had him up for sale for $175 and this is the one that I hauled all over the country in the back seat of my car. I taught him to drive and we would drive up and down the irrigation canals in Tempe, AZ. and all over the Phoenix metro area.. So if I got that one for a way reduced price because being too small for a pony ring I am sure there are REAL deals out there for these mini that go Over and would be about the size as that Shetland was~!!!! Many times I see pony advertised in local papers for 300 to 550... Lots and lots of them. So they are out there for sure...
 
Yea, I agree with the saleboard. I remember a 39 inch blue roan gelding broke to drive and everything. I wonder if he ever sold?
 
I do think you will be able to find you a nice oversize mini in your price range. Both the saleboard and auctions have them...in fact you could even find an in size horse for that. There were colts being run throught the mini and pony auction her last year for $150.00. Yes they are out there.
 
shmini - That is TOO funny! LOL, at first I thought you were kidding about him riding in teh backseat....untill I saw your Avatar!

Can anyone point me to some other Mini Horse Classifieds? (I already checked Dreamhorse and equine.com)

Thanks!
 
Try placing a WANTED ad on the L'il Beginnings salesboard. I would imagine there are many out there that are not advertised. I'd also be proactive and email breeders near you if they know of any.

Are you specifically looking for any oversize "mini"? If you are open to all sizes, I would say that, too. You may find pet quality or nonbreeding minis out there whose owners simply want to find a wonderful home.
 
Your welcome to visit my site, listed in my signature..... I have an unregistered filly...Take a peek!
 
I feel that the sales board is a good idea; however, if I were looking for a mini just to be a pet, I would most likely grab a little cash and go to the nearest horse auction. I got a real keeper there is past winter, only paid a hundred for him plus another hundred in vet bills, but I did the guy a big favor as the meat dealers would have got him.
 
Anytime any of ours GO OVER the 34" mark we either take them to the odd and unusual sale or sell them of the farm for around a hundred bucks.
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[SIZE=14pt]O.K. Here I go.
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We've talked about this countless times, but here it is first hand.

Susanne you posted exactly the right answer "You may find pet quality or nonbreeding minis out there whose owners simply want to find a wonderful home."

and the rest of you correctly assumed colt/gelding.

I say that because that's the first thing any of us responsible breeders who work so hard to promote these horses think of when faced with a request like this:

I'm not wanting some high priced show quality, registered Mini. I don't care about papers, and seeing as how I want something under the $500 range, I was thinking about finding a Mini that would be too tall to register
I wish to h-e-double hockey sticks that I had read this forum post before last night, before I responded to her saleboard ad...........

In case any of you missed it here is her saleboard ad:

I am not looking for a fancy, show quality Mini, and I don't mind if she is over the height limit.  I would prefer something under 8 years old, and would love a youngster.  Temperment is most important, since I have a 3 year old son.  I would love to have a mare in foal - foal would one day be used in a Theraputic horse program - and am experianced in broodmare and baby care, but do not believe in breeding just anything with a uterus.  We currently have 3 pony mares, and a Mini Gelding who is too tall to reg. so was given to us...we adore him,  and would love to have a buddy for him, on the days we have to put him in his paddock (aka the Weight Watchers paddock)  We have great pastures, with 4 board fensing, ,and live on the property.  I can provide excellent referances, and will gladly stay in touch and send pictures and emails.
If you have a filly or mare who just grew too tall to register, or isn't quite fancy enough for teh show ring, or if you have a mare in foal to an "oops" foal, and woudl like your Mini to go to  a wonderful forever home, then please contact me.
When I read this ad I had just completed another sale after finding a wonderful home for my Sugarboy/Buckeroo mare. I have a filly I want to find a pet home for (I don't feel she's breeding quality now but she may be when she matures more to tell) -I offered/am offering her for half price with purchase of a full price mare from me. The woman who just bought a mare had already bought another here in Ga. and had already made shipping arrangements to Louisianna for 2... transporting 3 was not a possibility. So.........when I saw Freebirds sale board ad....what I saw was:

"If you have a filly or mare who isn't quite fancy enough for the show ring" and "if you would like your Mini to go to a wonderful forever home, then please contact me." and "I have a 3 year old son"
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I said to myself, well it won't hurt to offer since I was going to let my filly go for that price with the other horse anyway.... AND this person is here in my state so easier to check up on.

[SIZE=21pt]Big mistake.....I should have seen the words "she" "mare in foal" and "filly" used in conjunction with the word cheap.
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I offered my girl along with the reason I would even consider letting a well bred filly go for that price...which is because her tendons are lax in back and she was so far down on her pasterns as a baby she still throws her right back foot out to the side slightly -no mention of a club foot, she absolutely positively does not have that.

Although the return email was polite here's what it said:

"I don't know that I could pay $500 for one with a club/turned out foot....not saying she isn't worth it of course, or wouldn't make a wonderful companion horse...but we are not rich folk, so if I pay $500, I would want something correct.  However,  if you ever want/need to find her a loving home, I could provide that for you...though I am sure you will have no problem selling her - I bet she is a doll
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[SIZE=14pt]!"..............."if I pay $500, I would want something correct"
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Well instead of what I wanted to say I nicely replied and went ahead and sent photos and then promptly deleted all and added her to my blocked list. [/SIZE]

YOU my dear need to change your ad so folks will know what you are really looking for, maybe word it like this..................I am not looking for a fancy, show quality Mini (but that's what I want) and I don't mind if she is over the height limit (as long as she's correct) I would prefer something under 8 years old (prime for breeding) and would love a youngster. Temperment is most important, since I have a 3 year old son. I would love to have a mare in foal (under 500.00 or FREE)) - foal would one day be used in a Theraputic horse program - and am experianced in broodmare and baby care, but do not believe in breeding just anything with a uterus. We currently have 3 pony mares, and a Mini Gelding who is too tall to reg. so was given to us...we adore him, and would love to have a buddy for him (not really) on the days we have to put him in his paddock (aka the Weight Watchers paddock) We have great pastures, with 4 board fensing, ,and live on the property. I can provide excellent referances, and will gladly stay in touch and send pictures and emails

If you have a filly or mare who just grew too tall to register, or isn't quite fancy enough for teh show ring, or if you have a mare in foal to an "oops" foal, and woudl like your Mini to go to a wonderful forever home, then please contact me -(because I really want one cheap or free! but it must be correct breeding quality
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[SIZE=14pt]By the way here's my Filly[/SIZE]

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Interesting but that is not the norm.. There are many good ones out there even at rock bottom prices without defects. I know I bought one for 175 a Shetland and was a very good one.. Nothing wrong no abnormalities just a plain ordinary pony.... Oh well some people want to take others I guess... But that is why you read ads very carefully and get pics and do all sorts of corresponding before purchasing I guess..
 
Ahhh yes Debby I know the feeling.

I too have fallen for the "just looking for a pet" ads which, when investigated further, actually translates to "want pet price, but breeding/show quality" later on in the correspondence.

It is very frustrating later on when that person bashes the seller because their "pet" is not the "breeding quality animal" they expected at that pet price!

Buyers need to be upfront and honest about their intentions with a horse.
 
First off, since this BB does have a NO ADVERTISING rule, I don't think it is appropriate to post my ad here.

Secondly, I am a nice, honest, person. Therefor, I get a bit confused when people post things on a BB about me, instead of saying it directly to ME.

Now...I realize that this may offend some who think I am just out looking for a free mare, so that I can breed the heck out of her. This is certainly NOT the case. I had a man email me about a very lovely gelding and had he been in Ga, I would have certainly been interested. I want a mare because well, I like them.

You know Debbie, I actually went online to post something about you, and although you decided to lash out at me on a public BB, I will still post what I intended to post, and that is, that I am really beginning to admire Mini breeders. I have had several people say that they had a cheap Mini, but would not sell it with the papers, etc. Coming from the TB and pony world, I see so many poor quality horses get bred just because they can, that I am finding the Mini world very refreshing.

I did not mean to imply that your mare was incorrect - please remember I said that before seeing ANY pictures - I just stated that I wasn't ready at this time to pay $500 for her. Now, I tried to be as polite and courteous as I could, and quite frankly I expected the same from you - being the adults that we both are. Now, I am sorry that I am not out desperately looking for a Mini. Not everyone out there is a Tire Kicker - some of us are just very picky, because well...we can be.

It may sound ridiculous that I am looking for such a cheap horse, but there ARE diamonds in the rough out there. I have a pony I bought from someone's backyard for $600, and most likely could have bought her for way less, ,and she is now leased out and insured for $4,000. My mini gelding Simba, is very nice, and yes, he was free. I have a Welsh X Mare who I have on a long term free lease, but will be purchasing (for low cost) this fall. Here she is:

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So...maybe you think that it is impossible to get a nice Mini for next to nothing, but I certainly don't think it hurts to try. They ARE out there.

One last thing. A woman in Ten, emailed me about a lovely Mini mare she had. She was very correct, with no soundness issues, but was a bit over the height. She was at a fair price of $600, and even offered to breed her for me for just a bit more - though I wouldn't want to breed one so late in the season...way to hot. She also offered to deliver the mare at no cost to me. How NICE is that??? She was just so beyond nice. I emailed her back that I would have to think about it, as it was a bit more then I had wanted to pay, but could possibly swing it in Sept. She emailed me back that she wasn't desperate to sell her, because she was a member of their family, but that I could email her if/when I was ready to buy. Now THAT is class,
 
Freebird you had already brought it here, so it was appropriate to bring it back seeing as you asked for advice.....the point is you, very wisely I might add, did not once mention what you were really looking for here in the post you started and I find that very telling.

So...maybe you think that it is impossible to get a nice Mini for next to nothing, but I certainly don't think it hurts to try. They ARE out there.
No I don't think it is impossible, you absolutely can find some people are willing to give one to an approved home, and rescues you can adopt, and some to buy very cheap, it happens all the time especially when people go buy one from a breeder and keep it as a pet for their kids or what ever and then they tire of it.

The problem I had with you is you wanted advice about getting a miniature cheap or free and you were given excelent advice, then you turned around and posted your ad with what you are really looking for -a mare -a bred mare $500 or less preferably Free.

I'll tell you why I take offense but am only talking generally -sometimes a bad situation may force a really, really nice breeding quality mare on the market and you could luck up and buy her for your price......nothing wrong with that, you'd be a very lucky woman! BUT more that not your 500 or free mare who could/maybe be bred is not breeding quality and will produce another of poor quality which adds to the over population of poorly conformed horses.

If you are the type to go to the backyard auctions -go!... you can find what you are looking for from the traders, and can get one cheaper than 500.00....and the circle continues.

The remark you made about "if you pay 500 for one it will be correct" is the other thing that got my hackles up.........now it's laughable. At the time..........well if you had been here on my property you'd have gotten a heck of a tongue lashing and been shown the driveway.

Do you have ANY idea the registry and DNA fees we pay?

Have you ever spent 2 weeks with no sleep waiting for a mare to foal and paid the vet fees we pay to make sure we can offer healthy correct foals to potential buyers?

I'm darn sick of people thinking of miniatures as though since they are 1/3 the size of a big horse they have to be 1/3 the price and that 500 is an exorbitant amount to spend on one.

The amount you spent on your pony was exorbitant around here unless it was trained in western and english and would pony club, at which point you got a heck of a good deal.

And the price for the oversize mare is right in line....so it was $100 over the amount you wanted to spend? I got to tell you if you do not have the funds to negotiate the sale of a nice horse...how would you afford to vet one?
 

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