Aggressive mini

MiniMilton

MiniMilton

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I have a mini shetland with a BIG attitude problem. I had been worried he would get injured so I had been putting him out with my goats. I finally got the courage to put him out with my horses and it turns out he is a complete psycho. He was launching agressively at my geldings and like a putt bull clamping down on their necks, not letting go and getting dragged across the field. Nothing like I've ever seen before. I was worried the 17handers would kill him so I put him out with just the 15handers.

Initially I thought he was a rig but my vet said that as he isn't getting aroused by mares in season then its safe to assume he just has an attitude problem. I decided to leave him out with the 15handers for the past week to sort it out amongst themselves. His aggression towards one of the geldings (my favourite) is unreasonable. To the point where I need to do something about it. I'm a little bit tempted to put a grazing muzzle on him but will this make him feel more intimidated and more agressive? I don't want to put him out with just mares as I feel this may make him think he is a stallion with his own herd. I think the bigger horses might have better chance of putting manners on him but they may actually kill him. His aggression towards geldings is so bad that he has no fear of the huge ones. Any advice most welcome. He gets a bit anxious in a paddock on his own or with goats and just watches the other horses. He does not looks scared of the horses, he just looks like a nasty angry little man with some serious territorial issues.

Help, I don't want to start hating this pony
 
I have a min gelding was cut 6 months ago and is now 18 years old so was a stallion for a very long time and whilst the cob who he is companion to and him are i seperale they do have moments in the field with the shettie hanging off his neck but it quickly settles down as quickly as it started, i do find it is worse when there is no grass to keep them occupied, the cob also does tease, the mini doesnt go in and start the fight n his own, could you put him eith just one other 15hh while he finds his place in the pecking order, poor little thing t mst be hard work trying to tell the bigger horses that he does exist.
 
If the other horses are relaxed/laid back with him, I would try the muzzle. He might not have been socialised properly as a youngster?
If you think it might be linked with hormones, even though he is not a rig, you could also give him a 1 or 2 months course of supplements.
 
thanks for the replies

putasocinit said:
poor little thing t mst be hard work trying to tell the bigger horses that he does exist.
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This is initially how I felt but my sympathy is wearing very thin at this stage!

I only have two 15 handers, a mare and a gelding. He leaves the mare alone completely. She just gives him a "don't you even think about it" glare. If I remove the gelding for a while I worry that the mini will become possessive over the mare. And then It will be worse when the Gelding is reunited. All the other horses are massive and are in a different field.

Palindrome said:
If you think it might be linked with hormones, even though he is not a rig, you could also give him a 1 or 2 months course of supplements.
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Would the supplements work on something that just thinks he has testosterone? And if so then recommendations would be most welcome.

He is definitely the instigator. The bigger gelding only needs to sniff at him and he launches into a frenzy. There are occasions when it looks like the mini is trying to make friends with the gelding but then a switch seems to go off and he goes nuts. He seems to have a screw loose. I think i'll give him another few days and then i'll have to think about resorting to a muzzle. It wont do any harm in some ways as the grass should get going soon and he'll be a little fattie
 
Can you fence off a small area in the field with the 15 handers so that they can get all round it so he can see them and get used to them without being able to get at the gelding?
 
You didnt say there was a mare so naturally two geldings one wants to he the sweetheart, mine again does this with the mares on the other side of the fence, they are his and when ou cob goes to say hello the shetty gets the shits in, so the cob now just doesnt say hello unless shetty is out of distance. Muzzling would work but it will not stop him going for the gelding and ofcourse the shetty will kick because it is his only form of attack, leave them to sort it out.
 
To be honest, don't shoot me for this, but if the 15 handers have had enough of his antics they'll put him in his place pretty swiftish.
 
Agree with you rhodders, kinder that way than muzzling and fencing off, makes you feel why have him, when the grass comes they will be thinking more about eating.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Mini is happily grazing with the whole herd. I got brave and put him out with the big ones, but in a huge field where there were plenty of escape routes. He must have got a few belts when I wasn't looking as he has a healthy respect for them. He is a peculiar little fellow, still pawing and snorting but no savaging.
Hurray!
 
Mine isn't a mini but he is only 11hh, he's cant be turned out with mares, he'll have a real go, he's gone straight through post and rail fencing to attack my filly!

Perfect LR pony but a complete nutjob round a mare!
 
Many years ago we went to a dealers and my friend saw a young Shetland in the field which was attached by its teeth to the leg of a Shire. For some mad reason she liked him and fetched him home where he proceeded to wrestle and fight constantly, especially with my pony. I kept thinking 'they'll sort themselves out in the end' and they did, but both ended up with bits bitten out of them and mine lost the tip of an ear. :eek:
He was always tormenting the others, always up for a fight and always chasing sheep if he got the chance.
Anyway, he did eventually calm down a bit once he had found his place in the pecking order, and hopefully yours will too, (and without too much blood loss!).
 
It's a mixed herd. It was a definite case of small man syndrome. When the horses approach him he tries to puff out his chest and I'm sure he'd beat his chest with his little hoof if he had the flexibility!
 
My little man (who is an entire stallion still) lives quite happily with my 2 14.2 geldings. He was a little ***** when we first had him, but having brought him up from age 5 to 24 I can honestly say that perseverance and treating him the same as a biggie, has meant he has an honest (if a little cheeky) approach to life.

When we go to shows it's hilarious, we have quite a big trailer and he gets all excited shouting his head off and people always look round when we drop the ramp thinking that something really impressive is about to launch itself out of the box, instead of which this really cute looking mini struts out!
 
tallyho! said:
Aren't all minis aggressive??

Short man syndrome anyone?

:D
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I have three and they are not aggressive at all, not to other horses or anything else although the rising two year old does like to try and pick the cat up by his tail.:eek: She is beginning to learn that cats are not very fond of being picked up and they have claws.:D They don't realise they are small though.
 
I'm only joking... I love minis and their personalities. They make me laugh!

My friend hates them with a vengeance. How could you not like anything with that much personality???

People wonder why big horses are scared of minis... they know better!
 
It's ok I never liked minis and never thought about buying one until year before last when I fell in love with a little 2 month old chestnut filly who kept leaving her mum and coming over to me as I walked my dogs, she was so full of character and once I knew she was for sale that was it I knew she would be mine. Now have three!!:) Would have a whole herd if OH would allow it. They are amazing little things and so cheeky just like having a big dog really.:D
 
Ooh, you are lucky - 3 of the little monkeys :D I'd definitely have more if I could, always hoped my little man might be the start of a herd but he has clicking stifles so he shouldn't really be bred from.

We only left him entire because he's soooooo good and we thought he might lose his sparkle once he lost his man bits. ;)
 
I fell head over heels with an American Shetland yearling (not everyone's taste I know) and it was only because my husband saw it on the mac that I got stopped from buying it...

Thinking about it now, not sure I would have actually put it through a transatlantic cross...

Platinum Twist it was called... Hang on... Omg still on YouTube!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7-kCnrPooe0
 
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