Do minis give you backache?

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Patchworkpony

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Looking at minis at the moment as they are such fun and easy to keep if you manage them right however I am worried about the backache situation. At my age I do find it harder to bend and wondered if everyone with miniatures has this problem or whether they have come up with a solution. I met a nice woman yesterday with a huge dog that was bigger than a mini and she said it gave her backache to brush him so she had invested in a grooming table - now there's a thought. Any ideas on how to enjoy one's mini without living on painkillers?
 
Patchworkpony said:
Looking at minis at the moment as they are such fun and easy to keep if you manage them right however I am worried about the backache situation. At my age I do find it harder to bend and wondered if everyone with miniatures has this problem or whether they have come up with a solution. I met a nice woman yesterday with a huge dog that was bigger than a mini and she said it gave her backache to brush him so she had invested in a grooming table - now there's a thought. Any ideas on how to enjoy one's mini without living on painkillers?
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Are you being careful how you bend? Bending from the knees or the hips and keeping the back fairly straight? and not twisting with a bent back?
 
It hurts my back to pick my mini's feet out but usually I just crouch on the floor if I want to fuss him or brush him :)
 
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It does seem there is a back issue and given that my knees are not too brilliant either I think I will build a platform and train them to stand on that!! Actually joking apart I did exactly that with my milk sheep years ago and it worked brilliantly. Perhaps there is an opening for someone to invent a type of 'mini bridge'.
 
Duhhhh.... There was me about to rave about how comfortable the seats are in mine and no it doesn't hurt my back :blush:
Mini horses always look so cute!!
 
I have three minis and I kneel on the floor to do belly straps up (I cannot crouch down due to a torn cartilage in one of my knees) and when it comes to grooming legs and bellies I just sit on the floor next to them. Feet don't take two seconds to do so doesn't have much effect on my back thankfully.

p.s I'm aware of the dangers of sitting on the floor next to my ponies, I trust them and it's my choice so no bad comments regarding me sitting around them please :)
 
Dancing_Diva said:
p.s I'm aware of the dangers of sitting on the floor next to my ponies, I trust them and it's my choice so no bad comments regarding me sitting around them please :)
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I used to sit on the floor with my 15 .1 Welsh cob and he would lick me all over my face and neck. As you so rightly say it is a matter of trust.
 
I sit on the floor round my 13.2 new forest pony as well, she's 6 this year and had her from 4 months so I trust her too. Horses are horses and something could spook them and I could get jumped on but hey, I could get flattered leading them or while standing next to them you just never know.

Minis are great though, I have very bad lower back and hip problems as well as a knee awaiting surgery and I don't suffer any more by doing things with the minis. Should def get one there just a joy to own :)
 
Well, our two new 10 month old Mini's arrived on Wednesday, I had mega fencing up, but they escaped last night, so Dan and I spent 8 hours today putting up stock fencing, not my first choice, but works and is lower risk for such small shoeless hooves and legs and far less risk than them getting Lami.

I haven't had any trouble with my back, which is very quick to tell me if It's under strain after my fall. I do however just sit on the floor with them to groom them. In fact, for anyone who doesn't like that, turn away now...every day since they have been here, I have lay down in the field with them, flat out, letting them graze all around me, sniff me up and down and build confidence with me. Looking up into a clear blue sky with the silhouette of a teeny fluffy face looking down at you is something everyone should experience. ��

If it's wet or cold, I'll just put my salapettes on to be able to sit/kneel down with them. I don't think they had a great experience being haltered and they are much more comfortable when we go down to their level.

These two are basically going to be pets. I will get them used to little basket saddles maybe so that when we have children, they can be first little ponies, but we're a few years away from that.

They are an absolute joy! :)
 
Aww GG glad your enjoying your new minis already :)

Glad it's not just me who sits or lays on the floor around mine. Hay I even go bare foot in the paddling pool with one of my minis as she loves the water.. My new little one is quiet nervy and I can often be seem crawling along the ground in the field to get near him as like you say it's better if your on their level.

I have all my field stock fenced around the outside and then have electric on fence insurlaters at different heights screwed into the fence posts over the stock fencing other wise the little darlings rub on it or learn over it and as it's easy to squash it's not ideal.!

Wouldn't be without my little un's their fantastic.. Will try and share some pics in a sec :)
 
If say yes! I get terrible back ache if I groom my two minis. I must be honest and say that it's very rare that I do it though! They are inherited family pets and keep my big lad company. They are little ******* though, but totally bomb proof!
 
Dancing_Diva said:
Aww GG glad your enjoying your new minis already :)

Glad it's not just me who sits or lays on the floor around mine. Hay I even go bare foot in the paddling pool with one of my minis as she loves the water.. My new little one is quiet nervy and I can often be seem crawling along the ground in the field to get near him as like you say it's better if your on their level.

I have all my field stock fenced around the outside and then have electric on fence insurlaters at different heights screwed into the fence posts over the stock fencing other wise the little darlings rub on it or learn over it and as it's easy to squash it's not ideal.!

Wouldn't be without my little un's their fantastic.. Will try and share some pics in a sec :)
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Haha, yeah, we have electric fence posts holding the bottom down and the keeping the top up in between the main posts as we were worried about that as well, but I have to say, they are so small they are well under the height of the stock fence bless them.

Your photo link didn't work but here are ours...

Dolly
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Paulo
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:)
 
They are adorable- so ickle and fluffy :) Have to say, just doing my welsh a's hooves and rugs is enough to give me backache- and he is only 11.2hh! Having said that, I would never sit down around him, as he is pretty quirky and can be a bit handy with his back legs if the mood takes him... So lots of bending for me!
 
I have quite a lot of mini shetlands - we breed on a (very!) small scale, plus work them for ourselves (drive, ride, etc). I also have a history of back problems. Once we've had them for a while, they're pretty good, with excellent manners. I tend to sit on a portable stool to brush them on the lower bits like legs & tummies - I can reach manes, tails & backs without too much bending. This has never yet proved a problem - they're used to it, and all very good natured, so take it all in their stride. I am aware of the potential problems, but consider any risk to me of injury by pony to be lower than injury to my back by bending.
 
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