Mini advice please!

[Ormsweird]

So I've managed to buy myself a miniature horse, who doesn't arrive for a couple of weeks because he needs to be gelded first.

I'm hoping to keep him in the paddock with my now laminitic cob, so he'll be behind electric fencing.

I am willing to take any and all tips of keeping him there! Though to be fair to him I don't know if he's an escape artist yet, but it doesn't hurt to assume.

Also any other tips for minis would be appreciated! He's mostly going to be a companion, with some showing and possibly agility thrown in for good measure.

And I can't remember how to do pics now!

 

[meleeka]

Treat him like a horse and you won’t go wrong. Don’t make allowances on manners because he’s only little or you’ll have a spoilt brat on your hands. My mini shetland is a delight to have. He’s not an escape artist so long as there’s at least two strands of tape and it’s on. He knows of a bit touches the floor and it doesn’t click that it’s off and then he’ll get out. The funny thing is he’s always back where I left him by the time I get there so he can get away with it for a couple of days

When introducing them have a pen for him if the big one isn’t used to minis. After a while remove the bottom strand so that he can go in with the bigger one bit if there’s any trouble he can go back in his pen which the other can’t get to. My cob tried to stamp on my mini at first because he had never seen a mini.

 

[ycbm]

I second the pen advice. I have a cob who is seriously violent to minis when he first meets them.

And yes, do treat him like a normal horse, manners wise.

And you need a second. Everyone needs two That's not a total joke, my first one was so desperate to mutual groom that she did this, below to try to join in. When I bought her a friend she was beside herself with excitement at meeting someone her own size.

 

[_HP_]

Agree with getting two...and just make sure the electric is on and the wire/tape is well tensioned. I've never found Shetlands any harder to keep in than anything else

 

[Chinchilla]

Not to worry you or anything but the only way that would work to keep our shetland in somewhere he doesn't want to be to hobble him, cross tie him, blindfold him, and superglue his hooves to the ground. (Not that that's been done obviously!!!!)
And even then he'd probably escape; electric fencing doesn't stop him, even at the age of 28 he is a total houdini if he doesn't want to be somewhere. (Though if somewhere meets his exacting standards he's good as gold). But minis are far too clever for their own good at times.
He has no problems mutual grooming bigger horses, though: his best friend is 16.1. ... but then, the shettie's always been treated like a proper horse as was suggested above. So probably has an identity crisis over his size.
They are fab though.

 

[TelH]

If they don't escape it's only because they don't feel like it, not because they can't. They have an inbuilt ability to teleport if they can't get over/under/through your fence.

That aside, as has already been said, treat them like any other horse. I show mine in hand, take her for walks round the village, do a small amount of lungeing, in hand jumping. Pretty much like a bigger horse only without the ridden part.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Agree with above, two is a must or three! although one of mine loves grooming my cob ' s knees as he grooms her withers. They are very easy to keep and I have lost count how many times I have wished I had a 15hh version of my minis as their temperaments are amazing. One of mine was an incredible escape artist and would limbo under fencing to visit the neighbours who thankfully adored her, would let me know she was with them in their garden then return her on the end of a dog lead when they thought they had kept her long enough from her mum. She is to big now to fit under the fencing thank goodness so neighbours have to come and visit her. Weight can be a problem but saying that I have three and only one has to be monitored for her weight. I walk two of them, the third isn't interested in going out and am hoping this year that I will be able to ride the cob and lead the one with weight issues. Good luck I am sure you will enjoy every minute, they make me smile everyday and having had horses for 30 years never thought I would have a mini but love owning them and will never be without a miniature in my life again.

 

[meleeka]

You lot aren’t helping me! I’ve only got one and although he seems happy enough, his little face when one escaped from a nearby field made me think he’d love a girlfriend or partner in crime. I have two bigger ones who are pampered pets and I’m not sure I need to have four. (Unless they only count as a half and then I’d only have three)

 

[Moobli]

You lot aren’t helping me! I’ve only got one and although he seems happy enough, his little face when one escaped from a nearby field made me think he’d love a girlfriend or partner in crime. I have two bigger ones who are pampered pets and I’m not sure I need to have four. (Unless they only count as a half and then I’d only have three)

I've got two you can have

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

My 2 are also pretty good, my boundary fencing is to the ground all the way and they will stay behind any permanent fencing, tho try their luck at any temporary fencing for strip grazing. They never fail to make me
Both go out in hand, one long reins, lunges and drags tyres about, the other is a delicate flower so I don't over work her.
They adore doing TREK type courses, self loading in the box if at all possible and chasing any dogs that occasionally stray into the fields.

Def need a minimum of 2 though

 

[Chinchilla]

Of course OP you realise it's the law to provide pics when you get a new horse, don't you ?

 

[Ormsweird]

But I don't know how to do pics if photobucket doesn't work any more!

As for just one? These days I have a cob, fell and a welsh A... Wonder how that happened! So he's going to be going in the paddock with them. Damned fatties. And yes, already made contingencies for an extra line of fencing and he can go in his own section next to them to start with, like I did with the Welsh A.

And only told husband about him once I'd bought him, he'd kill me if another arrived.... That and he wants an Icelandic!

 

[claret09]

my 17.2 absolutely adored the two mini's at our previous yard. they would play in the indoor school for ages. he loved grooming them and they thought he was wonderful. we really missed them when we moved. I would definitely have some for company when we eventually buy somewhere with land. the two up at the old yard were carefully managed otherwise could be a bit footy and they could escape from any paddock - but they were adorable.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Ormsweird my husband wouldn't let me have another mini but after only two weeks of owning my first one he went back to the breeder and bought her mum and then a year later he bought another one. He loves them as much as I do even though he has never so much as looked at the big horses. They have a way of getting into your heart.

 

[Cecile]

Of course OP you realise it's the law to provide pics when you get a new horse, don't you ?

I love that ^^

 

[Cecile]

Ormsweird my husband wouldn't let me have another mini but after only two weeks of owning my first one he went back to the breeder and bought her mum and then a year later he bought another one. He loves them as much as I do even though he has never so much as looked at the big horses. They have a way of getting into your heart.

So true ^^
They seem to just magically arrive at my yard, husband seems happy with that

 

[Ormsweird]

Thanks for all the replies! Boyo should be gelded tomorrow! Then I'll book his transport.

And now trying for a pic:

 

[Chinchilla]

Thanks for all the replies! Boyo should be gelded tomorrow! Then I'll book his transport.

And now trying for a pic:

Ahhhh what an absolute stunner ! <3 <3 <3 <3 He's lush!!! Are you going to keep showing him in hand?

 

[Ormsweird]

Yes, the plan is either for myself or my daughter (whose 8) to take him out to local shows. And maybe do a little agility with him too.