Miniature for a companion?

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Rudders74

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Whats your experiences of having a minature as a companion? Are there types with calmer temperaments or ones to avoid? Are they as likely to be as accepted as a companion as a normal size horse/pony?
 
i have a mini and she is a total star. She adores my big warmblood mare and tries to groom her although cant reach v high. Has to be muzzled in summer but i regularly take them for walks together. Mine is a minature spotted horse and has a wonderful kind but cheeky temperament and is as bright as a button.
 
I got 1 initially as my friend and I kept our horses together and one or the other would go nuts if the other was out. Buttons is 29", I got him when he was six months old, he doesn't give a hoot if he's left alone, he fits in the stable with a biggy so is great for box rest, he fit his purpose perfectly. I've got another one as well now and he wouldn't be suited at all as he would break his heart if left alone
 
Brilliant, just imagining her managing to groom the lower parts of your warmbloods legs! I guess one thing you have to do is extra fencing lower down as they can nip under the wooden or electric fencing!
 
yes extra line of fencing but mine is v good. I got her unhandled at 10 months ,shes now 5 and is v much a big horse in a tiny body. Very sociable and has to stop and say hello to everyone on our walks or refuses to move...
 
I used to have 3 for the companion purpose, but my horses didn't understamd that they were also horses and didn't settle if one ridden horse went out without the other. They were quite happy to use a single stable as a field shelter (all 5 of them) when they decided it was too foul or wet to go outside, and there was never any nastiness amongst them, but they ate a hell of a lot for littlies so they ended up being sold onto new homes.
 
I also have one :)
She takes her job as companion very seriously, can be left on her own in stable, paddock etc and is excellent with small children too. Good also to box, farrier, vet etc has evrn had pretend clipping to help allay fears of biggns :biggrin3:

Has got on with a variety of 5 different horses in the past 3 yrs, nannying them.
She will not stay behind just electric fence but DOES stay in any properly fenced paddock.
Would not be without her :)
 
Depends on the horse. My old TB would have had a heart attack if he saw a mini, my welsh cob loved them. My new girl is a little weary and is making faces at them so i dont know if she will b able to go with them or not.
 
I know of mini one that has been kept entire. He is companion to a much bigger mare. His hormones keep him rushing round, so no laminitis, but little size means no hope of mounting her. She seems to regard him as her foal. Has worked successfully for many years!
 
Thanks everyone for your replys . Might be a silly question but it seems mainly colts and mare miniatures on the market but hardly any geldings. Would there be a reason for this?
 
I'm getting a colt this weekend. The fillies sold before I had a chance to call! I'm paying a good sum for him though. He's fully registered and very gorgeous. Six months old and will geld asap, as he is going to be a companion for my NF mare.
 
Both mine are geldings, I had buttons snipped soon after I got him because it made no difference to me how small he was, he was living with a mare and spent most of the time following her around with his nose under her tail. Star was a stallion until I got him from the rescue centre at 15, he came to me because I only keep geldings and they were unsure how he might be with mares, as it is he is such a quiet little chap I don't think he would have dared go near a mare
 
I have a little mini mare who I got as a companion so I could ride and my old boy wouldn't be on his own. She's great - a real character and although she's only 28 inches no one has told her and she's definitely the boss and has my 2 TB's exactly where she wants them. She lives on fresh air and is muzzled 24/7 as they all live out and still quite round but she has already dropped a bit of weight now the weather is getting cooler. I was a bit worried about getting her as I have no experience with minis and was concerned as to how she'd fit in with the big boys and their reaction to her but they all get on well and she's part of the family now. I would definitely recommend one. Her party trick is standing under the boys when it rains to keep dry - she's definitely not thick!
 
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I had a mini years ago as a companion, and the other horse couldn't see the point of her at all and was completely disinterested.
 
I had a Shetland as a companion, my big horse was scared when he arrived (18 months old and feral!), but after a short period of time he loved him.

Sadly a 17.2hh TB loving a Shetland was not a recipe for success, they played quite roughly, and the Shetland usually won, until the TB learned he could knock him over, kneel on him to pin him down and bit him repeatedly. Sadly for me the Shetland still won as he did not have a mark on him despite frantic struggling to get up, but when he was up he kicked the living whathaveyou out of my horse.

I thought that the large gashes, lumps and bruises on the big boy may have sorted the matter and the big lad may have learned, but when we saw the poor mite on his side again, pinned down and being bitten, that was it and we separated them.

Rolo was still nice to have around, was still company albeit at a distance, but we did have to reinforce and electrify the fencing. He cost very little, ate fresh air, was sweet.
 
We have two minis for companions and they are just fabulous, the bigger horses adore them, anything that isn't sure of the smaller ones soon adapt and watching the mutual grooming is hilarious when the wee ones can only reach legs! We've never had any issues and even when the herd have a hoolie, the minis are usually at the front! x
 
Small ponies can be great companions . Mine have been very useful to me over the years. Just make sure you have somewhere for them to go if you need to restrict grazing. I find mine are fine if they have acres and acres as they burn off what they eat but get too fat on smaller acreage and need properly restricting. Teach them early on about electric fencing and learn how to erect it properly ie properly tensioned and you'll have no problems. Make sure they have plenty of room to get out of the larger horses way if necessary and perhaps a safe place to escape to....I have a rail across a stable/shelter high enough for a pony to get under but not for a horse.
And just remember, a vet call out is the same for a Shetland as it is for a horse :)
 
Rudders74 said:
Whats your experiences of having a minature as a companion? Are there types with calmer temperaments or ones to avoid? Are they as likely to be as accepted as a companion as a normal size horse/pony?
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lots of small animals can be companions.


Goats
Donkeys
****lands
and small pony.



check the welfare pages for companions.
 
Moya_999 said:
check the welfare pages for companions.
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Definitely this

As for temperament, if they have been treated as a pony and not a child, then they should have a great temperament. They are playful and cheeky but are as trainable as any other horse or pony. No need for bad manners. Mine have been out with a tb, heavyweight cobs, bigger ponies of various types with no problems at all
 
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Rhodders said:
https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net...=21a0ecb2a7fc307e5b38b72c6cfd9e2e&oe=54BD3034
here's mine doing box rest duty
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I always loved this photo, its so cute.

Here is my gang coming in for dinner, the horse is now away on retirement though.

1503949_10202339090256082_1443506191_n.jpg
 
Moya_999 said:
lots of small animals can be companions.


Goats
Donkeys
****lands
and small pony.



check the welfare pages for companions.
Click to expand...

I'm looking down the donkey route as one horse and don't want a lot of screaming if i go out for a hack. I rang the donkey sanctuary as thinking about two donkeys. I need to fill in forms (fair enough), do a day course then wait for them to visit and approve the place- easier and less hassle just to go and buy a couple!
 
I got my mini when my other companion pony suddenly had to be put to sleep in the middle of winter. I was worried that my horse would not recognise mini as a horse! But apparently he passed horse status and so I was able to stable my horse again as he will not stay in on his own.
Mini has restricted grazing in spring and autumn other wise he is out in the big field and keeps fit by their general field antics. He is so easy to look after. He is very happy to be stabled, left in or out on his own when we go out. Only problems are that he is a bit sweet itchy during the summer and he won't let OH catch him! Got him from a friend who went to New Forest pony auction to buy one and came back with three colts! Love him to bits.
 
claude rains said:
I'm looking down the donkey route as one horse and don't want a lot of screaming if i go out for a hack. I rang the donkey sanctuary as thinking about two donkeys. I need to fill in forms (fair enough), do a day course then wait for them to visit and approve the place- easier and less hassle just to go and buy a couple!
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I thought about donkeys (as just moved to Ireland so plenty about), but not all horses accept them as companions and as you say you do need two. Also, I wanted something that I could use for lead-rein for my daughter and none of the donkeys here seem to be broken, they are all just pets.

Instead spoke to our local private rescue and got a just-gelded (at 12+) pound pony who is completely independent - no screaming from him at all (a little from my horse if I take the pony out - but no probs vice versa). They were so snowed under they didn't home check or anything like that, I had my BHS exams and proof I had enough grazing and that was plenty. People always go for cute, young, friendly ponies, I stressed I wanted something that got on with other horses without getting too attached.
 
We have a mini Shetland gelding as a companion for our 4 yo gelding who was only castrated in April this year. We had previously tried various other horses and ponies in the field with him (4yo) but he was just a bit too playful and dominant. Our instructor had a mini and needed a place to keep him so we thought we'd try them together. It is a match made in heaven. They share a field and a stable and eat out of the same haynet. The mini now belongs to us! If the 4 yo becomes too playful or dominant its not a problem for the mini as he is too quick and nimble to be caught by the 4 yo. Also helps that he can run right under him. He is also very very cute.
 
I've got two mini girls, 3 years. They weren't bought as companions but they do fill the role for my mare and have been grazed with her but my gelding hates them and would hurt them, very easy to do if big horse gets silly and one of them got in the way so mostly they are the other side of the netting fence where they can be easily seen but not squashed!
2013-09-05_19-01-53_117_zps95472b26.jpg
 
Bobbly said:
I've got two mini girls, 3 years. They weren't bought as companions but they do fill the role for my mare and have been grazed with her but my gelding hates them and would hurt them, very easy to do if big horse gets silly and one of them got in the way so mostly they are the other side of the netting fence where they can be easily seen but not squashed!
2013-09-05_19-01-53_117_zps95472b26.jpg
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how cute are they.....
 
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