miniature horses

metalmare

metalmare

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As I have very limited grazing a possibility as a field mate for Humber would be a miniature horse.

I know there are some very poor examples of miniature horses, but what is the situation with their breeding like now? I have seen some that look really well proportioned. Are they healthy? Are they robust enough to turn out with larger ponies?
 
As much as I hate shetlands, if you get a well trained one they are good companions, we have a few miniature ones at our yard and they are little so and so's but are very good doers.
 
No worries... I don't need much convincing as my partner isn't keen on minis and besides I love my sec a.

Seen a couple of welsh I like but I don't want to alarm new field owners by purchasing another pony within days of moving Humber. Going to get my EPs opinion on what I can do with the land when she's up tomorrow. I suspect 13hh would be too much on the limited space, but if she thinks otherwise I might like something like this...

http://www.adtrader.co.uk/pets-and-animals/horse-sales/flora-is-an_680594.html
 
Shetlands do generally come with a smaller price tag than miniature horses and are usually tough as anything. One word of warning though...Shetlands appear to have the ability to escape from anywhere :o
 
why dont you go to a charity and loan a companion pony?

You would be helping the charity and a pony in need.
Often no one wants them when they are unrideable, but they have lots of love to give, humans and other animals.
 
I have a shetlandxfallabela, and he is the best! He has the nice temperament of the fallabela (doesn't push, shove or break through fences) but he is hardier like the shetland.
 
If you can get a young shetland (a yearling or possibly a two year old) then they are much easier to train to your liking. At the age of 4 my boy hasn't yet become an excape artist (touch wood) and it was much easier to train him before he found his strength. He doesn't bite either unless you really ask for it.
However, I would probably get a tiny Welsh Sec A because although they are still cheeky little b******, they are definitely better behaved than shetlands!
 
I have a miniature shetland and he's fantastic. Bit cheeky sometimes but not in a nasty way. He doesn't break out of the field when all the others have pulled all the fencing down and gone off to the other side of the field, he stays where he is put bless him.
We did however have him from 11 months old and he was feral, but he was easy to get used to handling.
 
i have a minature british spotted filly .definatley hardy and is out with our 15hh mare .she thinks shes a large horse in a small body. we got her as a companion and shes fab.
 
metalmare said:
As I have very limited grazing a possibility as a field mate for Humber would be a miniature horse.

I know there are some very poor examples of miniature horses, but what is the situation with their breeding like now? I have seen some that look really well proportioned. Are they healthy? Are they robust enough to turn out with larger ponies?
Click to expand...

Yes there are poor and good examples out there, and there are breeders who will take advantage of your lack of knowledge in miniatures. For a well bred miniature with good conformation you are talking quite alot of money and i think you would be surprised at how much ( not saying you cant buy good miniatures cheap, but they are hard to find ) Bloodlines are extreemly important in miniatures and prices will vary astronomically depending on this. Prices will also vary depending on which societies they are registered with too. If you want one that you will show then you need to do a great deal of research to get what you want, depending on which societies you wish to aim for. Miniatures also come in different "shapes" which also affects the shows to want to aim for. Also height is very important and an overheight horse could stop you showing.
If its just a companion you want then the registration and breeding isnt as important.
Although you should treat miniatures like any larger horse, you need to be aware that as stated above they are quite good escape artists. I have a 5 strand electric fence for mine. :)
To be honest i wouldnt turn any of my miniatures out with a larger horse. Thats just me, its not worth the risk. However i think Humber is just a section A? In which case a miniature should be ok.

If you have any questions on minaitures feel free to ask!!

edited to add, mine is very healthy!!! But there are some that arent and teeth is a real problem in miniatures!!

heres mine..

mhcgbchamp2010003-1.jpg
 
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Great info - thank you!

I found one earlier for 3.5k! A stallion who is obviously the bee's knees of miniatures. A friend of mine paid 2k for a pair earlier this year so it does seem that to get a really good one is expensive when compared to sec a's, etc.
 
metalmare said:
As I have very limited grazing a possibility as a field mate for Humber would be a miniature horse.

I know there are some very poor examples of miniature horses, but what is the situation with their breeding like now? I have seen some that look really well proportioned. Are they healthy? Are they robust enough to turn out with larger ponies?
Click to expand...

Can't help on the breeding aspect I am afraid, sorry. Cruiseline and Stinkbomb would be the ones to know about that.

My mini is a perfect example of backyard breeding, he has cow hocks, long pasterns and a bit of a roach back, BUT, he's as bright as a pin, very clever, healthy, hardy (lives out) survives on fresh air (although he'd tell you otherwise) is a fabulous character and gets on well with youngsters and smaller ponies, he is an excellent nanny for my weanlings, takes no messing. From my experience of them they are the Jack Russells of the horse world, big people in little bodies:D

DSCF5348.jpg


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Downside is, that apart from the stallion and a couple of the other horses most of my horses would very much like to kill him, one had a jolly good try :( For some reason mine just do not like small ponies, I would be very cautious about turning a mini out with larger horses, one kick, even in play, can kill, the risk is too great for me to consider. I wouldn't hesitate to try a mini as a companion for another pony though, if you get yourself a good one you can show too!
 
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I love that description :)

One reservation I have is that in the future I may be in the position to buy a horse or large pony and I'm not really one for selling one animal to make way for another (too sentimental) so I'm concerned about the co-habiting.
 
I know people do but i just wouldnt be happy turning a mini out with a larger horse. Like Enfys said it only takes one kick and to be honest the experience ive had at shows etc when weve encountered larger horses is that most see minis as the spawn of satan!!! Larger horses tend to really not like the minis!!

3.5K is not an unusual price TBH. My friend has several for sale at the moment, top top end of the miniatures for 7k. If you look at costs over in America you can be talking 20-30k for a top stallion!!
 
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