Miniature shetlands with big horses?

[soph15]

So this might seem like a really silly question?

I sadly lost my old boy and have a lonely horse who’s not coping well on his own. We’ve found him a lovely new horse that suits exactly what we want but he’s not go to be here until the end of the summer. A friend has kindly offered to give me one of her miniature Shetlands to keep him company.

My boy is very gentle but he’s 16.2hh and very playful so I’m really concerned in case he accidentally tramples such a small little Shetland.
Am I being daft or do a lot of people keep big horses with mini ones???

 

[Nicnac]

I've got two big ones (a 16.2 and a 16.1) both geldings who love a hooly with a 10hh on her tippy toes. She is most definitely the boss and gives as good as she gets despite being rather elderly.

 

[Aperchristmas]

Our mini has always been a companion to big horses. He is bottom of the herd no doubt but he stands up for himself well enough so it never worries me. The only thing I will say is that with one or two exceptions, I think larger horses have never considered him to be their buddy in a way they do horses of a similar size. It's never been an issue, but on a personal level I always want him to have a best bud.

Basically, in your shoes, go for it.

 

[soph15]

Ahh thank you! I’m so glad to hear other people keep them together! I feel so silly for asking but I haven’t actually seen a mini with a bigger horse so it worried me??

 

[Leam_Carrie]

Here is my big horse with her mini companion

 

[soph15]

Here is my big horse with her mini companion

View attachment 67783

aww this is such a lovely photo! You’ve convinced me to get one to keep my boy company?

 

[EmmaC78]

I have a 8.2hh mini and keep him with a 15hh, 16hh and a 16.2hh without any problems. The mini stands his ground when needed but the bigger horses never really bother him anyway.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

My Mini Shitland lives with a very bolshy 15.1 chunk of a cob, a 16.1 Connie x cob and 2 small cobs. ShitPig (yes, that's his name?) gets on great with all of them ?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I'd be more worried for your horse than the Shetland to be honest ?

 

[meleeka]

My mini lives with 4 others, the biggest being 16.2hh. He’s a clever thing and always manages to stay out of trouble. He’s also allowed to share buckets when them all and pretty much do as he likes! The only thing I would say is that I wish he had a friend, nearer his own size. The old mare is 11hh, but she’s no fun for him, so his only playmate is a lazy cob. He’s very tolerant though and I don’t think he’s ever managed a roll without the Shetland pouncing on him.

 

[LEC]

I have a midi out with 17.2hh, 16.2hh and 17hh. The midi is fine. She rides and leads off the big ones. She has a fatty paddock for summer next to the big ones and a muzzle.

 

[Equi]

It can be fine or it can be a disaster. The main issue if you’re going to be keeping them over summer will be weight, they really struggle to stay trim during summer if they have too much grass.

 

[paddi22]

we get in different horses all the time with behavioural issues and they are all paired off with a mini when they arrive. we've never had an issue with them, the minis are well able to navigate themselves out of danger. if I've any worries about a particularly aggressive horse I'll have a small fencing area set up where the bottom rail is removed in one part and the minis can run under it if they need a break.

 

[rabatsa]

I know a mini that could be the perfect companion with the larger horses, then he would become a demon and nearly kill them. He would attack from underneath and grab their throats. Needless to say his days as a companion were limited.

 

[Auslander]

Alf is not a fan of minis - this photo was taken shortly after Ivan went underneath him and bit his sheath! Alf felt that he was absolutely justified in taking a chunk out of Ivan!
The gremlins live with a herd of big mares, and muddle along absolutely fine!

 

[scruffyponies]

Word of warning - if your big horse hasn't ever seen a mini before, then introduce carefully. Sometimes the sight of one can cause a total meltdown.

Not sure if they think it's a monster, or perhaps they know it's a horsd, but assume whatever cut the legs off it will get them next.

Same with donkeys.

 

[zandp]

A friend has one that lives with her horses and ponies, he's shared a stable with her 16hh App for years.

 

[HollyWoozle]

We have a mini gelding who has lived out with a 16.2hh mare and a very playful 16hh gelding with no problems.

 

[Aperchristmas]

Other posters have made the very important point about weight/diet, I should have mentioned it in my post because it is such a challenge. In an ideal world, our shetland wouldn't get any hay in winter (he's out 24/7), or maybe a bit towards the end if he was looking too lean. In an ideal world, he would spend the summer in either a track system or starvation paddock. In an ideal world he would get absolutely zero hard feed ever. Unfortunately, if we want to keep him with the big horses we have to compromise. That means that he does get hay in the field, he only goes in a starvation paddock if he's footy, and he gets a tiny handful of chaff to go with his pills (antihistamine in summer, vitamin b3 all year round). He is of course muzzled, but he is still overweight. We try to balance him getting enough time out with other horses and being a horse with managing his weight. It's impossible tbh.

 

[Scotsbadboy]

I would worry too much about the difference in keeping them. I've thought long and hard about adding a couple of mini's but unless i create a pen/ small paddock to starve them in, im back to individual turnout!

 

[Leandy]

I have known a mini badly injured (broken leg) by larger horses so I would be wary. Of course field accidents can happen with horses of any size so hard to say whether size differential was a specific factor. I don't keep minis though so don't really have proper experiences.