There is the MOST ADORABLE mini mule you ever saw available for adoption at the Aiken Equine Rescue. OMG If I didn’t already have 2 rescue ponies, she’d be mine in a heartbeat…I LOVE goats but I’d stick with the equines, too. My TB adores his ponies and visa versa….
You know, donkeys are amazingly easy keepers. Ours are the cheapest animals we have, cheaper to keep than even the hens. And they’re adorable, hardy and full of wise thoughts.
Minis - Miniature donkeys, miniature horses, miniature goats - take your pick - we have all three. I would say the goats are the highest maintenance.
Donkey
Pros:
Adorable
Easy Keeper
Braying is hysterical
Very friendly and cuddly
Can pull carts
Good with bigger horses; very smart about keeping themselves out of danger
Cons
Smart
Problem solver
Often crappy feet at least in my experience
Braying - while adorable, can be quite loud and some people find braying very grating. I don’t.
Usually need to be shaved in spring as they usually don’t shed out their thick winter coats without assistance.
Can be very hard on wood surfaces as some like to chew wood, alot.
Miniature Horse
Pros
Super Cute
Good Feet
Easy Keepers
Can pull carts
Cons
Not smart about self preservation
Escape artist
Can be flighty and difficult to catch
Must be shaved in the spring time to get rid of thick wooly coats
Not always a good choice to put in with larger horses. Not as smart about their personal safety say like donkeys. I keep mine separate from the large horses; okay with larger ponies though
Miniature goats
Pros
Great size and very easy to handle versus some of their larger counter-parts like Nubians and Saanens
Adorable and entertaining
Easy keepers
Cons
Escape artists extraordinaires
Can be noisy
Like to climb on everything
Like to eat everything including your flowers and shrubs if not fenced away
Goatberries every where
Will chew on/taste everything including leather goods
Not all horses are crazy about them
Hate to get wet and need good shelter from the elements
I guess I am lucky - my goat is wonderful! I have a mare living here who is blind, and can’t go out w/ other horses. I got her a goat - went for a Nubian based on advice of a goat friend. This is a BIG goat - he never challenges the fence (plain ol’ no-climb wire), and he and the mare are the best friends.
I have a small “creep feeder” in their shelter where I keep his goat mineral block, and otherwise, they share all their feed (hay and pellets). My farrier trims him every few months. He is kind of leash trained, so when I move them, I put him on a leash, and her by halter. She panics if her goat isn’t near!
And they really do hang out together ALL the time. He was not bottle fed, he was not raised with horses - he came from a goat breeder. He was not considered “show quality”, and they didn’t want him to get eaten, so my goat friend set us up, and he’s been here about 3 years now.
As for mini horses and donkeys - they have a LOT of health issues! A plain ol’ Shetland pony will be easier then a mini. But I would say look at the bigger goats too.
[QUOTE=Epona142;8437238]
But keep in mind, I’m not kidding[/QUOTE]
hehe
[QUOTE=MysticOakRanch;8451021]
As for mini horses and donkeys - they have a LOT of health issues! A plain ol’ Shetland pony will be easier then a mini. But I would say look at the bigger goats too.[/QUOTE]
But really, just popped in because I’m curious about what health issues mini donkeys have!
[QUOTE=FatCatFarm;8443157]
Minis - Miniature donkeys, miniature horses, miniature goats - take your pick - we have all three. I would say the goats are the highest maintenance.
Donkey
Pros:
Adorable
Easy Keeper
Braying is hysterical
Very friendly and cuddly
Can pull carts
Good with bigger horses; very smart about keeping themselves out of danger
Cons
Smart
Problem solver
Often crappy feet at least in my experience
Braying - while adorable, can be quite loud and some people find braying very grating. I don’t.
Usually need to be shaved in spring as they usually don’t shed out their thick winter coats without assistance.
Can be very hard on wood surfaces as some like to chew wood, alot.
Miniature Horse
Pros
Super Cute
Good Feet
Easy Keepers
Can pull carts
Cons
Not smart about self preservation
Escape artist
Can be flighty and difficult to catch
Must be shaved in the spring time to get rid of thick wooly coats
Not always a good choice to put in with larger horses. Not as smart about their personal safety say like donkeys. I keep mine separate from the large horses; okay with larger ponies though
Miniature goats
Pros
Great size and very easy to handle versus some of their larger counter-parts like Nubians and Saanens
Adorable and entertaining
Easy keepers
Cons
Escape artists extraordinaires
Can be noisy
Like to climb on everything
Like to eat everything including your flowers and shrubs if not fenced away
Goatberries every where
Will chew on/taste everything including leather goods
Not all horses are crazy about them
Hate to get wet and need good shelter from the elements[/QUOTE]
I went the mini horse route as a companion for my old solitary mare, and your cons are bang on! I am home during the day now, so I’m seeing a lot more of what the horses do with their days, and pretty much every afternoon they get in to a pseudo-pissing match where they’re backing their rumps up to eachother and threatening to kick. On the one hand it’s fascinating because the mini has always been top dog, but it would appear the mare is now feeling well enough to challenge him, and challenge she does!
I’m not overly concerned as it seems to be more bluff than anything and the mini can and will run away but I certainly have made a mental note! Were I to do it again I might have chosen a pony over a mini.
[QUOTE=g123;8451382]
hehe
But really, just popped in because I’m curious about what health issues mini donkeys have![/QUOTE]
Mini ANYTHING equine seems to have more issues with kidney disease, colic, metabolic, and founder issues. And IF you consider breeding, they seem to specialize in dystocia births…
