Minis coming what do I need?

[Bebe_Falcon1]

Definitely a dry lot and maybe even a smaller-than-usual water trough (our minis had a tough time reaching the water once the level dropped to a certain point in the original trough used in that paddock). Three slow feed nets (my mare gets fat even when the round bale is encased in TWO of 'em!). Possibly a top dress type grain for essential vitamins and minerals that they may not get from their hay (one bag will last for months). And a wearable feed bag is helpful in that pursuit, too.

Plus enough groundwork that they don’t turn into pushy little turds at the gate (see my post, “Back Off!” done right?). My mare has been awarded “Best Behaved Mini” by the large vet practice that sees her though, so the little ones can turn out to be productive members of horsey society

And yes, pictures and an update once they arrive please!

[walktrot]

Several galllons of ShowSheen. The quart bottle will spray upside down. A funnel.

The BO’s mini was named Cupcake and she was very cute. Her first foal was Marblecake.

What wasn’t cute was Cuppie regularly coming in with her incredibly bushy forelock tangled into a giant lump with an incredibly huge load of burdocks. The only thing we could do was soak the entire mess with ample amounts of ShowSheen for starters. You had to work one hair at a time to detangle everything. It took forever. The kids could never locate the source.

[clanter]

@Bebe_Falcon1

maybe even a smaller-than-usual water trough

well maybe you Think they want a lower trough but that minie brain believes it will drink from the huge thing for the Real Horses

We have various troughs for the minies we did get 30 gallon ones but given the choice they will stand on their tippy toes to drink from the Real water trough

[brody]

Hahaha. Totally can see that. We have drinking posts in the dry lots. We also have a low trough so hopefully they won’t be too upset they can’t reach.

[colorfan]

Yes! Hilarious story. a friend kept my mini when I went on a holiday years ago. She had a 11/12 hand pony, the poor little guy was terrified of my mini t first. He ran away, she thought yahoo someone close to my size and chased him. He ran and snorted, ran and snorted at her. So funny, I guess he had never seen a horse smaller than himself.

[fourfillies]

I adore my two mini Donks. Agree limited pasture. I feed them a tiny bit of Ration Balancer so they feel like they are eating when the horse does. My fence is no climb so the only special thing I needed was to make sure the water trough was low enough.
I found the smallest stock nylon breakaway halters from Smartpak fit my boys. I only put halters on when needed as mine seem prone to rubs.
And they have wee fly masks for the summer. Because it’s freaking adorable.
Enjoy the new crew!

[ladybugsbw]

Yes! They are notorious for having mouth/teeth issues. When I went to look at my Craigslist mini, she had a dead (for lack of better words) eyeball and her teeth were so sharp she had a hole in her cheek -yes, all the way through. Her ad said, “sweet mini, partially blind”. Yep. She went straight to the vet and gets teeth done every 6 months.

Green guard muzzles are her favorite, relatively speaking and she is in them year round for at least 12 hours a day, depending on the grass situation.

[Weezer]

I’ve had a mini for over 20 years and we have had some adventures together!! When I first got her I didn’t know about laminitis so she had unlimited grass and eventually foundered quite badly before I figured out how to take care of her. It took a couple of years of trial and error to find the balance. I put her in a dry lot with sand footing and she developed sand colic. Since then she’s been in a 100 x 50 foot pen where she keeps the grass short. I let her out with a muzzle for about 3 hours each day. When she was younger I’d put her muzzle on and she would run loose and keep up with us on trail rides. But as she got older she lost interest in that so now I take her hiking on a lead - she loves that!

I love the suggestion about small farrier tools! When I found a farrier who was compassionate and patient with the mini, I held tight to her! That farrier has been with me for about 20 years.

The only fencing that keeps her in is electric mesh. She blasts through electric rope regularly! Also, she needs to be clipped twice throughout the summer because her coat is so thick! The best clippers I’ve found for the job are these https://www.amazon.ca/Andis-23290-Detachable-Professional-Grooming/dp/B06XF3VLV3/ref=asc_df_B06XF3VLV3/?tag=googlemobshop-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=293020372695&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7877659089936205312&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1002604&hvtargid=pla-315866161341&psc=1

[clanter]

@Weezer

But as she got older she lost interest in that so now I take her hiking on a lead - she loves that!

you may want to look into scent work, a horse can be trained to locate scent baits just like a dog (or goat)

Maine horses being trained to track people by scent for search and rescue...

my wife’s GSD was trained by a FEMA trainer who had worked many, many national disasters so we knew the training methods… we did train one of our horses to “find a person” by scent

https://www.google.com/search?q=rescue+horses+trained+to+find+lost+people+by+scent&oq=rescue+horses+trained+to+find+lost+people+by+scent&aqs=chrome..69i57.26781j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_0_3TYt68B4qH0PEP-u6OkA821

I had one mare who Always thought I was lost when trail riding as the trails used were circled she was sure I was lost, gave her head and off we went cross country directly to the trailer once there she looked at me with an expression of Here it is and it Was Not were you were going

[moonlitoaksranch]

You know, I had a theory about this after reading about how far away stallions can detect mares. It’s awesome to see people trying it.

[2DogsFarm]

@Weezer

When I found a farrier who was compassionate and patient with the mini, I held tight to her! That farrier has been with me for about 20 years.

My shoer has worked on my horses for 20+yrs, along with his son.
When I got the mini I offered to get a kind of “milking stand” built for them to trim the mini (mine are all barefoot).
He declined, said he had a client with 30+ minis.
He & son doubleteam the mini, he does the fronts, son does the hinds.
That way both of their backs get a break.

So far I don’t need to bodyclip, but Sheesh!
Minis: grow a Winter coat a yak would admire, hang onto it until near June (shedding unbelievable amounts) then regrow beginning in late August

[brody]

They are here.
They are darling.

[clanter]

@brody

They are darling.

that’s a trick they use while plotting to size up their new place

[red_mares]

They are darling.

I want to hear you when they escape…and they will.

One morning the guy who cleans stalls was planning the weekend barbecue after the mini & the pony joined forces.

[chestnutmarebeware]

@clanter

@brody

They are darling.

that’s a trick they use while plotting to size up their new place

Exactly! You’re being lulled into a false sense of security!

We need to see photos of these demons dressed in pony suits!

[2DogsFarm]

Yes!
Pics or it didn’t happen
< COTH Commandment >

Here’s my guy at his most Satanic, responding to my command to Come:
*note the EffU head-toss

VID_20220617_095417462

[2DogsFarm]

My mini got rather chubular when I first got him. Let’s blame my ignorance of Things Mini
First time my shoer saw him he asked:
“When are planning on butchering him?”

[chestnutmarebeware]

Little bugger!

[susanne]

As I’ve always said, they’re not miniatures, they’re concentrates!

Just as with full sized horses, every mini is an individual. Some are indeed Satan’s spawn, but my oldest gelding would probably sleep on our bed with us if we invited him. He’s so bonded to me that he is actually sensitive to my low blood sugars. (I’m a Type 1 Diabetic.) He could be a diabetic alert horse.

The same is true with feed and weight — it all depends on the individual. That said, it is a good idea to give them a low carb feed, a forage-based diet, and added vitamins, esp. E if you’re limited grass.

I’m putting in a track (aka Paddock Paradise) for mine as sort of a dry lot in motion. It does keep them moving. Keeping them fit goes a long way in preventing metabolic problems.

It is correct that Bute can be toxic to minis. I stick with Banamine. Quest dewormer is also a problem unless you have an exact scale weight for them and dose precisely.

Teaching them to drive gives them a job and is great exercise, Mine take great pride in their work. Don’t overface them, but you’ll be surprised by their strength once they’re conditioned. Trail driving and beach driving are incredibly fun.

I train mine to behave as if they are draft size — a ill-mannered mini is not only annoying, they can seriously injure you. I won’t have my farrier or vet talking badly about my minis!

Most of all, have fun! Even when they’re ornery, they are so personable. They’re also the perfect husband horse — my husband was terrified of horses until he met his first mini. Now he’s just as involved as I am.

[2DogsFarm]

@susanne

won’t have my farrier or vet talking badly about my minis!

Awwww… He was just kidding
My former vet was great with him (& all my horses), then, after 20+ yrs retired his large animal practice
Their 1st meeting:

Current vet is good with them all too.