Anyone own a miniature horse?

[TMNTCkins]

Minis can be great I don't think that you can say any type of horse is good or bad it just depends on the horse. We have had horses for over 30 yrs. and I have had good, bad and rotten of all kinds. I think that you need to find the right horse for your child. An older mini that is trained would be best for a young child. My kids are 5 & 9 we have small horses 14 hands and 13.3 hands and those are my kids horse but we also have a 16 hand horse that I trust with any child. My daughter was in a dressage show a few wks back and she rode and 8 hand pony, and she is not for begginers or little kids because she is a stinker when being ridden. We also use her for vaulting and she is great and is best for the little kids. So I think it just depends on the mini/horse that you are looking at and what you will use it for. Here is a pic of my daughter at the horse show.

 

[Florida chick]

I agree that lil colt is too young for a lil girl and poor quality. Here is a mare that might fit the budget and what is needed. I would look for KID friendly.... Goodluck. I am in FL and have some available, but its a lil far.. Email if I can help with any questions etc.

http://horsetopia.horse-for-sale.org/classifieds/ad332302

 

[katrinag]

Also you need to keep in mind the vet bills, worming EVERY 6-8 weeks, having there feet trimmed every 6 weeks. Having there teeth floated once a year.
Have medical kit ready with gauze, sponges, wraps, meds etc....

There is a lot of extra money that goes into a hores beside the hores itself.

Mini's need to have good balanced diet. They tend to over eat. I have seen this many times.

Do you have a local vet that will come out in the middle of the night in something happens?
Horese are long lived 25+ years.
I am not trying to rain on your day but these seem to be things people forget.

 

[AussieSharon]

How about a pony? My first horse was 10 hands. A Welsh Mountain and we all learned to ride on him. He lasted us kids a few years. Was small, easy to handle and didn't eat us out of house and home.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Quote:
All things have been considered there as well. My sister lives a mile up the road from me and has 5 horses as of now. The vet has visited there numerous times and the fee to come out is $45. As I mentioned earlier, I have a friend who is a farrier who will trim the hooves. These things have been thought of. I just don't have $5000 to go blow on a horse right now, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't take care of it. I do realize that there is a lot of upkeep to a horse, as is with any animal if they're taken care of properly. Thanks for the concern and heads up though.

AussieSharon - Thanks for that suggestion! I'll keep it in mind.

 

[reallemons1]

No greater joy for a child than a pony!

Great advice from everone. Sounds like you are prepared. It's really not all that hard. Limit yourself to one type... totally bomproof, kind, sound and healthy, and small enough not to intimidate your child. Prefer older, that is what will be bomproof anyways. Pony or mini eather will fit the bill. Larger (overgrown)mini might cost less. Just don't overfeed, keep up with the feet, worm every 8 weeks or so, and yearly or bi-yearly shots. Lots of love balanced with respect. Help your child understand how to handle the pony correctly without getting hurt. Enjoy.

 

[AussieSharon]

Stacey with the economy the way it is there are a lot of great horses and ponies out there for a VERY reasonable price. Craigslist is full of them right now. Good luck!

 

[Haviris]

Well here is my opinion, I own three minis, a 15 year old mare, a 4 year old stallion, and a 2 year old filly. My mare is stand offish and not overly friendly (although after she's caught, she's perfectly fine).

When I was a teen I remember being at the horse vet and someone came in with a pair of minis, they came off that trailer on thier hind legs, for a long time that was my impression of minis!

Needless to say I've changed my mind now. My stallion and filly are as sweet as they come, extremely gentle w/ both kids and adults. I have a friend w/ minis and all of hers are very sweet, I love playing with her babies! She has an adorable little blue eyed black filly that I'd just love to have (she'd even offer me a great deal on her, but I just can't afford another right now).
This is my mare, Crystal

My filly, Vegas

and my stallion, Skip

Me and Skip went to my friend's house over the weekend for a drive, that's a mare my friend is driving.

So that is my opinion on minis, none of mine ride, but some of my friend's larger ones do. They do make great pets, and they can be a great into intro to horses for a newby (althought they require all the same care as big horses). I'll start a new post w/ my thoughts on your situation.

 

[Haviris]

So here are my thoughts on buyer your daughter a mini, if you want to go with a mini I would go with something older and on the large side. A mare or gelding (geldings tend to be cheaper).

If you just want something for your daughter to ride, I'd go with a pony, w/ mini's there is just such a short time they can ride before they are to big. If you are looking for a family pet that you'd enjoy even if it was just a pasture orniment, I think a mini would be great! On the other hand you could get one already trained or have one trained to pull a cart, then the whole family can enjoy it (you may even have to buy a second one), and you wouldn't have to worry about it being outgrown!

Just editted to ad, I don't think big horses tend to have better temperments, it's all about the individual and how they are raised. It's like small dogs getting the rep of being yappy ankle biters, people tend to let them get away with more because they are little, but when raised right they are just as well behaved and gentle as the bigger ones.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Thank you all for your opinions about this! I truly appreciate everyone's responses and the pictures. My daughter has had a great time looking at all of your horses! She's even been shopping while looking!

I guess I will look and look. This might not happen for Christmas, but if it doesn't, it will happen in the spring. My little girly would just go nuts if she had a horse of her own to love. I did find a man who had a 3 year-old mini gelding not to far from me for $150, but he's gone. He said he had some pony foals if I was interested for $100, but I'm unsure there. I don't want to get something that will turn out to be a real stinker. Like Sharon pointed out earlier, with the economy going the way it is, there are going to be more and more horses and ponies popping up for great prices. I just need to be patient and watch for them.