Horse Talk

[kajira]

wait... your daughter is 5?! Or did I misunderstand that? I'm mid teens and feel like I'm too young to train a horse

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[I Love Layers]

I was like what at first too. But ponies are different

 

[kajira]

I was like what at first too. But ponies are different

yeah ponies are a lot meaner JOe isn't a pony though - hes a mini-horse. He's just smaller than a full sized horse, but not pony stock.

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She works with full sized hroses too But joe is her pet project. She trained him 100% herself.

 

[Bunnylady]

I was like what at first too. But ponies are different

yeah ponies are a lot meaner  JOe isn't a pony though - hes a mini-horse. He's just smaller than a full sized horse, but not pony stock.

I don't know who told you that, but it isn't true. If you could check the DNA of a miniature horse, it would come out almost 100% Shetland Pony. Some registered minis are also registered Shetlands.

In Europe, the Shetland Pony is a very solid, stocky animal, but the American importers seemed to prefer a leggier, lighter animal. The American Shetland is a much more refined animal that its British counterpart. Maybe 70, 80 years ago, some folks decided to take that refinement as far as they could, and also shrink the size - and they thought "miniature horse" was a catchier name than "miniature pony" for their new "breed." There are several registries, but all are based on size; some register up to 38", and some stop at 34." Until a few years ago, you could hardship anything in as long as it was small enough, but now, the reputable registries are closed, meaning that an animal's parents must be registered for it to be eligible. In the U.S, all of the registries call 'em miniature horses, but I believe in Australia, they are called miniature ponies.

Your daughter is quite impressive, and her pony is cute. I was thinking he looked like a big mini - rather like my Syd, whose parents were both registered minis. Syd grew too big for registration; 38" is as tall as any of them go, and she's about 40".

 

[chickluvinfreak]

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Oh my gosh that's too cute ! I imagine you taught her how to train horses and other animals?

 

[ChickenLover200]

Aw. That's cute. Really encouraging, too! Wowsa. This week and the last have been SO uplifting for me! My farrier, also a trainer, vet, and everything you can add to that description, said my little mini has improved and before I even told him, he asked if I had been working with him lately.
Then, on the 6th I rubbed his ear for the first time and now I've been able to every day since. He doesn't like it 100% yet, I can tell, but he is getting used to it. My mean little mini as every calls him is turning out to be a little softie!

 

[kajira]

Oh my gosh that's too cute

! I imagine you taught her how to train horses and other animals?

Her dad and I both have, yes. She also is working with dogs - and she's the one who wants to potty train her silkies for her 4h project. They are going to live in her room. Her back up plan is sewing chicken diapers LOL

 

[kajira]

I don't know who told you that, but it isn't true. If you could check the DNA of a miniature horse, it would come out almost 100% Shetland Pony. Some registered minis are also registered Shetlands.

In Europe, the Shetland Pony is a very solid, stocky animal, but the American importers seemed to prefer a leggier, lighter animal. The American Shetland is a much more refined animal that its British counterpart. Maybe 70, 80 years ago, some folks decided to take that refinement as far as they could, and also shrink the size - and they thought "miniature horse" was a catchier name than "miniature pony" for their new "breed." There are several registries, but all are based on size; some register up to 38", and some stop at 34." Until a few years ago, you could hardship anything in as long as it was small enough, but now, the reputable registries are closed, meaning that an animal's parents must be registered for it to be eligible. In the U.S, all of the registries call 'em miniature horses, but I believe in Australia, they are called miniature ponies.

Your daughter is quite impressive, and her pony is cute. I was thinking he looked like a big mini - rather like my Syd, whose parents were both registered minis. Syd grew too big for registration; 38" is as tall as any of them go, and she's about 40".

I don't know how exactly the history of how they created mini horses - but i've been around my share of shetland ponies, and while they are very hearty animals, they tend to be ornery compared to smaller horses. I'm in the USA - and mini horses aren't the same as shetland ponies.


> While technically any member of Equus ferus caballus under 14.2 hands (58 inches, 147 cm) is termed a "pony," many breeds, including some miniature breeds, actually retain a horse phenotype and their breed registry therefore classifies them as horses.

Joe is technically a "pony" based on his actual size - but breed wise, he's a mini horse and not a pony.. so none of those nasty pony traits you end up dealing with in a lot of kids ponies. He is so beautiful when he moves. She is thinking of working with him for barrel, and goat roping. He's fast too.

 

[Bunnylady]

Rhapsody's Reign Man - registered with ASPC (American Shetland Pony Club) and AMHR (American Miniature Horse Registry)



Claybury Money Talks, as a foal - registered ASPC, AMHR, and AMHA (which only registers to 34", so he's really small)



Candy Girl - Foundation Certified Shetland, Registered Miniature Horse

I could show you countless examples of animals that are both Shetlands and Miniature horses; they aren't just technically ponies, they are genetically ponies as well. And as for the temperament - you talk to enough people who have handled enough minis, and they will tell you of animals that have all the pony 'brattitude' you could never want to see - shoot, when my grew-too-large-to-be-registered mini first came here, she was an animal that nobody in their right mind turned their back on twice (or even once, if somebody was around to warn them). I've heard plenty of people who try to argue this "they aren't ponies, they are horses" angle before, but especially the people who breed and show will tell you, there's really no difference, so the argument has no foundation.

 

[kajira]

Rhapsody's Reign Man - registered with ASPC (American Shetland Pony Club) and AMHR (American Miniature Horse Registry)



Claybury Money Talks, as a foal - registered ASPC, AMHR, and AMHA (which only registers to 34", so he's really small)



Candy Girl - Foundation Certified Shetland, Registered Miniature Horse

I could show you countless examples of animals that are both Shetlands and Miniature horses; they aren't just technically ponies, they are genetically ponies as well. And as for the temperament - you talk to enough people who have handled enough minis, and they will tell you of animals that have all the pony 'brattitude' you could never want to see - shoot, when my grew-too-large-to-be-registered mini first came here, she was an animal that nobody in their right mind turned their back on twice (or even once, if somebody was around to warn them). I've heard plenty of people who try to argue this "they aren't ponies, they are horses" angle before, but especially the people who breed and show will tell you, there's really no difference, so the argument has no foundation.

It's not an argument to me - He's a mini horse, not a pony, unless I'm calling him a pony due to his size!

I'm okay if we agree to disagree on what he's called. He's her horse. That's what matters to her.