*sigh* Because minis are so small, a lot of people will attempt to train them, when they wouldn't even think of tackling an untrained big horse. And since the breeder either doesn't have the time or perhaps, the inclination, to put "handle" on their babies, anything that sternrose has done so far is to the good, IMO. But she is clearly quite young, and it is important that she understands that she has barely scratched the surface when it comes to training (and it is especially important for anyone who might be reading this thread, and thinking about emulating her, while having even less experience than she has). I believe she has people in her life that can act as mentors for her as she continues to train these babies, and that's very good, because issues will come up and she will need the advice of experienced horse people to learn how to deal with them.
Minis can be sassy little brats - I should know; I have one I call "Syd, the Man-eating Mini." When Syd turned 2, she decided that she was the Boss Mare, and started attacking people in the pasture (she only tried it with me once - I told her, in no uncertain terms, who really is the Boss Mare around here). My teenaged son no longer goes in the pasture because of Syd - but, he never cared much about the animals, anyway. I told my daughter, "look, I can tell Syd how to behave when I'm around, but it's important that you teach her to behave around you, too. She can't be allowed to think that it's just me not allowing this behavior; she needs to know that it just doesn't fly, not ever."
Syd has gone to our fair nearly every year since she was a foal. The animals stay in stalls made of livestock panels for the entire 10 days of the fair. One time, I was mucking out my minis' double stall (we keep all 3 of them together) and the Livestock Superintendent wandered by. "Look at Syd, being all good," she laughed. I sighed, and cringed a bit. "What has Syd been doing?" I asked, half dreading the answer. "Oh, nothing, really," she said. Only turning her backside and threatening to kick the kids whose job it was to clean the stalls out twice a day. A lot of these kids were animal lovers, but not "horse people," and they didn't have the knowledge or the skills to effectively make her mind her manners. They were all relieved when I showed up, because they knew I could get Syd out of the way so they could do their jobs without getting hurt (Syd is actually oversized, too big to be registered, but even small minis can lay a hurtin' on you when they bite or kick - having been on the receiving end a few times, I know).
Syd is much, much better behaved now than she was as a youngster, and that is partly because of what I have taught her, and partly because I have made a point of putting her in other people's hands so they can teach her, too. With decent care, a mini can live 30 years or more. While I have no plans to sell Syd, I can't see 30 years in the future, and unless I decide to put her down when I can no longer take care of her, and have a clause in my will stipulating that she be killed in the event of my death, there is at least a chance that she will be in someone else's hands at some point in the future. While I can't guarantee that she will have considerate owners, if she behaves appropriately, there is a much better chance that she will receive appropriate handling and care. An animal that anyone can handle is a joy to be around, one who acts badly is more likely to get neglected or even abused. Part of my responsibility as Syd's owner and principle trainer is try to make her comfortable, confident, and well-behaved with anyone.
Minis can be sassy little brats - I should know; I have one I call "Syd, the Man-eating Mini." When Syd turned 2, she decided that she was the Boss Mare, and started attacking people in the pasture (she only tried it with me once - I told her, in no uncertain terms, who really is the Boss Mare around here). My teenaged son no longer goes in the pasture because of Syd - but, he never cared much about the animals, anyway. I told my daughter, "look, I can tell Syd how to behave when I'm around, but it's important that you teach her to behave around you, too. She can't be allowed to think that it's just me not allowing this behavior; she needs to know that it just doesn't fly, not ever."
Syd has gone to our fair nearly every year since she was a foal. The animals stay in stalls made of livestock panels for the entire 10 days of the fair. One time, I was mucking out my minis' double stall (we keep all 3 of them together) and the Livestock Superintendent wandered by. "Look at Syd, being all good," she laughed. I sighed, and cringed a bit. "What has Syd been doing?" I asked, half dreading the answer. "Oh, nothing, really," she said. Only turning her backside and threatening to kick the kids whose job it was to clean the stalls out twice a day. A lot of these kids were animal lovers, but not "horse people," and they didn't have the knowledge or the skills to effectively make her mind her manners. They were all relieved when I showed up, because they knew I could get Syd out of the way so they could do their jobs without getting hurt (Syd is actually oversized, too big to be registered, but even small minis can lay a hurtin' on you when they bite or kick - having been on the receiving end a few times, I know).
Syd is much, much better behaved now than she was as a youngster, and that is partly because of what I have taught her, and partly because I have made a point of putting her in other people's hands so they can teach her, too. With decent care, a mini can live 30 years or more. While I have no plans to sell Syd, I can't see 30 years in the future, and unless I decide to put her down when I can no longer take care of her, and have a clause in my will stipulating that she be killed in the event of my death, there is at least a chance that she will be in someone else's hands at some point in the future. While I can't guarantee that she will have considerate owners, if she behaves appropriately, there is a much better chance that she will receive appropriate handling and care. An animal that anyone can handle is a joy to be around, one who acts badly is more likely to get neglected or even abused. Part of my responsibility as Syd's owner and principle trainer is try to make her comfortable, confident, and well-behaved with anyone.
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I'm not afraid to ask for help. You can't be when dealing with any animal!
