So I think I am getting a Mini Horse...

[Sir Birdaholic]

In my posted picture, the back 2 are minis, & the one in the foreground is a dwarf. He's a little bull-legged, & his jaw is a little crooked, but we get his teeth floated once a year & he does fine. He's the boss. Small but mighty!

 

[Avalon1984]

Adorable minis! I second the basic training need. Even those little teeth can hurt pretty bad I would think! Had a shetland pony stud chase me once. He had some serious teeth that left some serious bruises. Good luck on your horse purchase!

 

[OtterCreekRanch]

Sorry I meant to say that I did intend to teach any mini I buy or adopt proper ground manners (standing for the farrier, to be groomed, being led, etc)...I just have no intention of going through training them to pull a cart or for a small child to ride. For one thing I am terrified of riding in carts or wagons pulled by an animal (I know too many people that have been hurt or even killed by a spooked horse running rampent) and have no small kids close to us.

I looked into adopting but to be honest a lot of the rescues I have looked at charge a higher fee than what this breeder is asking for her babies, and you have to jump through hoops to get them. I found one issue to be since we do not own the house or property we live on, a lot of places will not adopt to us anyway. We looked into buying a mini from auction, but again, they were all selling for more than this lady is asking and I am a little weary about bringing home animals with unknown medical histories. So, for now I am interested in buying my mini horses outright rather than rescuing.

I am still on the fence about gelding this little colt or not if I get him. The breeder is encourging us to keep him intact at least long enough to gage his suiltability for breeding. He apparently comes from champion lines and such, though I am not sure I will ever get into showing because of the expense of it.

Here is a couple of pictures.

The colt:

The filly I am also considering, though likely will not be able to buy unless they still have her in a few months:

 

[Glenmar]

They are really cute.
I have a gelding that I adopted from a rescue. I am also fostering two mares from the same rescue group. They have been with me for almost 3 years now. I love the minis, so easy to care for.

 

[redhen]

I would sooo have a mini horse in my house...

 

[LMEggs]

They both look great. I've had many stallions before and NEVER had a issue with pasturing or keeping them together and all were very great and gentle tempered stallions. No if your not going to use him I'd geld him or have a mare or neighbor has a mare near. As of right now however I only have one stallion and he gets along great pastured near but not in with my big horses. I would NEVER tell anyone to put a miniature in with their big horses. I've seen soo many people say Ohh they get along great no issues then I say oh hows so and so with a great pause the proceed to tell me the horrifing story of one cold winter morning buster felt frisky and accidently kicked little Jimmy in the head and KILLED him. It just takes once. I've seen old horses even decide to kick up their heels and as most horse owners should know horses can only see at angles the little horse can get up near a big one and get kicked on accident and thats it. Even a side blow can kill and cause a much painful death.

As long you have propper fencing for a stallion and have no near by mares and don't intend on using him I don't see the issue in keeping him one. No not every stallion is ment to be a breeder but you can keep them as stallions and not breed as well as long as you keep them in line right from the start but anyone with horse experince should be able to handle a miniature stallion. By the looks of those two foals they are both nice bred babies and are very correct! i'd say you found a pretty good breeder! Tiny, healthy and correct can't go wrong there!

 

[OtterCreekRanch]

To my dismay he had sold the little filly already. I knew he had someone interested but he did not think they were going to take her because they wanted her for a kid for Christmas and had no place to keep her until then that the little girl would not see her. I guess they made a deal to stay at his farm until Christmas, so she was already taken. I am on his waiting list for next years foals though, so I might get a pretty little girl next go around. As of today I am the owner of a beautiful little sorrel colt. He is a sweet little guy...fat and happy! I will try and get pictures of him tomorrow. We did not get home with him until after dark tonight. I am so excited to have him. I am waiting until Jan-Feb to make the descion on gelding him or not as per the breeders suggestion. That will give him some time to adjust to his new surroundings and get to know us before having anything traumatic done anyway.

The breeders seem like great people. Very helpful. They were very honest about having dwarfs and seem to discontinue any lines in which the dwarfs have turned up. They did have one little dwarf mare there that is a pet only and she was an absolute doll. They take her to local nursing homes to visit the patients there. The breeders even sent me home with a nice stable blanket for my little boy because our trailer is open top and they didn't want him to get cold with the night air blowing in. It is a little big for him right now but he will grow into it.

Now to find him a little dehorned goat wether companion. lol


Anyway, pictures to come tomorrow!

 

[Glenmar]

Quote:

 

[Avalon1984]

Congratulations!

 

[shadowpaints]

congrats! miniatures are fun! some good training and loves, he will be perfect. i of course like many say geld! a nice stallion makes a amazing gelding!! geldings are so much better than studs, you dont have the hormones to deal with.

we have 20 miniatures, with 7 foals planned for 2012.. we love em!! we have 3 stud colts that willl have the gelding fairy visit first thing in the spring, sad too, they are beautiful.. BUT they are going to be perfect pets for 3 precious children

ill bet your little one is adorable! cant wait to see pics!