# Weaning buddy



## Vansplic (Jun 30, 2013)

Hey ladies... figured this may need another thread. Went to look at a trailer today for the minis which I am rather confident I am going to go pick up tomorrow I just like to sleep on larger purchases. Anyway... the lady had a stunning 3yr old gelding she is looking to sell. She had been breeding minis but got out of it and he was her last colt. She then got a weanling donkey that he kept company but now she is going to the mini donkeys. Now usually I am screaming to "geld that thing" at near every horse... I cried when I found he was gelded. I honestly considered breeding in two years he is just gorgeous. Would a 3yr old laid back gelding work as a weaning friend? He has spunk to keep up with her but is just kinda a cool guy. Second... he racks. Is that a fault in the mini world? It was SO cool to see him rack and he is SO beautiful when he does but I wasn't sure if that was an OK trait or not. He is 31ish inches and looked very correct to me (coming from the big horse world) his bite was fine. She said he can be registered as an A class mini. The other nice thing about him is that she doesn't have to get rid of him but will to the right situation BUT if it didn't work she would gladly take him back to make sure he did land in the right one. She may even be willing to do a care lease as a trial of sorts. Thoughts????

Thanks!


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## AnnaC (Jul 1, 2013)

Sorry, but I still think you need a weanling filly as a companion. Weanlings, yearlings and even 2 year olds spend most of their time play fighting, racing and chasing around, taking loads of exercise and using up lots of energy, and they all really need a cmpanion of a comparable age to do it with. Mixing the ages never seems to work so well IMO as they simply aren't on the same 'wave length', they tend to slow down, become more sedate and lose their interest in doing mad crazy things as they age! LOL!!

Play time between a weanling and a 3 year old might not happen often enough to keep the weanling happy, the 3 year old could become fed up/irritated with her constant demands for games and fun. Plus there is a considerable difference in weight/development between the two ages and an accidental kick in play from a heavier animal could do some nasty damage to an animal that is lighter in weight and build.

Just my opinion.


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## MountainWoman (Jul 1, 2013)

This is my personal experience and I think it depends. My Suzette is two and a half months old. As her playmates, she's adopted one of my yearling fillies and an older mare who is 4. The three of them hang around all day together and have formed quite the tight knit group even though Suzette's Mom is right there and obviously she is still nursing and not weaned. I had a weanling last year and no other babies and she did fine with the mares playing with yearlings. So perhaps everyone's experience is different but it is also going to depend on other factors such as the gelding liking and being kind to weanlings.


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## Vansplic (Jul 1, 2013)

Thanks! He had a weanling pasture mate last year and he did well with it. I will play with him more today when I pick up the trailer and see about stamina. Frankly if I am going to show he may not be bad to just have anyway.. I will see if I can get pics today. BTW an answer does not have to be the one I want to hear to be right and helpful


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## eagles ring farm (Jul 5, 2013)

She said he can be registered as an A class mini-

*If registration is important to you. *

I would check to see if he has reg papers from any registry

I'm not sure of the cost to hardship in amha for a gelding (but not as pricy as a mare or stallion)

and they are ending hardshipping next year I believe

is registration is not important that's another story

but i'd still lean towards a filly also for her


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