Are mini's and small ponies a good combo

[capall beag]

I have recently purchased a small pony mare. She is about 42-44" tall but much bigger bone than my mini's.

Is it a good idea to allow them be together.

My mini's range from 29-35".

This would be 5 mares together.

The pony is not very dominant but she is ponyish about her grain.

I am just nervous about her hurting them accidentally.

Thansk for any help with this.

 

[auledasacres]

I have a 2year old appaloosa mare. Full size. In with 9 miniatures. My mini's are more exgressive to her than she is to them. In our experience it has never been a problem. If I need to put another mini in with them I slowly introduce a new horse by putting them next to each other but with a seperator.

I have one mini whom does not like my full size horse. She has her own place.

It is funny sometimes to see a 30 inch mini boss a 1000lb full size horse around.

Good Luck

Traci

 

[virginia]

I'd be comfortable doing it. Right now I have the rescue pony (12 hnads) in with the minis and one of my Dwarfs bosses her around. Hehehe she only comes up to her knee!!!

Ginny StP

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Whilst I would never put a Mini in with a full sized horse- I used to, I cringe to think of it- you have to weigh the pros and cons- she is not any bigger really than a "B" and I have had a Welsh Pony mare in with the Mini's- she grew up with them, but was quite a dominant mare- I would watch them and keep an eye on them. I would also separate them to feed them- I had a "B" mini who was a PAIN at feed time and I did separate her and the Welsh mare to feed- just put up a bar she could not fit under and the tinies could!!!

 

[CAM]

I have put my 12.2h Welsh mare in with my mini mares at times but she is also in her late 20s and non agressive. She is the babysitter for my weaning Arab foals and lets them nurse off of her and is very maternal. She is also the lowest on the pecking order with all my horses. I have to stand by her to protect her from the big bad minis so she can eat her senior grain.

I am always reluctant to tell anyone to put a larger horse in with their minis but yours sounds like she isn't much bigger than a 'B' size mini as was mentioned in a previous post.

 

[capall beag]

Thanks for the input!

My only real concern is at mealtime! Yes, I could seperate them but they know when I am coming and all do there little bossy thing!!

I don't think she would try to hurt them, but I am just worried if they take a kick at ehr and she retaliates it could be a bit of a wallup!!

 

[Miniv]

First of all, I'd like to say - what a beautiful English home you have on your avatar!

Second, in answer to your question, IMO, you don't have a problem. The size difference is fairly minimal. We tend to spread out the feed anyway - no matter what size the horse.

MA

PS: Oops....I noticed you say "originally from Ireland"....hope you don't mind my calling you home "English"!

 

[mis fit farms]

my friend has her mini in with a draft horse the mini bosses the draft around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!lol

but you have to judge your own horses

 

[Getitia]

We pasture our 40 to 46 inch shetlands in with minis as small as 30. However we do maintain two separate groups 38 and over and 37 and under for our wet mares starting in the spring as it is too great of a risk for the small mini foals to run them in with the larger classic mares/foals

 

[Leeana]

I keep Joey (40in) and Molly (46in) in pasture with my 3 mini's (all 31-33in) and my 7 month old paint filly. No problems. When my paint filly get's older though she will not be pastured with them ..but im going to let that depend on how they act together. She is growing up with them ..but we'll see.

I dont think there is any problem with keeping a small pony in with mini's ..mind all run and jump on each other. There practically made out of steel those little things!

Go For It!

Leeana