Do any of you keep big(in other words full size) horses with your minis?

[cassie]

I probably shouldn't have my first post here be such a controversial issue

But in the interest of adding another point of view...

I do. My big horses are small at 13.3 and 14.2, and our minis are all very tall Bs, and the herd works well with the big horses I have. The biggest gelding is also the biggest baby, and moves off hay whenever one of the minis gives him a dirty look or a flick of an ear. And my 13.3 mare rules all with a dirty look, and with that she leaves everyone alone and they leave her alone. With different personalities I wouldn't try it. For me and my horses it works.

Off to safer waters now...

hi n welcome!

I love it when the big horse is the sook n the mini the head of the pack!! LOL its the funnest to watch,

I should also add my stock horse is 14.2 as well and loves his girls!

it definitley depends on the horses, the envrionment and the circumstances... if your not sure, then don't try it

JMHO

 

[JAX]

I personally would not do it. Funny thing is that I did at one time but it was not on purpose and was a very different case than most I think. I had 6 mini foals being weaned. I had a VERY OLD Quarter horse mare that I really thought needed to be put down because she had gotten so arthritic that she could barely lift her feet anymore. All she did for the last 2 years was shuffle her feet around just enough to graze alittle, get to her feed, and to her water, which we made sure were very close together.I wanted to have her put down but her owner, my guy, was just not able to handle that she was ready. She would spend all day long watching those foals. One morning I was horrified to see her at the other end of her field and the foals all running between her legs. Her head was down and I thought she was trying to figure out how to get them to leave her alone. Actually 5 were under her and the last one was running up and she would shake her head and he would run off and go to the back end. We sat and watched as they changed into a game of tag...big old mare appeared to be base. We werent sure how she got all the way to the other side of the field but put the little ones up and slowly led her back to her regular side of field. Next day they were all out again, next day the same. We noticed we were finding old mare all over that field and that she appeared to be moving much better. One night we hooked up a camera and watched her reach around and unlatch the babies gate... AH HA I knew there was no way they could have reached it!! I put a better latch on it that even she couldnt undo. She went back to sitting at the same end of field and doing nothing but getting more and more arthritic. I called vet out and asked him to check her out and asked him about if it would be bad for her to be walking all over the field with these babies. He said no that it was good for her if that was what was making her move more and therefore getting better. He didnt think she could lift her leg high enough to get any kind of a kick on them. The last year of her life she seemed to really enjoy. She had babies all around her. Even sleeping flat she was still base for them. She was happy being the babbysitter, we didnt have to worry they would hurt her, she moved more because she had her babies and it made her feel better physically and mentally. Seems strange that I would recomend not putting them together after I write all this, but if that mare had been a healthy running big horse, then I would have been worried about regular horse play causing a major accident. Goodness I was even worried that she would lay down or fall on one of them...

BTW She was humanely euthanized when the time was really right. The babies sure did miss their Big Mama though...

 

[mrsj]

I personally would not do it. Funny thing is that I did at one time but it was not on purpose and was a very different case than most I think. I had 6 mini foals being weaned. I had a VERY OLD Quarter horse mare that I really thought needed to be put down because she had gotten so arthritic that she could barely lift her feet anymore. All she did for the last 2 years was shuffle her feet around just enough to graze alittle, get to her feed, and to her water, which we made sure were very close together.I wanted to have her put down but her owner, my guy, was just not able to handle that she was ready. She would spend all day long watching those foals. One morning I was horrified to see her at the other end of her field and the foals all running between her legs. Her head was down and I thought she was trying to figure out how to get them to leave her alone. Actually 5 were under her and the last one was running up and she would shake her head and he would run off and go to the back end. We sat and watched as they changed into a game of tag...big old mare appeared to be base. We werent sure how she got all the way to the other side of the field but put the little ones up and slowly led her back to her regular side of field. Next day they were all out again, next day the same. We noticed we were finding old mare all over that field and that she appeared to be moving much better. One night we hooked up a camera and watched her reach around and unlatch the babies gate... AH HA I knew there was no way they could have reached it!! I put a better latch on it that even she couldnt undo. She went back to sitting at the same end of field and doing nothing but getting more and more arthritic. I called vet out and asked him to check her out and asked him about if it would be bad for her to be walking all over the field with these babies. He said no that it was good for her if that was what was making her move more and therefore getting better. He didnt think she could lift her leg high enough to get any kind of a kick on them. The last year of her life she seemed to really enjoy. She had babies all around her. Even sleeping flat she was still base for them. She was happy being the babbysitter, we didnt have to worry they would hurt her, she moved more because she had her babies and it made her feel better physically and mentally. Seems strange that I would recomend not putting them together after I write all this, but if that mare had been a healthy running big horse, then I would have been worried about regular horse play causing a major accident. Goodness I was even worried that she would lay down or fall on one of them...

BTW She was humanely euthanized when the time was really right. The babies sure did miss their Big Mama though...

What a lovely story, how she must have enjoyed those babies

 

[rabbitsfizz]

It does not depend on the temperament or the dynamics of the group- that is the whole problem.

A big horse merely irritated by a fly and kicking out at it, can kill a Mini.

In my case it was a big gelding full of joie de vivre, kicking high in joy. No malice, no anger, no harm intended. It ruptured the little mares diaphragm and she died instantly. She was four months in foal.

As has been said, it is fine until it is not fine, then it is fatal.

It does not matter how quiet the big horse is.

Unless you can face the prospect of coming out to find a dead Mini, I would advise you not to do it.

 

[Jill]

So right, Jane!

 

[REO]

It does not depend on the temperament or the dynamics of the group- that is the whole problem.

A big horse merely irritated by a fly and kicking out at it, can kill a Mini.

As has been said, it is fine until it is not fine, then it is fatal.

It does not matter how quiet the big horse is.

Unless you can face the prospect of coming out to find a dead Mini, I would advise you not to do it.

My feelings exactly Jane!

I knew someone once who had his little daughters gentle as a kitten old riding gelding out with his minis. He claimed the big old horse loved the minis and would never hurt them, ever! Until the day he kicked one of the mini mares in the belly, causing her to lose her foal that was due soon. The mare lived but as far as I know was never able to get in foal again.

Even playing only minis get hurt, running & playing with a big horse is asking for it IMO.