Exercising the young ones

[little rodeo]

Hello! We rescued a Mini mare the beginning of the year and she had a foal on May 9th. The foal is now weaned and has been for about a month. I take her on walks and she does chores everyday with me. She’s going to be my sons who is currently 9 months old so she needs to be very gentle. She’s quickly on her way! I am taking her to the beach to walk the boardwalk this weekend but I also would like to start taking her hiking with me. I would say he father was a dwarf because she is very tiny and has a dished dwarfy looking face and legs. I don’t want to overdue it with her but I also want to do as much as I can with her the next two-three years for when or if my son wants to take the step and start riding. We currently have 9 other horses/mules and we all ride a ton so im guessing he will want to. At least in the beginning. I just want him to have something safe to be on and in order to do that I need to expose this little filly to anything and everything. I tie balloons to her and have her carry/drag a tarp plus tons of other weird things. She hasn’t batted an eye with anything yet. My main question is would hiking be ok? I have tons of experience with horses but not tiny minis like this. I feel like the exercise will be good for her growing legs. Just walking. We are not sprinting down the trails as I also have a backpack on with my son.

 

[chandab]

Don't see any obvious signs of dwarfism, size alone does not indicate dwarfism. She looks to be proportionate, but sometimes that changes with maturing.

 

[Standards Equine]

You're not asking your little to carry any undue amount of weight, I can't imagine hiking, navigating their own body at a reasonable pace with appropriate rest and conditioning would have any negative consequences. What a great idea!
But my friend, please don't tie your little around yourself! That scares me! Even when they are so so good, something can happen in the blink of an eye and they are much stronger than a dog. You could be pulled off your feet so quickly and your internal organs harmed. Forgive the mom talking, obviously you're an adult and more than capable of making decisions about your own body - I just don't want to see a good person harmed!

Anyways, keep being amazing! And thank you for doing everything you are with your wee one(s)!!!

 

[elizabeth.conder]

I agree, she is not a dwarf. Which is great news, because if she was it would be unlikely she’d ever be sound enough to be rideable. The dishy head is quite normal and actually considered desirable to many. Her legs are nice and straight whereas a dwarfs would be crooked generally.

I can’t imagine hiking would be too much for her. It’d definitely be something I would take slow and see how she handles and as she matures and builds up strength, increase the distance.

How tall is she? If she’s super small, keep in mind the 20% weight rule. That’s what makes training minis for riding so challenging, because they generally do not weigh a ton at maturity. So staying under that 20% with tack can be hard for the very small ones. Also why so many train them to drive. Because even when they are outgrown for riding, they hardly ever get outgrown for driving. She’s adorable though, and I’m sure you son already does and will continue to adore her!!!

 

[little rodeo]

Don't see any obvious signs of dwarfism, size alone does not indicate dwarfism. She looks to be proportionate, but sometimes that changes with maturing.

The way forehead and legs are indicate she’s a dwarf our vet told us. I’d prefer her not to be so my son will be able to use her longer.

 

[little rodeo]

I agree, she is not a dwarf. Which is great news, because if she was it would be unlikely she’d ever be sound enough to be rideable. The dishy head is quite normal and actually considered desirable to many. Her legs are nice and straight whereas a dwarfs would be crooked generally.

I can’t imagine hiking would be too much for her. It’d definitely be something I would take slow and see how she handles and as she matures and builds up strength, increase the distance.

How tall is she? If she’s super small, keep in mind the 20% weight rule. That’s what makes training minis for riding so challenging, because they generally do not weigh a ton at maturity. So staying under that 20% with tack can be hard for the very small ones. Also why so many train them to drive. Because even when they are outgrown for riding, they hardly ever get outgrown for driving. She’s adorable though, and I’m sure you son already does and will continue to adore her!!!

I do not plan to add any weight till she’s atleast a year and a half anyways. My vet was the one telling me she looked dwarfy because of her head and her legs are a bit crooked. I was hoping my exercise could straighten them out. Thank you!

 

[little rodeo]

You're not asking your little to carry any undue amount of weight, I can't imagine hiking, navigating their own body at a reasonable pace with appropriate rest and conditioning would have any negative consequences. What a great idea!
But my friend, please don't tie your little around yourself! That scares me! Even when they are so so good, something can happen in the blink of an eye and they are much stronger than a dog. You could be pulled off your feet so quickly and your internal organs harmed. Forgive the mom talking, obviously you're an adult and more than capable of making decisions about your own body - I just don't want to see a good person harmed!

Anyways, keep being amazing! And thank you for doing everything you are with your wee one(s)!!!

It’s just loosely tied around but I get where your coming from. Sometimes you gotta do what u gotta do though. She hasn’t pulled my off my feet yet

 

[chandab]

The way forehead and legs are indicate she’s a dwarf our vet told us. I’d prefer her not to be so my son will be able to use her longer.

I don't see anything in these pictures indicating dwarfism. Crooked legs, which I can't see from the angles in the pictures, can be just poor conformation. Minis often have pronounced foreheads as foals and grow into with maturity. Many vets have limited experience with miniatures, especially foals.
If you can take a picture of her from down at her level, so you are looking straight across at her, rather than down at her, that would help with assessment. [Side view and rear view.]

 

[elizabeth.conder]

I agree, she does not have traditional signs of dwarfism. This is a typical dwarf. Sadly many vets are not very experienced/knowledgeable about breeding minis and mini genetics.

 

[elizabeth.conder]

Mini foals are born with very rounded forehead. Totally normal. They grow out of it. A more rounded forehead is actually desirable to some breeders because it usually means the horse will have a more dishy Arabian like head. I like to use my stallion as an example of the rounded forehead as a foal. He’s now a world champion.

 

[HersheyMint]

Mini foals are born with very rounded forehead. Totally normal. They grow out of it. A more rounded forehead is actually desirable to some breeders because it usually means the horse will have a more dishy Arabian like head. I like to use my stallion as an example of the rounded forehead as a foal. He’s now a world champion.

He is beautiful

 

[minihorse]

Mini foals are born with very rounded forehead. Totally normal. They grow out of it. A more rounded forehead is actually desirable to some breeders because it usually means the horse will have a more dishy Arabian like head. I like to use my stallion as an example of the rounded forehead as a foal. He’s now a world champion.

What a beauty!

 

[elizabeth.conder]

Thank y’all!

 

[deb1unlimited]

You're not asking your little to carry any undue amount of weight, I can't imagine hiking, navigating their own body at a reasonable pace with appropriate rest and conditioning would have any negative consequences. What a great idea!
But my friend, please don't tie your little around yourself! That scares me! Even when they are so so good, something can happen in the blink of an eye and they are much stronger than a dog. You could be pulled off your feet so quickly and your internal organs harmed. Forgive the mom talking, obviously you're an adult and more than capable of making decisions about your own body - I just don't want to see a good person harmed!

Anyways, keep being amazing! And thank you for doing everything you are with your wee one(s)!!!

I agree completely about NEVER tying a horse to your person, even a tiny mini. I know someone who was dragged as a small child while walking a big dog and hit a curb face first. Not a good ending. I am a fanatic about not wrapping, tying lead lines. It only takes once and you can lose a finger or a hand. Be safe!