Frustrated - "everything seems fine until it isn't"

[mad for mini's]

I know some of you see nothing wrong with this but I also know that alot of you do. I myself think it is a dangerous mixture for the mini's sake and would never try it. Today while doing my regular Facebook browsing, I came upon photos posted today of mini's being introduced into a herd of large horses. The photos made for beautiful pictures but caused me concern that it portrayed a cute, safe and fun time for all. Many people have no clue as to the peril that the mini's have been placed in. What made this posting concern me most was the fact that this was a popular rescue displaying this. Of all the places, I would think that a rescue would be a bit more responsible and teach safer practices for the equines in their care. I will no longer follow or like their page after expressing my concerns to them, getting a snotty attitude reply and getting brushed off. Very disappointed right now. Would you have voiced your concerns or simply skipped by ? Sometimes I get the wrong idea that I can make a difference. I guess I should have saved myself the aggravation and left the page

 

[mad for mini's]

And now am hopping mad ! This rescue just posted about "nay-sayers" and that comments would be deleted and people blocked. Apparently I am not the only one that had something to say about it. So the rescue felt the need to launch a war party. I guess calling concerned horse owners unrepeatable names and telling us to mind our own business is how they "educate" their followers. So sad. I've lost all respect for this rescue.

 

[chandab]

I'm not on that one, or at least haven't seen that post yet, but I'm with you. Minis don't belong out with full-size.

I posted on a thread on FB, and my post completely disappeared. I know I posted, and saw my post up for at least a few hours, then it was just gone.

 

[BSharpRanch]

I have seen the folly of allowing minis to be out with big horses. The owners were lucky for a while then an undiagnosable lameness to their smallest mare. Even after that they still allowed them all to run together. Oh well. And some of the rescues I know of are run by well meaning people that don't have a clue.

 

[Marty]

I'm with you.

CMHR does not allow our miniatures to be placed inside fenced areas with big horses in foster care or to adoptive homes. We are very definate about that. Because of this rule, we have lost foster homes and also potential adoptive homes but better be safe than sorry.

 

[AFewSpotsMostlyBlack]

hmmm, I know this won't be popular but I'm a never say never type of person. I really think you need to evaluate the horse it's with before you say never. In most cases I'm sure it's probably best to not mix them but even two horses of the same size can hurt each other. Mares can injure their own foals. Horses are accidents waiting to happen no matter how you bubble wrap them. My big stout 15.2 raised alone, mostly in a stall-scared of his own shadow-doesn't know how to be in a herd-gets run thru the fences by the other horses, big baby of a gelding will get his butt kicked by my B sized mini. She's boss. He follows behind like a whipped puppy most of the time. He's scared to death of her offending her, if she flicks an ear or tail at him he high tails it. I've never seen him even try to offer to do anything nasty to her. He's totally submissive to her, don't get me wrong he's not unhappy, he gets a gooey look with her and loves her to death but he's a chicken when it comes to any aggression and when she's coming in and going out of heat he gets the rough end of that relationship. I can't keep him with the rest of the herd he's just too 'soft' so she is his companion and keeps him company in a smaller pasture when everybody else terrorizes him.

edited for typo

 

[BSharpRanch]

A lot of times they do get along, however, if they get spooked or to running nilly willy, little ones can get freight trained even accidently by the larger ones.

 

[horsenut50]

I'm a huge believer in not putting Minis in with big horses. I know of two people who lost their Minis this way. One was kicked in the head and horse had severe neurological problems and had to be euthanized and the other was kicked in the leg and it was broke clean in half and this one was also euthanized. Both of these horses were in with buddies that were gentle and never aggressive. Horses will be horses, they kick, bite, rear up, buck and take off without warning. All it takes is one split second of a Mini being in the wrong place at the right time. If you love your little ones, why chance it.

 

[mad for mini's]

Thank you for your replies. For that rescue, ignorance to the obvious risk is bliss, I guess. In the mean time the rescue condones the mix and encourages supporters to nastily and viciously attack anyone with an opinion different from theirs. Glad I didn't get too involved and send them any money. Now I have more to donate to more reputable rescues. As much as I love the drafts, I'll stick with the mini people. Love CMHR ! You guys are truly there to help horse and owner and to educate the public.

edited to reword a sentence.

 

[HGFarm]

I agree.... being a horse owner for 40 years of big, medium and small... I would never mix Minis with big ones. Everything is fine until it's not and by then it's too late. If a single big one is lonely, there is no reason not to have a safe fence between them where the big one (or single small one) can enjoy the company of others it can see through the fence.

 

[sparklingjewelacres]

Usually better to private message on Facebook about concerns that are upsetting. I think it is or can be used more effectively to help the person(s) realize a potential problem and even if they still get angry, it was done on your part in a more restrained way.

 

[sparklingjewelacres]

Well either way, maybe there was no real way to private message and the people need to be made aware of experienced people's opinions. I would think it would be so hard on mini's to be put in with bigger horses. They want to run like them and may even get chased for fun sport.

 

[mad for mini's]

Sparking jewel, Thank you for your comment. Good suggestion. Will do a pm if there is a next time but I didn't think of my comment as being offensive. You are right too, a pm wouldn't have gotten through to her readers that didn't know better and think that the mix was totally safe. Which come to find out, every one of the people that replied seemed to think there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. Her reasoning was "horses of any size could get hurt when together" and wouldn't even admit that it was risky in the slightest. But now I'm wondering if she is really even a "rescue" since I have never seen her post any up for adoption.Her website doesn't list any either. I'm thinking that she just takes them in and does fundraisers to care for them :\

Had to add.One comment made was "If something happens and any horse is hurt, well then, that is an accident" Ridiculous, if the "accident" happened because of the situation that you purposely put them in, it isn't an accident. In this case,an accident is totally preventable simply by keeping them separated.

edit for spelling

 

[HGFarm]

You can check public records to see if she is incorporated as a 501©3 as a rescue should be.

 

[chandab]

PM me the name of the rescue please. I'd like to know if its one I know or not. Thanks.

 

[Marty]

I don't have a clue what rescue you are talking about. But here's another thing to take into consideration:

This may be a big horse rescue, or primarily a big horse rescue. They may not have a clue about the dangers with minis and bigs together. Honestly, I never did when I first put my kids ponies in with my Quarter Horses back in the day. Of course they were not minis, but still, it never dawned on me not to. Until my pony was kicked in the head by his best friend: a 14 hander. A freak accident and then things changed.

Anyhow, another thing is most rescues do not have the space to separate as wisely as they should and are really struggeling to do the best they can. Just saying in all fairness.

 

[mad for mini's]

Thanks HG Farm, I checked and did find her farm listed. Applied for in 2002, seems she was busy in earlier years but looks to have slowed in the last few years to nearly nothing now.

 

[mad for mini's]

I agree Marty, she is primarily drafts and I'm not sure why she combined them but I think it is simply for her convenience. I thought maybe she hadn't thought of what could happen so I mentioned that in my comment. She wanted nothing to do with taking any advice about it and was pretty rude about it which really upset me. I'm not used to dealing with people that are so totally stuck with their head in the sand.

I have had to learn alot of things by trial and error but would at least listen to advice on what I could do better.

 

[Honeylakebug]

Not to disagree but my mini is with my Arab gelding and he worships the ground she walks on he is frantic without her

Even though she bites and kicks at him he just stands there he nickers for her when she is in and he is outside even comes

in to check on her. I definitely would not put her in with a herd of big horses but Dude totally lets her rule the roost

 

[minimomNC]

To me its like anything else you have to think about. Its always fine until its not, but when its not it horrific. Would you put an elementary school football player on a team with college players? They wouldn't mean to hurt him but in the end when they do, it will be very bad. Better to be safe than sorry.