How did you get started with minis?

[SamanthaLucille]

I am just wondering how everyone got involved with miniature horses? Did you work with full size horses first or do you still have them? Have you always had minis? This forum is so informative and I am just wondering how you all got started!

 

[LittleBittyBritches]

I have always loved horses, big horses were too intimidating for me with my young children. I wanted horses we could as a family all be involved. We got a mini, and it just grew from there.

 

[Mima Acres]

I have had horses as long as I can remember. I was a horse crazy little girl & I started riding when I was 3 years old. I love riding and I own two Arabians still. I got my first mini last October & she had a colt last May.

 

[HGStables]

I started with big horses showing western pleasure, i got hurt really bad by my gelding he broke my pelvis and that really destroyed my nerves. I still ride big guys here and there and hope to find the right riding horse in time. I bought a little black mini mare and really got into training her and showing, they are fun and normally very well behaved. I have three now and hope to have more but I am being picky with the quality of mini I have. I still have a few big horses but I show them halter, 2 are yearlings one saved from the Camelot Feed lots.

 

[disneyhorse]

I work with draft horses and love to drive... Minis are just so much cheaper to feed and their carts are easier to haul so that's why I buy little guys! Don't have any big horses at the moment, but work full time with drafts.

 

[jandjmc]

My grandpa bought me a shetland when I was 7 years old. I rode and drove that pony all over! Then I progressed to Welshs and in my teens to grade big horses. I've had an Arab, Quarter horses and Paints. A friend, who also owned Quarterhorses, invited me to go along to a local mini breeders. Sure, that will be a kick. Within 3 days, I had a delightful gray miniature mare in the barn. She's still there, 16 years later, except now she's 26. I've added a few more through the years. Thank you Margo Cox Townsend! Everyday day with horses is an adventure and I'm blessed with my minis and all the wonderful "mini" friends I've met through the years!

 

[HGFarm]

Always had big horses, and a handful of POA's (big ones)- had only seen Minis once. I got into them quite by accident- I dont really even know why. We were having layoffs at work and I sold my big Appy mare in case of unemployment problems- I didnt want to have to worry about her too. I was lucky enough to find another job, so happened to be looking in the paper at horse ads- and there was one for a Mini Appy stallion. I had no idea there even was such a thing! I called more out of curiosity than anything- and by the time our conversation was done, she mailed me pics- which I got the next day- I called her back and bought him.

He has NEVER disappointed me and is such a gentleman always- that was at the beginning of 1995. I had no intention of getting into showing and breeding again (already did that with the full sized ones) but this little horse was so fabulous, he got me hooked. And it's all history from there....

He is now 22 and still the love of my life... Grays Smoke Signal, known to all his friends as Bob.

 

[minimomNC]

My husband and I went to a mini auction close to our home thinking, really, how much can one of these little things cost. That was in 2002 and the auction was a production sale for Lucky Four Farms. Well let me tell you how much one of these little things can sell for LOL, I saw Martins Boozer After Dark sell for I think it was $64,000. Not positive but it was up there. So we went away with a new understanding of little horses. About a year later, I needed to get my husband away from the house for a surprise birthday party we were planning, so there was another mini sale that day and I figured it was a safe place to be, cause I knew we couldn't afford one of those little horses (we had three quarter horses at the time). So off we go, this was what is now the Mt Airy Sale, the last one that was in Winston. We ended up buying a 27" yearling colt and it just went crazy from there. We were late to the party of course because we didn't take a horse trailer with us. That was in 2003, we have had as many as 23 and I now own 7. But I still own the very first mini he bought me. We went from showing at small local shows to showing at the World and National level, meeting wonderful people and made lasting relationships. Its been a great world for us.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Our local horseman's association in Pittsburgh puts on a Mini show every year. At that point I owned an Arabian and thought pretty much like all the other "big horse" owners: what do you DO with them? But we were bored and decided to go to the showring and maybe help out and bum around for a few hours.

We're walking around, and there is a big man leading a tiny colt around. The colt is jumping and bouncing and hollering for mama. The man is laughing, the colt was being so silly. So, I bend down to get on baby's level, and that lil guy ran right INTO my arms and hid. The big man laughs again and says "he's for sale!" I look at my friend and say "I WANT HIM!" We made a deal then and there. When he was weaned we'd go pick him up, and we were welcome to visit any time.

The horse was Mini Ridge Red Man, the year was 1998 and the big man was Paul Kalenak, who with his wife Maggie raise and train Mini/Shetlands. Still very good friends to this day and Mags was our mentor for years!! (Still is, even though we are 1300 miles away now)

 

[wildoak]

I rode & showed Quarter horses most of my life, had no interest in ponies or anything smaller.. My daughter was also showing, and in about 97, at a show with her big mare, I happened to see flyers on a table for a miniature horse breeder about an hour from us. It was a familiar name, someone who had worked for my folks many years and miles away, so I called and re-introduced myself to Tony Greaves lol. We went to a couple of nearby shows, saw them fitted and clipped, and were smitten. Needless to say, Tony sent us home with a new colt. We gelded him (much to Tony's dismay at the time lol), and my daughter showed him & put lots of titles on him. His last show with us was Central Regionals, where he was Champion or Reserve Champion in almost everything he entered. We sold him there, and he was shown very little afterwards but as far as I know is still living the good life. We have had as many as 40 or so, and are back "down" to just under 30 now. We have since lost my daughter's much loved old QH mare, but still have a couple of APHA mares and I am still looking for that "perfect" older semi-retired show horse to enjoy when the mood strikes me.

Jan

 

[countrymini]

We've had a few big horses, the last one, gelding, lovely boy, had terrible itch which was manageable but then my daughter was diagnosed with Leukaemia in Jan so I sold him to a vet who lived further inland so that I didn't have to worry the neighbours with rugging and putting ointment on him when we were away for treatment. I cried when the new people came to get him, lol, had a major hole that needed filling and found this ad for the three minis I have now. The owner had a health scare and wanted a loving home for them so she could move into town. Perfect timing, I love them to bits, and if we're away for two nights for chemo I don't have to worry the non horsey neighbour about rugs and creams, they just keep an eye on them for us.

Cant believe what i've been missing lol

 

[Cricket8]

My family raised and bred Appaloosas, QH's, and Tenn Walkers. We then moved into the Standardbreds. I have a gelding who is being leased over at Northfield Park and I had a Paint gelding who I had when he was two he is now 15 but, I sold him after I had a stroke 6 weeks after having my daughter and they put me on Warfarin indefinitely I was only 26. I had bought this little raggedy Mini mare at an auction because I felt for her. She was underweight and her coat was terribly thick and it was only September. I have always wanted a mini and now I have to say why in the heck didn't I do this earlier? Still love the larger horses and will get my Standardbred back here in a few years. Until then I can build up confidence again.

 

[Riverrose28]

Hubby bought me a welsh arab mare for Mothers Day in 1977. We've owned arabs, paints and shetland ponies. Before I got into minis I went to several shows and researched on line. We have had as many as 30, but are cutting way back, as we are getting on in years and help is hard to find. We do have three generations that show! We also have bred several Champions that carry our farm name. I too regret not getting into minis earlier in my life, they are so wonderful!

 

[ionafarm]

My middle daughter had perfect attendance in kindergarten and was given tickets to the Ohio State Fair. the day we went was miniature horse show day. While walking through the barns a lady ( Debby Grayson) of Fallen Ash Farm handed my 2 year old a horse to take for a walk. We though she was nuts to trust our extra tiny daughter with this valuable animal. They trotted off and we were hooked by the end of the day. It was the best thing we ever did for our kids who all three showed until they graduated from high school. Now the older two bring their children home to show with their grandparents. The younger daughter ( the two year old) is now a trainer. When people ask if she isn't too young to be a trainer ( at 28) ? They must be told that she has 26 years experience training and showing horses!! And yes, all my kids are now gone, but we haven't been able to give up the horses, so are still showing ourselves. Oh, by the way that first mare we bought from Fallen Ash, lives at the training farm, healthy and happy with her "little girl".

 

[Mini Brook Farm]

I've always had horses and when our first born child was a toddler I told my husband we needed a Mini for him. That started it and we all fell in love with the breed!

 

[Grace67]

Well I'm not new to horses having had QHs and fjords for over 30 years but I just recently purchased my very first mini and he arrived a little over two weeks ago and I just love him. I"m so excited to have him in my life and am looking to many years of enjoyment with him (and maybe a few more too). I have had lifelong issues with my knees and recently went through a total knee replacement at age 43 so my riding and showing days are pretty limited now and I plan to take up driving with my new gelding, really looking forward to it!

 

[Miniv]

We discovered minis at the Oregon State Fair........didn't know our *ss from our elbow about horses, but fell in love. So we researched for a year and visited various farms........In 1990 we bought our first -- about 3 months later we bought our second......and that was the start. We have been fortunate to have wonderful vets and wonderful breeder friends who have put up with our wanting to constantly learn. One thing about these little ones is that you can be a purpetual student!

Over the years we've had over 100, but we are slimming the herd yearly and have about 60 right now. My aim is for 25 or less....but both the husband and daughter are fighting me on that. Something tells me that when Larry and I die, we'll both be scooping poop. )

 

[wingnut]

I've loved horses all my life. I was never fortunate enough to have one as a child and by the time I was an adult, the dream of having was not something I thought I'd ever realize, for a variety of reasons. One reason being that my husband was NOT a horse lover of any stripe.

So imagine my shock when he started showing me the posting on Craigslist of a lovely little black filly in the winter of 2009. I still do not know what possessed the man. After some very long discussions on a couple of occasions, I took him up on his offer to go get her. 3 years later and we now have 6 mares in our backyard. We have come so far in those three years. I have met some of the best people, both in real life and online through my minis. We have been utterly blessed with the professionals we've worked with (vets, farrier, equine dentist).

Despite all the hard work involved, I have never been as happy as I am these days. I truly have achieved a lifelong dream that I never imagined possible. I remember visiting Marlene (Whitetails Farm) & Holly that first year. I was explaining to her how we came to have our first minis (we had 2 at that point with a third waiting to be weaned to come home). I told her that i just couldn't figure out *why* my husband had seemed to push us in this direction knowing the work & expense involved, much of the "heavy labor" falling on *his* shoulders. I was truly perplexed. I'll never forget what Marlene said: "Its obvious...he loves you and wants to make you happy." Why didn't I see that? I'm still overwhelmed every time I think of it.

 

[Windhaven]

Got my first pony when I was 5. From there it was all down hill. LOL

First horse when I was 8 and have had many many more after that. Arabs, QH, Paints, Standbred and 4 adopted wild mustangs.

Gave riding lessons, broke horses and helped run a 4-H club doing most of the workout lessons to get kids ready for shows. Helped train and condition harness racers.

Got out of big horses when I got dumped and had a 1 yr old son at home and decided I needed to give the big horses a break until he was older. Then got into minis and have had them for 16 years. Hopefully will get another riding horse some day again.

Love my horses!

 

[susanne]

My earliest memories are of wanting to have a horse or wanting to be one. I was one of six children, and my father was a self-employed mechanical engineer. My parents loved animals and would have loved for as to have a horse, but they did their research and didn't feel they could commit to caring for a horse. I know now that they were wise, but I used to wish so hard that I would look out my bedroom window and see a horse. I made do by making friends with everyone in our community who had a horse and then doing all of their horse chores for them.

As I grew up, my other interests (writing, music, art) led me to live in the city. I still loved horses, but was afraid I'd never have one. When I became addicted to gardening, my husband and I purchased a half acre property in the middle of Portland, OR. A friend who ran a small pet rescue came to visit, and suggested that we had enough room to finally get my horse. I said that it wasn't really enough room for a horse or even a pony. She asked, "How about a mini?" I replied that they cost a fortune.

About a week later, this friend called me. A woman had come into her pet shelter looking for info on starting a rescue -- in her case, farm animals. This woman had asked if she knew anyone interested in adopting a miniature horse.

The rest is history.

This next month we will celebrate our 10th anniversary of being owned by Mingus. It's astonishing how much a small horse can change your life! In that time, we have adopted and purchased three additional minis, moved to the country, lost one mini (full-sized heartbreak), learned to drive and and and...