How do you know your non-horsey partner is becoming a mini person?

[RockRiverTiff]

If anyone knows how rare horse-loving men are then it's horse-loving women. When we first started dating, Mo had never even seen a mini. When he laughed the first time he saw my furry beauties, I was deeply concerned about the future of our relationship. Over time he's redeemed himself--he knows all the horses' names, all the inter-herd dramas, and is quick to help me out at the farm. I've even caught him cuddling horses when he thought I wasn't looking. I've always assumed that he did these things out of love for me, but last night he really showed that he loves the horses too.

You guys know we've had some major issues with trespassers--starting with petty theft and leading up to someone letting the mares and foals out--and despite increased security measures, I'm still a little paranoid. Last night we pulled into the side entrance of the farm to feed dinner, and as soon as we got out next to the middle barn, Mo noticed lights by the first barn. A running truck and small trailer were parked on the road in front of the barn. I didn't even have time to be suspicious before Mo took off running downhill, yelling and waving his arms. His mad man antics must have scared the people, because they immediately drove away. By the time I got to the barn, Mo had already torn all the doors open and was out with the herd counting heads. He thought those people were stealing the mares. We have a lot of horse farms around us, and honestly I think they were probably just trying to find the right address for a pick up or drop off, but his genuine concern for the horses really touched me. As if that wasn't enough, he insisted that we wait in the barn office to see if the rig came back. It's always been my worst nightmare that someone might steal a horse, and clearly my love (and paranoia) is rubbing off on him.

Anybody else make a mini-lover out of their reluctant partner?

 

[Laura]

Steve's not in love with all of the minis, but he deeply loves Fancypants, our 41 year old mare. He'll be a basket case when we lose her....

 

[Miniv]

I think you have a "developing love" happening. That's neat.

Since he had never even experienced minis before you.........It would be difficult for him to know how he felt about them until he learned about them, right?

My gauge with my man early on was whether he was an animal lover or not. If he had proved not to be, our relationship would have ended....... Harsh? I don't think so because animals have always been part of my life.......something I would not give up for anyone. (We are about to celebrate our 30th year.)

 

[SHANA]

My husband wasn't really a horse person when I met him but this photo of my husband tells all.

 

[Relic]

l was the opposite actually when we were married for the third year HE brought home a mini colt for Christmas for me so l'd have something to do during the day..Now we have around 40 year round along with the dogs and cats even moved 15 years ago to more land for the darn horses but it's the best thing that ever happened to me and the kids at that time and he's the best for being an animal lover even though the work is all mine but the funds are endless on his part..

l couldn't imagine being married to someone for any lenght of time who wasn't into animals big or small..

 

[River Wood]

Thats a great photo!

 

[Minxiesmom]

I knew my husband was becoming a horse daddy when he hauled hot water pails out to the horses for the last week when we had the barn water shut off because it was so cold. My qtr horse mare would come stand by the fence to remind him and up he got to fill pails and haul them out there. Good man!

Diane in OR

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Yep, we've got a couple of "developed horse lovers" at my house. My dad was an animal lover with no particular horse experience but he enjoyed being out with Mom when she was working them and is very handy around the barn. Over the years he's become quite attached to our geldings and cried unashamedly right along with us when Bo passed. My sweetie said a couple of weeks ago that while he doesn't think he'll ever have a horse of his own, by gosh, if I marry him he'll make sure I have one as long as I want one!

This man actually thinks I'm cute in my barn coat and dirty wool hat

and doesn't mind kissing me right after I kiss the horses. How much more do you need to prove someone is a gem?!

He wires up lights in my horse trailer, plots to help me decorate my cart for Christmas, asked if he could help pay the vet bill if there was something expensive that would save Spyderman, and actually mourned the fact he wasn't there to watch the latest antics Kody got up to while he was away in the Army. I teased him that coming out to the barn was the only way he could catch me and he chastised me for not believing that he likes the horses in and of themselves and wants to be around them. Given how much he volunteers to help out, I guess I should believe him.

Leia

 

[Minxiesmom]

Leia,

If I were you, I would marry that man! He sounds like a keeper!

Diane in OR

(no snow down here)

 

[Leeana]

Well i do not have a husband, or boyfriend...but my dad is my "partner" in the horses i guess you could say...

I know he enjoys the shows, although he will never admit it. He is always the first to brag about the ponies, whenever he meets someone "oh yeah we have __ ponies and we were down in ___ city last weekend", plus he helps out around here and i never have to ask him to, he just does it.

Ive even cought a few issues of The Journal, laying on the table in the living room, so i know he reads them...because i did not put them there

 

[Hosscrazy]

My ex-husband tried very hard to be a horse person...note the word "ex"

Liz R

 

[candycar]

My WONDERFUL hubby actually talked me into getting my first mini! He had never been a horse person, but knew how much I loved them and always wanted one. We saw an add in a trade paper for one(Jelly Bean) and he's the one that said we should go see it. Well, we ended up getting her of course! We didn't even have a place to keep her. He and his brother helped put up the stall, and we put up the fence. It's funny, I wanted everything to be perfectly ready when she came, but he was so excited we got her before the finishing touches were done.

He is also the one who talked me into getting her a buddy (Lexus). Once again we were rushing to get a stall addition built for her, and he was the one hurrying!

He's the one who decided Jelly Bean needed a job, and we ended up with a cart and harness! We took Driving training classes at the KY Horse Park together so he could help me train her.

He doesn't do many horsey chores, but will feed them when I can't. He loves to go out and give them treats and watch them perform their tricks. He Knows how much I love them and I can buy anything they need without question.

For a man who wasn't into horses, he sure has a lot to do with ours! He also loves the kittys and will do anything for them!

Every day he says "I love my little family" as he's petting a cat or treating the horses.

I love my man!!!

 

[Bunnylady]

My husband has always considered himself a dog person, but he knows and loves me, so he makes allowances.

For years, he's been the one to go "look, Mommy, a horsey!" when we're driving in the car somewhere.

When I got mad at Syd about something, he was the one who said, for her, "am I still your forever horse?"

In the past, he has given me diamonds for Christmas. This year, he gave me LUMBER!! To build a little barn with! (If I give him half a chance, he'll help me build it, too!)

It has taken several weeks between the time that I first expressed an interest in getting my new filly and the time that she walked off the trailer here. At least once a week, he has asked, "so, when does the new horsey get here?"

When he first saw "the new horsey," he said, "oh, she's cute!" He says she looks like a unicorn, so that's what he calls her.

I can't say for absolute, certain-sure that he's gotten bitten by the mini bug, but after 25 years, I think I'll keep him!

 

[RockRiverTiff]

You guys have got some great stories (and partners)! Shana that picture is absolutely adorable--a term I'm sure the man in it would not appreciate.

And Leanna I would give anything just to get my father to stop referring to my minis as "the small dog food cans." (The full sized horses are "the large dog food cans"...

) I only wish this could be more of a family thing!

Mo would kill me if he knew I posted these, but here are a couple pics of him and the mares he was so concerned about:

This is him walking May from the mare/foal pasture to the first barn (after two months on mare stare with me, she finally accepted him into her circle of trust):

And Mo having a chat with his favorite girl (probably denying any responsibility for her upcoming dental visit):

Keep the stories coming guys!

 

[The Simple Life Farm]

Well, my hubby has always helped a little when asked with the minis, bit never really showed the passion for them like I have. We show them, but he mostly gets them ready and I do the showing. He really loves animals, but just not passionate about the horses..... until we added the shetlands. Now he is up every morning helping me feed, and trys to beat me home to feed at night. I have even caught him looking at a few shetland websites, and he isn't a computer person. So, I think he has discovered his niche in the horse world.

 

[TN Belle]

My hubby proclaims he could care less about horses, but you can be sure is building my pasture & barn as we speak, even on his days off. Rather he has a secret love or he really loves me, hopefuuly both. He always reminds me of things I have told him before or what he heard at a convention. Sometimes it floors me what comes out of his mouth, as he truly did pay attention and wasn't snoozin like I thougt.

I have point blank asked him before about getting him a horse and he makes a big deal of making sure I know he means "NO"........but he's a softy.

 

[lilstars]

i met joe 4 yrs ago at the bowling alley while we were on leagues.. a few weeks after that i started working for him as a roofer... i ended up keeping my minis at an old cow farm where he kept his equipment i started with 3 minis i made 4 stalls and had one little paddock. after a few months a friend of mine was giving away her yearling gelding so he grabbed him, now after a couple of months we had built 12 stalls had 4 big paddocks a field and he had himself 2 geldings 1 mare in foal and we co owned a stallion. he jumped right into the show thing learned to body clip (big help to me) and goes to all the shows with me. he even went to regionals and placed very well with my friends stallion and i went top 5 with his lil gelding, he was so proud and i was so proud of him he is out every day with the horses and i we split working groups and take turns with feeding and stall duty. now keep in mind he never was an animal person i think he had a dog when he was a kid, now we have a house with a barn 7 horses and 3 dogs oh and 2 cockatiels.

i love my guy!!!!

 

[Keri]

My hubby has always liked horses, but never really got into minis (looked at me funny when he saw my first mini and me driving him). Now we have 9. He remembers to soak beet pulp for me, took lessons on how to trim their feet, and small stuff. He won't admit he likes them though (these horses run our lives! Think of how much money we'd have if we didn't have them). But then, he was at the tire store the other day getting tires and saw 2 sets of no more flat inserts. Bought them for me so that my show cart tires wouldn't get flat. Or he's checking out new clippers for me so that I have the best looking ones. I know he loves them, but won't admit it.

 

[Sonya]

I can honestly say that my husband never really aquired a love for our horses, although he is an animal lover. He did of course...build me the cutest little barn with power, did my fence, bought me a trailer and let me spend whatever I wanted on the horses and horsey things. I would say he did these things for me though, not for the horses. He cancelled a hunting trip when one got colic and almost needed to be transported to MSU..again, I think it was for me. He would help at the barn when I asked or if I was sick, but he didn't like it at all. I did catch him a few times doting on two of the minis, and only those two, so he did have some kind of emotion towards those two. He would join in on conversations when I would talk about the minis to non-horsey people...I was amazed that he did actually listen to me when I was talking minis to him, because he would repeat things that I had said to him. I was impressed with his knowledge from listening and watching me.

I will also say when I made the decision to sell, he was extremely happy. He sid he didn't like me working so hard and could tell I was burned out. I asked him a little while ago if I ever decided I wanted to get horses again, how would he feel...he said he'd divorce me!!

 

[myfirstmini]

My husband is a motorcycle guy - no interest in horses whatsoever. When we retired to NW Arkansas I got my first ever horse. At 62, I thought that was one dream that was never going to happen, so this was a biggie for me. I started working where we board to help pay for my indulgence - he was happy that I was happy, but never went out to the barn. My granddaughter that we are raising had some fear of the big horses and I decided I would like to get a mini. I told him about wanting to get one - no reaction. But the next thing I know, he's handing me some money and said "go find a mini". He had won $700 on lottery scratch off tickets. I found a little mare I wanted to look at and the owner of the barn said she would take the trailer and go with me. Well, we ended up getting the mare and Trish (barn owner) got a 3 year old gelding to drive and ended up taking him to Nationals this year. When we got home with the horses, my husband came right out to see them. Then from time to time he would drop by the barn and go into their drylot and just sit and pet them. Amazing to me. Since then I've gotten a granddaughter of my girl and Trish got another gelding. Our big horses have been quite neglected I must say. But yesterday while I was working (cleaning stalls, etc) my husband and granddaughter came out to the barn. The next thing I know my husband is cleaning the mini stalls. Now that is what I call a true convert.