How Many Is Too Many??

[New2Minis]

I LOVE my Mini's and I am always browsing the sale ads to see what is available. I had 2 Minis locally given to me because the owner could not afford them anymore. I would have 100 of them if I could. When and how do you decide you have enough?? Because in my mind it is "the more the merrier!", there is never too many!! LOL OH!

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

I know when I run out of stalls! :arg!

 

[Miniv]

When their care and attention has gone down. When you feel crammed for time. When you let things slide because there is more to do. When you can't do a once over on everyone, give them the attention or grooming needed, or can't afford it

Nicole basically said it..........When you have so many that you don't feel you're giving them attention and care they deserve.

 

[Leeana]

I think you just need to look at how much land you have, what you can afford and what you want to do.

Right now i have 13, the official break down is ..

4 mature mares

2 fillies

2 mature stallions

2 colts

2 geldings

I am constantly browsing the saleboard but not really shopping, not unless something really catches my eye, i know what my limit is as far as land goes and luckly i have plenty of time on my hands to play with. At the moment, i am planning four foals to come next year and i will be keeping either one or two of them.

 

[minih]

Too many is when you can not afford feed, vet bills, wormer, immunizations, etc....

Too many is when you can not keep up with their needs such as love, attention, fresh water, clean stalls, etc....

Too many is when it is a hardship on your family finances.

 

[Cathy_H]

If this thought has already passed through a persons mind and if they are thinking of breeding their current horses then they definately have enough.

 

[Jill]

Keep in mind, too, as your goals change or evolve, you may need different horses than you currently have. That is what it meant for me when I wanted higher caliber show horses and to breed. I didn't have time and room to keep everything I had to begin with and pursue some goals that were / are very important to me. It was not easy, but when I realized what should be done, it turned out to be really gratifying to put some horses I wasn't "doing" anything with into homes where they are THE special one

I think for someone who breeds and / or shows, you've got to be open to and aware of what good things are out there and what you should consider bringing into your program.

 

[Windhaven]

One more thought!

To many is when it takes quality time away from your family/relationships (not just finances), because you are cleaning, mucking, clipping, foaling out, etc. Especially if you are the only one in the family who is really addicted to them. This can/will cause hardships in any family or relationship and I am sure there are some who are a part of this forum who can attest to that.

Make sure you keep your priorities straight and can have the time and money to care for both, family and minis.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I have set myself an arbitrary limit of 20 but am not in any hurry to reach that number. In fact having the 14 I have now is feeling just about right. I have 3 for sale and will be (I hope) having 2 foals next spring. If the sale horses stay I'll be up to 16 by then. Right now I have

2 senior stallions

2 yearling colts

3 geldings

4 adult mares

1 yearling filly

2 2008 foals

I think at 20 I'd be looking to downsize rather than increase my herd since I do almost all the work myself but right now I, like lots of others have said, am always scanning the for sale ads. You never know when the perfect horse will be for sale and I do want a couple more mares

BTW Leeana, your count ads up to 12 not 13 so who'd you leave out.

 

[Erica]

I counted and I have 82 bodies out in the pastures

71 horses, 8 miniature donkeys, a miniature mule, a large standard donkey and a llama.

* 6 of those are horses I co-own, 12 horses are just waiting shipping and are sold, just sold a few of the donkeys too, and I have 5 horses I'm going to list

So my work load will be lighten some then

I have plenty of pastures to house them all, have about 75 acres here at the farm......but really I have NO NEED to have that many, but I've gotten to a point where each and every one of them are what I have strove to produce as far as foals and the type of broodmare and stallions I want to have so it's getting especially hard for me to decide what to sell as they are all ones I want to keep - this is very possibly why I have as many as I do ....I'm trying to talk myself into listing a few more for sale, but I'm not sure ...

If it wasn't my passion and if horses weren't what I breathed and sleeped it would be way too much, as I work full time away from the house/barn, have 11 horses up in the show barn, travel to shows, and foal out about 15 babies a year.......and yes there are times I think it's too much (days when I'd rather be on the boat at the lake than clipping horses) but it's a life I love.

 

[SunQuest]

The answer for me is a simple one.

When you are no longer having fun, you have too many.

After all, if it is fun, then most likely you have the time, energy and funds to have the number of horses you have.

 

[Seashells]

When their care and attention has gone down. When you feel crammed for time. When you let things slide because there is more to do. When you can't do a once over on everyone, give them the attention or grooming needed, or can't afford it

VERY WELL PUT

 

[Leeana]

BTW Leeana, your count ads up to 12 not 13 so who'd you leave out.

I have a gelding at a friends farm (LGahr) that i didnt count, i just counted the horses standing in my pasture right now.

If it wasn't my passion and if horses weren't what I breathed and sleeped it would be way too much, as I work full time away from the house/barn, have 11 horses up in the show barn, travel to shows, and foal out about 15 babies a year.......and yes there are times I think it's too much (days when I'd rather be on the boat at the lake than clipping horses) but it's a life I love.

Erica said it very very well. I only have 12 ..13 ..14

and i really consider myself lucky to have the amount of time on my hands that i do to put into the horses. Even with just 12 here on the farm right now, its still a job and half, but i love it and i've only been into the minis for 6 years, 4 years showing, but it is my complete passion and i at this point could not imagine life without a barn and pasture full of them

 

[Ashley]

I currently have 10 will have a 11 when the last one arrives here. I dont think I have to many, but I do definatly want to cut back on the minis. For me its a change of direction. I dont justify haveing alot because they are just pets to me with a few foals a year. I dont show anymore, and they hardly ever leave the property.

 

[New2Minis]

Well put Erica......It is funny, I know people that have 2 horses and say they are sooo much work. I laugh at them because I have 5 Biggies, 8 Mini's and 3 Mini Donkeys and too me it is not work....It is what I enjoy. I manage a local feed store so I am offered big horses all the time especially over the past 6 months with the economy being so bad. I can refuse them easily but with the Mini's I have the atitude "There is always room for ONE more". LOL My husband just laughs at me because he thinks they are adorable too!!!

 

[Carolyn R]

I have a limit that I will not exceed. That magic number for me is 10. If I go above ten, well I need to sell someone, not because I have to, but because 10 is what i am comfortable with. I am at 8 right now (including 2 babies from this year). I have not bred any back yet for next year, I would sooner wait and place my babies, and if I don't place them right away, so be it, I am still below my self induced "allowance". If I don't breed any back before fall, then so be it, it is my love and my hobby, not something I must do.

As others have put it, it is too many when they don't get what they need, the attention, the hoof care, and floatings, the vaccinations, when you feel that you are stretched so thin that you are ready to snap. When your family is placed second and your horses are your first priority.

I must also add that the horses I have are ones that I have strived to get. I have an attatchment to them, but I also have a considerable amount that went into them monetarily. With that said, I personally feel that I must be able to maintain the upkeep on what I have already put money into, rather than continually look for more.

Carolyn

 

[The Simple Life Farm]

When your family is placed second and your horses are your first priority.

No wonder my husband get so frustrated!!!!! OH! (we don't have any human kids)

A friend once told me "Never get too big that you aren't having fun". That will be how I know... and I'm still having fun

 

[strass]

One more thought!

To many is when it takes quality time away from your family/relationships (not just finances), because you are cleaning, mucking, clipping, foaling out, etc. Especially if you are the only one in the family who is really addicted to them. This can/will cause hardships in any family or relationship and I am sure there are some who are a part of this forum who can attest to that.

Make sure you keep your priorities straight and can have the time and money to care for both, family and minis.

I just wanted to quote this in hopes that my wife will have another chance to read it.

 

[user 488]

I don't care how much you love them or how much passion you have for doing what you do or if you have a 10 stall barn and have to fill it or 100 acres of pasture. The most important thing is the animal's welfare. If you don't have the money to properly care for the animal then love or passion or whatever it is that drives you just is not enough. IMO. If you are stretching your dollar so thin where as you have to compromise on their care then you have too many. If you have to think about whether or not you have the money to call the vet, or the farrier, or switch to some cheap feed then you either have too many or you should not have any at all. And added to say........of course if your family life is suffering because of the financial strain the horses bring then you need to cut back or sell out. Not fair to your family or the horses. Again, my opinion.

 

[Hosscrazy]

Well said, Carol, well said.

Liz R.