Just curious - What other animals do we all own?

[Miniv]

The recent AMHA survey sparked my interest.......One of the questions was about what other animals do mini horse owners have?

Almost everyone has dog(s), cat(s)....But does anyone show them?

What about having other types of animals?

__________________________________________________________________

I'll go first:

We have 4 dogs and 7 cats (pets only).....acquired mostly from the two shelters I have fostered for.

In addition IN the house: 2 small parrots and 2 ferrets that my grown daughter keeps in her room.

Oh, and we have two fish tanks with Angel fish, Tetras, and two "suckers"....

Outside: 7 rabbits (for showing/breeding), 22 chickens (for eggs/showing), 2 goats (daughter's pets)

1 mini donkey (pet), 3 llamas (rescued, but have stayed on as mini horse guardians.),

7 full sized horses (1 belongs to our niece and 1 was dumped here.)

Have to admit that the rabbits and some of our chickens are also "pets"....I have my favorites. <sigh>

We've had a couple of geckos in the past, but rehomed them......Have considered getting a snake,

but I think we have enough pets right now.....LOL.

We have 28 minis....still selling some, but several of them are getting older and are retiring here.

 

[chandab]

Well, we raise beef cattle, so have a nice herd of Red AngusX cows (and the bulls, or there would be no calves). Way too many barn cats, working on getting them fixed as the low cost clinics come through the area. 5 house cats. 3 dogs, all stock dogs that work cattle (some better than others). 3 saddle horses (2 are mine, 1 is hubby's). The 13 minis and 1 mini donkey. I think that makes us pretty full up, although, I wouldn't mind a llama or goat.

 

[atotton]

I have

-5 minis

-3 dogs (a Border Collie, Border Collie/Corgi cross and a Golden Retriever)

-17 chickens (8 Speckled Sussex, 5 barnyard mixes, 3 bantam Cochins, 1 Olive Egger)

-3 call ducks

-2 rabbits

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I'm low on animals right now, and that suits me. Two miniature horses, six chickens, and a rat terrier.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

3 x Minis, 1 x Shetland , 3 x thoroughbreds and a female boxer.

I am planning to add chickens to the family at some stage, I think id like to get thru our blistering summer here first though

 

[amysue]

We have one dog, a beagle that my mom bought for us after losing our golden, ladybugg this summer. 1 house cat and 28 barn cats. We were able to get them all fixed through a community outreach program.

We raise beef cows and replacement heifers so there are over 100 cows on the property, holsteins, herefords and belted galloways. We used to milk red holsteins but we don't any more.

I have one goat to keep a mini company, we got rid of the rest of the goats because their owner wasn't looking after them.

I have 3 mini donkeys, two spotted jennies and a gray jack.

I have one big horse, a belgian hafflinger cross. My father in law has a belgian mare that visits, but shes not mine. We have 12 shetlands (9 American and 3 British, and 13 minis. I have a pair of peacocks, two pair of red and one pair of yellow golden and lady amherst pheasants, a few dozen bronze turkeys, 4 African geese, 20 + ducks (magpies, Stanbridge whites, campbells and snowy mallards), hundreds of bantam chickens and cochins and standard layers, mostly auracaunas. I also have a mini rex rabbit named Mr. Pickles, I sold the rest of my rabbit stock with the intention of rebuilding a rabbitry in the old milking parlor, but it has not happened yet. I also have a few fish tanks and some pet cockatiels.

 

[chandab]

We raise beef cows and replacement heifers so there are over 100 cows on the property, holsteins, herefords and belted galloways.

I'm jealous, I want a Galloway Belted, and I don't care if it would stand out like a sore thumb in our herd of Red Angus.

 

[amysue]

I like the belted cows a lot, my husband doesnt because he says they are too short. I have a few red galloways that get such long curly hair that they almost look like poodles. I borrowed a real nice bull from a family member who has an all black belted only herd. The bull sired ALL belted calves, even my holstein heifer that hopped a fence to "visit" spit out a black calf with a white belt. Best part is, they're polled so all of his calves are polled. He and my red beltie are great for first calf heifers because the calves are smaller than the purebreed holsteins and they calf easier. We just raise the hslf breed calves up with the steers.

 

[paintponylvr]

26 equine

- 1 mini (dbl registered Shet) - mare

- 1 Arab - mare (out of 1st Arab mare that we owned)

- 1 -1/2 Arab/Shet - gelding (out of 3rd Arab mare that we owned)

- 1 - 1/2 Shet-1/4Arab-1/4Hackney - mare

- 22 Shetlands - 4 geldings, 2 Jr stallions, 1-3mo colt. 14 mares + 1 mare out on lease.

Want to use some of our younger stock for breeding, but need to reduce #s. Hmm...

1 mini - boarder

6 dogs

- 3 dogs - 1 ea belonging to our daughters. All will probably live out their lives w/ us.

- 3 dogs - belonging to hubby and I (1 is a foster)

9 cats

- 1 indoor cat - daughter's

- 8 outdoor/barn cats - 4 were true ferals from "colonies" from 2 different rescue groups, but only 2 of those are still feral. 2 belong to other daughter she couldn't keep them anymore at her place and I've taken them on. 2 are the sons we have left from a calico kitty that was a house/barn cat.

49 chickens ( & no eggs this past week - YIKES!!)

- 12 cockerels to be "processed" over the Christmas Holidays - 2 will rival the size of the 12# turkeys we had at Thanksgiving. NOT SMALL birds

- 12 BrahmaX pullets not yet laying (some hatched in June, some in July, some in Aug) - purchased in Sep.

- 2 Black Australorp pullets - 1 has started inconsistent laying (hatched in June, purchased in Sep).

- 5 wheaten/blue wheaten Ameraucana chicks hatched Sep/purchased in Oct (3 appear to be cockerels; 2 pullets). keeping 1 boy/both girls

- 2 light Brahma chicks - not sure - hope 1 is cockerel/1 is pullet or both pullets. Hatched end Aug - purchased in Oct

- 1 GLW pullet - hatched late Aug, purchased in Oct.

- 3 blue Ameraucana - 1 roo, 2 hens (both laying consistently now. all 1.5 yrs old). Will put the roo over the hens in Feb, hope to get some "kids"...

- 2 bantam hens - at least 2 generations removed from silkies. Getting "older" now but think both still laying.

- 1 OE splash hen - not sure her 2nd breed, but she has pretty puffy cheeks. Lays a nice olive spotted egg - med-large in size.

- 3 white barnyard hens - 1 of the bantams set and then raised them. Sire is Ameraucana/LeghornX. At least 1 is out of bantam hen. 1.5 yrs old and laying.

- 1 rooster - Ameraucana/LeghornX - not sure on age. Was still young when I got him Dec 2013.

- 2 buff Wyandottes - a little over 1 yr, not currently laying.

- 2 Production Red hens - what's left of 1st 6 LF hens. Will be 6 yrs old in Feb - may go into stew pots in spring... Not currently laying at all.

- 2 EE hens - also what's left of original 4 EEs. Will be 6 yrs old in Feb - may go into stew post in spring. Not currently laying.

- 1 Cuckoo Marans hen - a little over 1 yr old (what's left of 6 after our 2 moves last winter). Not currently laying.

As our birds "age out" - want to replace with "regular" (LF or Large Fowl) Ameraucana (different varieties/colors), Brahma (buff, light, dark & project colors), Black Australorps, Wyandottes (different varieties/colors), Buckeyes. Would like to produce our own - for eggs, meat, sales..

WANT & will get next spring/summer -

- Bantam chickens - Want "dual purpose" breeds that are "pretty" - Ameraucana, EEs, Brahma, Buckeyes & Wyandottes. ?Rocks & RIRs?

- Ducks - not sure on which yet - favor Cayuga, Magpie, Ancona, Swedish (Black/Blue/silver), Pekin

- Guineas (don't like ticks!! can't wait)

WANT & will get in the next year or two -

- 2 or 3 milking goat does - looking @ Nigerian Dwarf & Pygmy. Hubby wants also.

- Turkeys - heritage breeds - start w/ just a few to raise for our table, eventually would like to produce our own.

- Appleyard Bantam ducks

- Call Ducks?

WANT & may never get -

- 2-4 pigs - good for rooting/tilling pasture, meat. Hubby just about had a heart attack and stated "I'm not that much of a farmer!"

- a stout but not too tall riding pony/horse - Haffie, Gypsy, draft/pony X. I do miss riding.

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

We have

14 A/R minis

2 R minis

2 riding horses (APHA perlino stallion (will be gelded this winter) and his dunskin daughter

1 Lamancha/Alpine with two Boer x doelings at side

3 Boer does (one has a doeling at side)

1Boer buck

4 registered Nigerian does (one has a doeling and other has two bucklings) one buckling is being traded for a Nubian buck and other is for sale

1 registered Nigerian buck

4 Rex rabbits (two girls and two boys)

4 dogs (2 LGD (Great Pyr/Anatolian), 1 Pitt x, and a Rat Terrier x)

I will only say a lot of cats. Split between three people and all spayed/neutered

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

We are down in numbers, which suits me fine!

I have 2 dogs - a 2 year old Rottweiler X bluetick cross, and an 8 month old purebred smooth collie. The mutt is my child and house dog, the collie has attached himself to my boyfriend and will hopefully be a darn good stock dog. The goal is to get him working cattle this spring.

Then a mini stud; and my pony (Arab X hackney X something brown and white, who knows) filly.

Then there's a smattering of beef cows and boarded heifers, with a Malinois police dog flunkie barn dog.

We have 1 limousin X Holstein bull 'Delmonico,' who is super sweet and cuddly and needs to be a steer before he snaps someday.

Then 2 angus X Holstein heifers, named 'Babysteak' and 'Hermit.' Baby is a super sweet heart, hermit is a typical angus and got her name because of her refusal to ever leave her hutch as a wet calf.

They were SUPPOSED to go to auction this fall, but they are too loved and the only friendly ones we have, so they are staying, even though they're the only ones worth anything. I am their 'daddy,' and bred them, then raised them off waste milk from the free stall I managed and kept them in a dog kennel in my yard with my boyfriend, before they were moved to his barn. He now has the master plan to breed them, and create our 'own line.' Theyre solid black, their sires are actually pretty decent, and hermit momma was an 88 pt Holstein. We will see.

The rest of our herd is a mix of simmentals and Herefords, and only have names such as 'Blacky,' 'spot,' and 'Blacky jr.' Not friendly, but tasty. Oh, and a crappy Holstein bull calf taken in on trade for a bill owed, creatively named 'Hol.' He likes yogurt.

 

[Sonya]

I only have dogs, haven't had minis in about 5 years....still like to visit the forum though.

I have 2 rat terriers, one 8 yo and the other 2 yo. I still also have my mix (lab/beagle/spaniel?), he is 16 now and he has cancer, but he has been doing well, just a matter of time though.

 

[jayne]

This has been fun to read. We're getting closer to retirement, and have downsized some, and we're not replacing anyone who dies, except maybe laying hens. Residents of Red Pony Ranch are:

3 mini geldings (2 purchased, one abandoned here)

2 standard donkeys, mother and daughter

12 relatively old (3+years) hens and one banty rooster

1 barn cat - neutered, so no more

1 indoor dog - sheltie mix female

2 indoor male cats

 

[MiniNHF]

I use to have a lot more animals when we had our big horse farm but right now I only have one little rescue dog that's 3 hyper breeds wrapped up into a tiny dog: Chihuahua, Mini Grey Hound, Rat Terrier Mix.

 

[lucky seven]

We have 1 mini gelding, 1 old Standardbred, 1 old house dog and 1 old indoor/outdoor cat. We got old together.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

We have 1 mini gelding, 1 old Standardbred, 1 old house dog and 1 old indoor/outdoor cat. We got old together.

We do it as gracefully as we can!

 

[AngC]

Buying our house was a long-time dream. We'd saved for some few years. My husband likes dogs. We had talked about the various breeds; he likes German Shepherds. We were going to get him a dog when we finally had our own place. I wasn't too keen on the idea of a dog in the house, because I knew who would end up cleaning up after it (me.)

The prior owner here had 3 hunting dogs kept indoors, mostly. They were cool-looking dogs; not sure what type, but they had really short hair. After we closed on the house, I was in for surgery, so my husband ended up cleaning up all that really short dog hair and making the house so it didn't smell funny. And then repairing all the stuff the dogs had chewed. After that his enthusiasm for a dog was waning.

Somehow we never got a dog. Instead my husband has Nicky, Coco, and Baby. Coco loves him; well, so does Baby. And Nicky sometimes stinks worse than any dog could dream of, but one of my favorite moments is when my husband (all on his own) got the halter and took Nicky for a walk.

So no more animals for us. (...although ducks are awfully cute.)

 

[anoki]

I don't get on here much anymore, except this time of year. I only have one remaining mini, but I have 2 dressage horses (one Hannoverian, the other is a PMU foal) that I used to competitively show.

Also have several cats, a chinchilla and a leopard gecko. Oh and I almost forgot my small herd of sheep….

Most of my time is taken up with my dogs these days. I breed, train, trial and show my Cardigan Welsh Corgis. Currently I have 9 of them ranging in age from 1 1/2 years to 10 1/2 years. I have put Conformation Championships and Grand Championships, Rally-Obedience and Herding Titles on my dogs. And more recently I have ventured into the Agility field, though I haven't been brave enough to tackle a trial yet.

This is my current gang:

Left to Right:

*Can CH Esrohollow Plain White Ts Am HT ~ Lainey
*Can CH Esrohollow Behind The Door Am HT ~ Boo
*Can CH Esrohollow's Priceless Can HT ~ Cash
*Esrohollow Simply Jerseymilk ~ Jersey
*Can BP-ISS CH Am GCH Esrohollow Hey There Delilah Am PT ~ Delilah
*Can BISS Multi Group Placing GCH Am CH Esrohollow Radsprings Tuhmater Can HT Am RN, PT ~ Mate-r
*Can BBPIS BPIG CH Esrohollow Irresistible Twist ~ Twizzler
*Can AOM Group Placing, Multi BPIG GCH Am GCH Finnshavn Bubble Gum Moxie Can RA, HSs, VC, Am RA, HT ~ Moxie
*Can CH Esrohollow Diamond Jane Am HT ~ Jane


(What the letters mean: Can means titles earned in Canadian Kennel Club venues, Am means titles earned in American Kennel Club venues, CH-Champion, GCH-Grand Champion, BP-ISS-Best Puppy in Specialty Show, BISS-Best in Specialty Show, BBPIS-Best Baby Puppy in Show, BPIG-Best Puppy in Group, AOM-Award of Merit, HT-Herding Tested Title, PT-Pre-Trial Tested Title, HSs-Herding Started Title earned on sheep, RN-Rally-Obedience Novice Title, RA-Rally-Obedience Advanced Title, VC-Versatile Cardigan)

 

[bevann]

Beautiful picture and beautiful dogs.You should be really proud of your accomplishments with all of your dogs.Nice to hear from you again.I love reading about your adventures with your dogs.

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

I agree with Bevann....you have accomplished GREAT things with your breeding program! For me, the best part is that they're such an integral part of your family.

As for me and mine....I have one mini, three dogs (as of today) and one cat. The third dog is an unclaimed stray that will be staying on.

After we get moved to our permanent property next week, we'll be adding chickens. Hopefully a goatie goat goat as well!!