Looking for a reality check

[rockyacres]

I'm considering getting a couple of minis to help with hauling cut firewood out of the woods, hauling compost etc., and keeping our full size horse company. I don't think what I want to do would really be considered driving because I just want to lead them and don't intend to ride behind them but it seems to fit in this forum better than anywhere else.

I have done some training of full-size horses but not a whole lot and I wouldn't consider myself a trainer by any means. I've halter trained foals and done some desensitizing, round penning etc. but never taught a horse commands.

I've got an idea what I want to do and I think it will work for my purposes but I just want to run it by some more experienced people before I make the decision whether or not to get the minis. If I do get them, it will be from a rescue. I contacted the rescue and asked them to be on the lookout for 2 minis trained to drive but I think I'd be lucky to find them already trained.

My tentative plan is just to get one of those sled-type drags that people pull behind 4-wheelers/snowmobiles to take ice fishing or pick up calves. I saw it in another thread on this forum. I could bring the minis out to the woods and get them desensitized, get them used to chainsaws etc. In case I don't end up with a pair that's already trained to drive I was thinking I would load the sled up very heavy so they could barely move it and just let them graze a little so they would pull against it slowly, to teach them that it will move if they pull it hard enough and that it won't hurt them. If it was nice and heavy it would be less likely to scare them by "chasing" them. Then I'd gradually make it lighter and lead them around the yard up and down some small hills so they'd get used to it moving a little more sporadically behind them.

Is this a realistic plan? Thanks in advance.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Welcome to the forum!

Your idea of miniature horses to haul wood sounds good. There are several on here who do such things and I'm sure they will chime in.

Do not be as concerned to look for horses already trained to drive; better to be concerned about temperament and conformation.

And why only a rescue? There are other horses that need homes; maybe check that out before the horses end up in rescue. Perhaps even contact a farm near you, as many farms are cutting back on breeding and often have too many very nice horses. You need one at least 3 years old.

I don't like the idea of the heavy load. This will teach discouragement. Start out with something simple, such as dragging a tree branch. You'll be surprised how easily it will work out.

Good luck!

 

[rockyacres]

Thanks, Marsha. If the drive training isn't that important, it opens the doors for me. It seems that it will be a fairly simple thing to do but I've learned that sometimes with horses things aren't as simple as one might think. I haven't worked much with minis - just helped my neighbor groom hers a couple of times. She doesn't do anything with hers and they're not trained. She does have two for sale now but one is a stallion and the other is pregnant. I think I'd rather have two non-bred mares at least 7 or 8 years old. I don't like full-size geldings so I don't imagine I'd like mini geldings either.

I like to keep things nice and calm all of the time with horses so I really do not want them ever running with anything dragging behind them. That is why I was thinking about having them start out with something so heavy they couldn't run with it. I certainly don't want to discourage them, though. Maybe I'll just make sure to lead them everywhere they go any time they're pulling anything, and start out with something like a stick as you recommended.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

How much wood are we taking? Might be better with a good pony or Shetland about 11hh than a miniature.

 

[rockyacres]

As much wood as will fit in the sled I saw in this thread: http://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/index.php?/topic/131659-making-them-earn-their-keephaha-faux-farm-work-questions/?hl=firewood. It's called the "Otter" and it's down a few posts.

The thought of a pony has crossed my mind. I think the minis would be able to haul that little sled though. The area where I'm going to be working has narrow trails - anything bigger than that would probably be hard to maneuver.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

A pair of miniatures is pretty strong.

Sorry to hear you do not like the idea of geldings, especially since you want things nice and calm. They are the BEST, imo.

You might be doing your friend a favor to buy her horses. Geld that stallion, and that may keep all three from ending in rescue, or worse. Since the mare and stallion are used to each other, that might give you a very nice team.

 

[rockyacres]

I'll give that some serious thought, Marsha. I've just had some experiences with very stubborn geldings in the past and her horses have only been used for breeding and have never had any training. I've led them around a bit and the stallion is not particularly cooperative. He's not impossible, though, and maybe with some more work he'd work out. If I buy hers I'll end up with a foal in the spring, though, and then how long will it be before I can use the mare?

ETA trying to figure out how to attach a picture of the stallion she has up for sale

 

[Max's Mom]

I think its great to give them a job! One caution from a cautious person would be that you really should train them to ground drive as a team before you expect them to work together to pull. I have no experience with teams, but our single horse is trained both to pull a cart and to drag things. The horses will need to feel comfortable with their harnesses on and with walking with noises behind them and pressure from behind like they will feel while pulling. Then they need to be used to doing this together as a team. Once they are attached together to an object that can swing around and get caught on stuff, you can get into quite a dangerous situation if they aren't already quite confident in what you are asking them to do.

 

[7fluffyfriends]

Hello and welcome.

Many years ago, we used a draft mare to bring wood out on a 'stone boat' and that was a fun way to work - almost no work

I think it could be a blast to use the minis, they are certainly maneuverable in small spaces!

When we have introduced a mini to the idea of pulling, after ground driving was going smoothly, we hooked them up using long lines to a large tire (about 35 pounds) that has three large eyebolts for hooking the lines to. This worked for us and the mini was not discouraged by the weight. It was enough weight to think about though along with the sound the dragging tire makes. Since it is round and has no exposed tread it has also been a safe tool - so far anyway!

Good luck!

 

[paintponylvr]

O, boy... some real discussion!! (Evil grin and laugh, eyes lite up, fingers pause just above keyboard as response is thought out...) HEHEHEHEHEEEEEeeee.

Got your 'tention??

Well, I always say that geldings are generally better for starters than mares and definitely over stallions. However, I myself am a "mare person", so certainly understand that.

If you work with your mare during her pregnancy - both training her and conditioning her - there is no reason that she can't return to "work" very soon after foaling - so long as the foaling process and the foal and herself are all healthy and happy. Some mares are quite happy to return to work right away, new 1st time moms may not be or may be very protective of their foals - making it difficult &/or dangerous to work them with a foal.

What I do recommend is that you DO actually do the ground training for actual driving. Then later, you can lead her if that is what you prefer. Leading when first pulling new objects can be quite dangerous and a great way for either you or your mini to get hurt... Also, it can be much more difficult to guide the object you are trying to have her/them pull.... Easier to get hung up, can't "put it" where you want it since you are out in front. I feel that you are safest if you introduce ground driving single first, then introduce pulling, then train as a pair ground driving, then pulling objects. It is more detailed than "all that", but it's not difficult. It does take some time - most need longer than 1 single week to get going...

To illustrate several points -

Here is Bell pulling an "object" while pregnant. She had her 2009 colt in June and was running on pasture w/ a stallion after that. Didn't know when she was actually due to foal - she is obviously pregnant here. Bell was born in 1992, we purchased her in Sept 2009 (17 yrs old) and she was not what I call "halter broke" or trained. She could be haltered and led around - sorta. She was a broodmare and a back yard pet. I started working with her when I brought her home to get her used to being handled and following/obeying basic hand/body and voice commands. In December we introduced a bit/bridle while she was eating and standing around. Then we graduated to lounging and introducing harness parts (discovered she could wake up and buck! when the breeching touched her), then to ground driving. I'm not sure how long before this pic was taken we'd been hooking to "objects".

Here she is for her first hitch to a cart -

She had a filly on 10 June. Now - we'd started taking the ponies (Bell and her full sister, Bit) to our driving lessons in May (a pony friend and I started lessons w/ draft horse trainer in April). Here is the first lesson Bell went to with her daughter on the 29th of June (19 days after giving birth). It was also the first lesson with Bell and Bit working together "as a pair"...

Pic of Bell and "GG" (the filly) working together on 3 August.

Here is Bell 2 years later with her 2012 filly (Classy) -

and 2 years later again - w/ her now 4 yr old daughter driving as a pair -

 

[paintponylvr]

here is a series of "logging" pics -

Bit by herself -

Bell & Cassie pulling parts of the tree that fell next to our drive way - missing the power line, house and mail box!

Had a tree service come in and take down 3 trees - I then used ponies - single and as pairs to pull "logs" to the bonfire/burn pile. This is Bell & Cassie again.

This is Iggy - Single.

This is KoKo and Cupid -

 

[paintponylvr]

Here were some of those trees the ponies pulled!!

This one is in back yard right behind the house. W/ all the rain, it's started tilting towards the house - and we wanted it gone before anything else came down! Yes, there is a "tree guy" in that tree.

Same tree - almost gone now -

tree #3 -

parts of tree #3 -

 

[paintponylvr]

I have more pics of different activities, but need some sleep. Head bouncing off lap top... I'll post them tomorrow.

 

[diamond c]

Paintponylvr makes some very good points. I've been working a pair of mini donkeys for a few years now, and am planing to do the same fire wood logging you are talking about. don't get in a hurry. Ground drive them single first, then ad weight ( still single ) then put them together. I know your ideas sound good but there is a reason that people use driving lines. They alow u to get out of the way.In the woods voice camands will help alot. Also don't start with much weight. If you put to much on them and they decide they can't pull it they will stop trying. Start out light then increase as they get good at it. They are very smart and will take care of themselvs first. They have to trust you that you will not ask them to do anything that will hurt them. Once they trust you they will do almost anything you ask. One more word of casion, Driving gets addictive and in no time you will all kinds of wagons, carts, and differant implements to hitch them to. Have fun Enjoy, and BE CAREFULL