Miniature Horses: Making a Good Impression

[Tab]

I am often surprised when people say that our horses are the friendliest they've ever met. The reason that I am surprised is that my experience of miniature horses as a breed is they are the friendliest horses I've ever met! However, from my visitors I often don't hear that. They always mention surly horses that bite and pin their ears, or wild minis that you can't catch or handle. I've heard this from my own husband, a reformed city boy. He says he doesn't want us to bring any new horses in because they are so fearful and skittish, they generally have bad habits, are hard to catch, and to get some of them to walk through a puddle or jump a ditch is like asking them to walk through fire. Fearful at first is totally understandable, you don't begin the see the true temperament of the horse unfold until you've had them for a few months. That said, Rog would prefer I just "make my own." I have several theories as to why that is. (Please realize I'm not talking about my current group, I'm speaking of my experience historically in large horses and minis.) My minis can be naughty, they're like cheeky curious toddlers. Please don't get me wrong, I do not wish to give the impression that they are anywhere near perfect, but there must be something to hearing from everyone who works around them of their reputation for in-your-pocket friendliness, and the general bad reputation of many minis.

Minis are often thought of as having a poor attitude.

1. They aren't treated and handled like horses.
2. They aren't handled and trained until weeks old, and worse, weaning and beyond.
3. They are spoiled (easy, I know),
4. They learn at a young age to get away with kicking, rearing, striking, and nipping because "it's so cute,"
5. They aren't imprinted. (Believe me, even if you imprint they still bond with their moms),
6. Training doesn't even begin until weaning.
7. They aren't taught to stand tied quietly for grooming or the farrier.
8. They are given allowances because they can't as easily kill us.
9. They are kept in stalls so much they are sore and cranky/crazy.

Thoughts?

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Agreed. Our vets LOVE our guys because they are so well mannered. Never an issue with them, and if we know we have an edgy horse we TELL them.

 

[lucky seven]

I was looking at a show barn to learn how to drive roadster and mentioned that I had a mini, well, the owner said the minis she sees at shows are spoiled brats because they aren't made to mind. She really didn't have anything nice to say so I passed over her barn. I didn't like the fact that the driving lessons were done at the same time as the riding, and the riding instructor stood there smoking while giving her lessons.

 

[disneyhorse]

I've had lots of farriers and vets comment on how GOOD my horses behave, so I've got to guess the "spoiled rotten" mini pets outnumber the properly handled ones. I don't feel that minis or ponies have temperaments the different from one another or from bigger breeds. When it all comes down to it, they are all simply HORSES.

 

[MiniNHF]

I've had lots of farriers and vets comment on how GOOD my horses behave, so I've got to guess the "spoiled rotten" mini pets outnumber the properly handled ones. I don't feel that minis or ponies have temperaments the different from one another or from bigger breeds. When it all comes down to it, they are all simply HORSES.

I agree with you, bigger horses can be "spoiled rotten" and just down right have bad manners; big or small it doesnt matter its all in how they are trained on the ground. I may spoil some of my horses but they never cross that line of being a disrespectful horse because if they know if they do A the consequence will be B.

They are still a horse, maybe not 1500 pounds of horse, but still enough of a horse that if they do not respect people they can hurt you. People need to take the time and properly train their animals whatever it might be, horse, dog etc, if you dont want to do it and complain how they act then you dont need that animal.

 

[atotton]

They are still a horse, maybe not 1500 pounds of horse, but still enough of a horse that if they do not respect people they can hurt you. People need to take the time and properly train their animals whatever it might be, horse, dog etc, if you dont want to do it and complain how they act then you dont need that animal.

I totally agree.

 

[Marty]

You're right on. I'm very tired of hearing about nasty little ponies. Mine are anything but

 

[HollynIvysMomma]

We were just talking about this today. All three of our horses are very sweet, love to be petted, and just very "good," even the girls who are only a year old. Both the vet and the farrier have made comments about how "mean" most minis are. Most of the people I know around here who have minis though, do not do much with them. They get one for the kid to pet, but they don't handle them, and the horse spends most of its life just hanging out and grazing in the pasture, only occasionally being petted, and seldom being asked to do anything. If you read my recent post, you'll know I don't know much about working horses yet, BUT ours are handled on a daily basis, haltered, and lead. They are used to being told to do something, even if it is, hey go this way and not that.

I also think it deals with your reason number 1. They get away with way too much bc they are so small. It's the same reason many (not all!) toy breeds of dogs are nasty: they get away with it bc they are little and cute and the damage they do is nowhere near as bad as their larger cousins.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

Fully agree with everyone else. I get compliments all the time on my boy.

BUT - I think it comes down to this - treat them like HORSES. Don't baby and spoil them because they are so small! My guy was owned by some really 'different' people before I owned him - they legit complained and warned me that he was 'mean to other stallions.' YA THINK? Just because he's 32" tall doesn't mean he's a kids horse, doesn't mean he loves everybody, nor does it mean he's a little monster - he is a perfect gentleman and a thousand times better than most but at the end of the day he is still a STALLION and mus tbe treated as one!

 

[lucky seven]

If any horse, big or small, has no manners, then it's the human's fault not the horse. They are what we make them to be.

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

Not to diss anyone else's horses, but the more I am around other people's horses the more I appreciate mine. I know I wouldn't tolerate it.

 

[Tab]

If any horse, big or small, has no manners, then it's the human's fault not the horse. They are what we make them to be.

I almost totally agree with this but on a rare occasion you will have a stallion that goes totally rogue. If gelding solves the behavior it's really something that goes above and beyond how they're raised. Otherwise, I agree fully!

 

[chandab]

I've got to say, that in general my minis are really good for me, ok for my hubby, but dinks around other people. Why? Because we live in the sticks, and they only see me on a daily basis, my hubby and MIL occasionally and strangers rarely, so they just don't seem to get other people, and I don't know why. They were stinkers for the farrier when I had one, at least I thought so; but he said they were the best behaved minis he'd been around.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Not to diss anyone else's horses, but the more I am around other people's horses the more I appreciate mine. I know I wouldn't tolerate it.

Oh, yeah, baby... LOVE my boys!

And the funny thing is, when people come over, who do we grab for them to drive and play with?

Mine.

We have 26+ horses on the farm...

 

[wingnut]

I always use the comparison of small dogs. MANY people treat small dogs as toys and don't train them properly. This allows for awful behavior that gives their breed a bad name. I treat my dogs as dogs and my horses as horses. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked whether I bring my horses into my house. I've finally stopped rolling my eyes at that one...LOL!

I know some folks do but I wouldn't bring a 1200lb horse into my house so my 200-350lb horses aren't coming in either.

Are my girls perfect? No! Do they need more time spent in handling and training? Yes! Like previous posters, my vet and farrier have complimented my horses for their good behavior. My equine dentist, whose mini experience is limited, always raves about how well behaved they are.

The only thing we can do is keep up the good work and try to re-educate those we encounter who hold such misconceptions about the "true nature" of a miniature horse. Our club had a booth this year at the PA Horse Expo. I spent a lot of time talking about this very subject, along with the ever present "what do you DO with a min?" question. My girls, as well as the horses of a fellow club member, helped to dispel some of the myths by their good behavior in the booth stall.

 

[HGFarm]

Speaking of dogs and training.... there were a couple of people here in the state that had bred some toy breed of dogs for years... poodles if I remember right. They decided to get into Minis. They treated the Minis like their did their pampered little pets, and expected the same reactions from them. After a few short months, the Minis were so out of control, they could not even handle them. They at least had the smarts to find other homes for the Minis (and now someone will have to straighten out the little monsters that were created) and decided horses were not for them because they didnt act like their dogs! Uh no, a horse is not a dog. And as spoiled and ruined as the horses were in a few short months, I have to wonder really, how well trained their dogs were too and who was really in charge. <shakes head>

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

Not to diss anyone else's horses, but the more I am around other people's horses the more I appreciate mine. I know I wouldn't tolerate it.

THIS. In my show experience, it amazing what holy terrors some minis can be! And the owners don't even seem to care! Watched a freaking rodeo at the last show because the ring crew was trying to measure a stallion. If I couldn't so much as put a stick on my horse's back without him making a scene, you sure as heck bet he wouldn't be there.

Everyone is FLOORED I show mine 'off the trailer.' The answer is simple - If i couldn't I would geld him or sell him. It's supposed to be FUN - and those mini monsters just cant be!

 

[targetsmom]

Speaking of stallions - I have to think genetics plays a part. Our (ex)stallion is not a world or national champion (although plenty of his relatives are) but in addition to putting good conformation and straight legs on all his foals, their dispositions are tops! Not a day goes by that I don't appreciate the wonderful (and well-behaved) foals he has given us.