New Mini owner in WA State

[Knottymare]

Hi. I've been a standard sized horse owner off and on my whole life. We are now down to just my older mare and were given a little Mini Mare to be her companion. I have always wanted to learn about Minis and get into driving so, here we are. I'm excited to have found this forum and have been reading the forum threads. I'm excited to see a few members here that are from WA! I'm very open to suggestions on places to learn more and especially ways to get involved locally (Western Washington).

As way of introduction, I'm posting a picture of my kids. After looking at the clipping before and after pix, I can hardly wait to see what Dolly is going to look like under all that hair!

(I hope this is the appropriate place for this topic; if it isn't, please delete. Thanks)

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

WELCOME TO THE FORUM FROM RAINY SOUTH CAROLINA 

Your kids look beautiful - you should check out the Driving Forum!

 

[Knottymare]

I have to apologize for her rough appearance. She had only just arrived and was filthy. As is common here, it is wet. A lot. I've brushed her but she then wallows in the mud. My big mare wears a rain sheet most of the time to keep her skin healthy and the keep her white primarily white but I'm afraid with Dolly's heavy coat, she'd be too hot. Any suggestions?

 

[Knottymare]

WELCOME TO THE FORUM FROM RAINY SOUTH CAROLINA

Your kids look beautiful - you should check out the Driving Forum!

I've been devouring the threads there. Lots of good info. I've only had Dolly a few days so we are still getting acquainted but I can already see how addicting these little guys are. Thanks for the welcome.

 

[jayne]

Welcome! I live up north of Seattle/Everett in the small town of Arlington. Glad to see you join us. There is just endless amounts of good information to be gleaned here!

As far as your girl...she will be happiest if you just let her be fuzzy and dirty! I know many blanket, but my experience is that these guys have crazy amounts of hair that does a really good job protecting them. I've often parted my mini's coats to find them nice and dry and toasty underneath while appearing wet on top. Of course you will not want to let her get soaking wet and chilly, and should keep an eye that she's not getting rain rot. With our warm weather of late, I am noticing that mine are all really sweaty on their chests and 'armpits' but it's too early to clip. I do stall all my big and little horses at night just so their feet have a chance to dry out and they can have their individual rations. And unless it's raining sideways, they're right back out at 6am the next morning and happy to be out.

I'm glad your old mare has a new friend! Make sure you show us some pics after she either sheds out or is clipped. She sure looks like a cutie!

Jayne

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Welcome!You have come to the right place to learn about minis

Lovely girls you have, you will find the wait to 'unwrap' your little one seems to be endless lol, its like Christmas morning for me when it is finally warm enough to start clipping.

 

[little lady]

Welcome from Southern Illinois!

Cute kids you have there. Since I consider myself relatively new to miniatures my best advice is to be very careful when feeding! I also came from having big horses all my life and these lil beggers can just about live on air or so it seems. I look at what I feed my APHA mare and she gets more than all THREE of my minis! Good luck with your mini and yes they are very addicting(I started with 1 in 2009) LOL!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Welcome! My mini story sounds a lot like yours in that we've always had full-sized horses then got our first mini, Kody, to make sure our remaining horse wouldn't be alone when the oldest one passed on. He fulfilled that role nicely as well as getting me back into driving (I had a bad accident driving my full-sized horse as a teenager and had been nervous about it ever since) and we picked up another mini in August of '09 after Kody hurt his back. The last big horse has since passed on and now it's just the two boys. Feels strange, I'll tell you! Still miss the big guys.

Western WA is pretty active with AMHR, AMHA and 4-H shows and there are lots of combined driving events around as well if you feel like competing against the big guys.

You might contact the Evergreen Miniature Horse Club (AMHR) and/or the Northwest Miniature Horse Club (AMHA) as they'll have lists of members in your area and can get you started.

I have to apologize for her rough appearance. She had only just arrived and was filthy. As is common here, it is wet. A lot. I've brushed her but she then wallows in the mud. My big mare wears a rain sheet most of the time to keep her skin healthy and the keep her white primarily white but I'm afraid with Dolly's heavy coat, she'd be too hot. Any suggestions?

Learn to embrace your inner scuba diver? I live up in Snohomish and both my boys think hanging out under trees during rainstorms instead of in their nice comfortable stalls is a fine way to pass the day so I've gotten used to the drowned rat look.

It's not unusual to go for weeks at a time being unable to touch them without getting soaked except on their noses or under their manes! I really do hate having minis in Western WA during the late winter.

The best thing I can recommend is to buy a horse vac/blower for grooming and as soon as it's warm enough give her a trace clip and put a good waterproof blanket on her. I can't really work my guys regularly until I do that as it takes them days to dry off and by then it's raining again.

Welcome to the forum!

Leia

 

[ruffian]

A big welcome wave from the middle of the Mitten - Michigan! You will love this forum and miniatures in general. I think that one of the best trainers is in your area - Patty Cloke.. She is a fabulous trainer and a very friendly person. She is in Sultan, but don't know how far that is from you.

Buckskins are my favorite color, she looks very nice. Love the big girl too.

Good luck - let us know when you get your next mini. Then your next one, and your next one, and your next one . . . .

 

[Equuisize]

!Welcome! from another Western Washingtonian.

We're down in Grays Harbor where the horses rust

and have webbed feet.

I have one big guy left and 7 minis who are stalled

at night but still don't dry out until nice breeze

and the sun come out.

My guys are already shedding on days when their coats

are dry enough to brush out.

The suggestion of getting Dolly and your big guy used to

a small vacuum is a great idea.

It'll be your favorite grooming tool when serious shedding

starts and a excellent tool for making their coats feel

soft, fluffy and clean when you can't bathe them.

 

[Taylor Richelle]

Welcome to LB!!!!! Your mini is adorable!

You have come to the right place for sure! Everyone on here is so helpful!

 

[MINI REASONS]

Hi Welcome to the Forum!!! I too am new with minis and want to learn all I can. I am so excited I found this website, you will learn alot!!! Your little girl is adorable!! Have Fun!!

 

[susanne]

Which part of western Washington? Up north, middle or south?

Wherever you are, there are many opportunities for driving, from breed show ring to CDE to recreational. You'll have to get that girl driving and join the beachdrivers group in Long Beach at the end of summer. (Plus we're working on more drives this year).

As for trainers, it depends a lot upon what type of driving you intend to do. For a great all-around training (show, CDE, recreational), Dorothy Whiteman in Elma is hard to beat.

I have to giggle when you mention keeping you big pinto clean...my chestnut pinto Shetland, Scarlet, adores rolling in the mud. During winter's worst, she is no longer pinto, but mud brown all over.

 

[Knottymare]

Welcome! I live up north of Seattle/Everett in the small town of Arlington. Glad to see you join us. There is just endless amounts of good information to be gleaned here!

As far as your girl...she will be happiest if you just let her be fuzzy and dirty! I know many blanket, but my experience is that these guys have crazy amounts of hair that does a really good job protecting them. I've often parted my mini's coats to find them nice and dry and toasty underneath while appearing wet on top. Of course you will not want to let her get soaking wet and chilly, and should keep an eye that she's not getting rain rot. With our warm weather of late, I am noticing that mine are all really sweaty on their chests and 'armpits' but it's too early to clip. I do stall all my big and little horses at night just so their feet have a chance to dry out and they can have their individual rations. And unless it's raining sideways, they're right back out at 6am the next morning and happy to be out.

I'm glad your old mare has a new friend! Make sure you show us some pics after she either sheds out or is clipped. She sure looks like a cutie!

Jayne

Nice meeting you Jayne! I peeked at your blog - I think we have a lot in common. I love to garden and have chickens as well

Your "kids" are darling!

 

[Knottymare]

Welcome!You have come to the right place to learn about minis

Lovely girls you have, you will find the wait to 'unwrap' your little one seems to be endless lol, its like Christmas morning for me when it is finally warm enough to start clipping.

I have admired seeing your horses in the driving forum! I'll be watching and listening to learn more

 

[Knottymare]

Welcome! My mini story sounds a lot like yours in that we've always had full-sized horses then got our first mini, Kody, to make sure our remaining horse wouldn't be alone when the oldest one passed on. He fulfilled that role nicely as well as getting me back into driving (I had a bad accident driving my full-sized horse as a teenager and had been nervous about it ever since) and we picked up another mini in August of '09 after Kody hurt his back. The last big horse has since passed on and now it's just the two boys. Feels strange, I'll tell you! Still miss the big guys.

Western WA is pretty active with AMHR, AMHA and 4-H shows and there are lots of combined driving events around as well if you feel like competing against the big guys.

You might contact the Evergreen Miniature Horse Club (AMHR) and/or the Northwest Miniature Horse Club (AMHA) as they'll have lists of members in your area and can get you started.

Learn to embrace your inner scuba diver? I live up in Snohomish and both my boys think hanging out under trees during rainstorms instead of in their nice comfortable stalls is a fine way to pass the day so I've gotten used to the drowned rat look.

It's not unusual to go for weeks at a time being unable to touch them without getting soaked except on their noses or under their manes! I really do hate having minis in Western WA during the late winter.

The best thing I can recommend is to buy a horse vac/blower for grooming and as soon as it's warm enough give her a trace clip and put a good waterproof blanket on her. I can't really work my guys regularly until I do that as it takes them days to dry off and by then it's raining again.

Welcome to the forum!

Leia

Leia, I hope to meet you one day. I have never done any driving before and saw pix of you driving - impressive!

Drowned rat - YES! That really sums it up. I have brushed and brushed and as soon as I walk away, she's sloppy again. She does seem to enjoy her stall, though. Each of the girls has a 12x12 indoor stall and a 16x60 outdoor run. They get turnout for at least 4 hours a day.

Fortunately, Dolly is as sweet as can be. I'm so fortunate to be starting out with a little lady with a wonderful personality. She's sassy, to be sure, but brave and bold. I have taken her out for some walks in the neighborhood and so far, nothing has phased her! And she holds her own with Adora. I don't have them together as even a playful kick from Adora could be catastrophic to little Dolly - and Dolly does instigate! I have no idea of her back ground, if she's registered, what her training is. But she is a blessing.

Little Lady - I know what you mean about the feeding thing. I'm still at a loss with just how much to feed. I spent a lot of years doing horse rescue and had quite a few OTTBs here that ate upwards of 30lbs of hay and another 10 lbs of rations a day. My old draft cross mare is an easy keeper and gets by on about 14lbs of hay and 2 lbs of gentle balance a day. Dolly... gosh, I just don't know! I give her a scant fistfull of Super Supplement because I can't stand the thought that she's not getting something special and a wad of hay for dinner and another wad of hay in the morning. I'll be reading to see what you all feed!

 

[Candi]

Ahh LOVE silver buckskins! Welcome from another WA stater ')

 

[Charlotte]

Welcome from the great state of Oklahoma!

Not exactly in your neighborhood, but hey, we are all neighbors here.

Your little mare is CUTE!

Charlotte

 

[Knottymare]

A big welcome wave from the middle of the Mitten - Michigan! You will love this forum and miniatures in general. I think that one of the best trainers is in your area - Patty Cloke.. She is a fabulous trainer and a very friendly person. She is in Sultan, but don't know how far that is from you.

Buckskins are my favorite color, she looks very nice. Love the big girl too.

Good luck - let us know when you get your next mini. Then your next one, and your next one, and your next one . . . .

Thanks! I feel so welcome!

Excited to hear about Patty Cloke. Will look her up. Sultan is not far - about an hour North... and it's a lovely drive up that way.

I wasn't really sure what color she was. Buckskin sounds right. It's a very interesting color. And thank you for the compliment on my Adora. She is a wonderful, sweet girl. I love her so much.

hee hee... yes, I have a feeling they are like potato chips... I'm not in a rush but I'm sure when the right one comes along, we'll have room. In fact, I do have an empty stall but was planning on putting my cart in there... the cart that I don't have yet!

 

[Knottymare]

!Welcome! from another Western Washingtonian.

We're down in Grays Harbor where the horses rust

and have webbed feet.

I have one big guy left and 7 minis who are stalled

at night but still don't dry out until nice breeze

and the sun come out.

My guys are already shedding on days when their coats

are dry enough to brush out.

The suggestion of getting Dolly and your big guy used to

a small vacuum is a great idea.

It'll be your favorite grooming tool when serious shedding

starts and a excellent tool for making their coats feel

soft, fluffy and clean when you can't bathe them.

Hi there. I LOVE Grays Harbor area... beautiful county and so much to see and do.

I'll invest in a shop vac... I have only been in WA for 4 years. It's always surprising to me when I smell my horse and she smells like MOSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or worse, algae!!!!!!!!