Seeing is believing adult riding a mini

[capall beag]

I have just been sent a pic of an adult lady riding a 4 yr old 30inch mare and a pic of the 2 yr old, same height that she has started to ride.

I know this topic has been discussed a lot BUT the picture shocked me and upset me! I think that is a strange photo to use to advertise your horses for sale??

I do not know the person, so I am placing a judgement based on 1 photo.

I just think it is VERY shocking that a person would ride a horse when their legs have to be bent to avoid dragging on the ground and think that this horse is a suitable size to ride??????????????

If you weigh about 60% or more as much as the animal you are riding surely you would know that is not a good idea??

This is the pic she is using to advertise to sell them??

I am 5'9" and a fairly slim build and in a million years I would not attempt to ride a large mini any more than I would ride my dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am not easily shocked and realise everyone does things differently BUT I think that is WEIRD that the lady would think this was a good picture and a good idea??

Maybe she just sat on their back to show they can be ridden

, at least that is what I hope!!

Again the mares are 2 & 4 and advertised as 30", although they looked more like 32 or 33??

I still can't believe the pic!

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!!!![/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[melissa]

well even if they were small children no horse should be carrying weight as a 2 y/o

 

[Marty]

Yup this is one bandwagon that I am on. I'd love to flame her.

I hope you tell her just what you told us. "SHOCKING"

 

[Songcatcher]

I really hate to see posts like this because ONE picture can be so deceiving and all of a sudden everyone jumps on the bandwagon to condemn someone they haven't even seen or know the circumstances.

I ride ALL my minis. Of course, I'm 6'5" (with a 36" inseam) and never put my weight on them. Some people might flame me if they saw a picture of it when in fact I'm doing nothing but standing there with a mini between my legs.

Not too long ago, there was a thread on here in which someone SEVERELY criticized someone for a picture they saw in an auction catalog in which a grown woman was riding a mini. I WAS AT THAT AUCTION AND SAW THE WOMAN AND THE MINI. The woman was a very small woman and the mini was not actually a mini. The auction officials measured it at 40 inches. I wouldn't recommend that situation, but a photo shows only ONE SPLIT SECOND IN TIME. You really can't judge from that.

 

[Songcatcher]

By the way, there is that old saying, "Don't believe anything you hear and only HALF of what you see."

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I ride ALL my minis.  Of course, I'm 6'5" (with a 36" inseam) and never put my weight on them.  Some people might flame me if they saw a picture of it when in fact I'm doing nothing but standing there with a mini between my legs.

I'm sorry but unless someone changed the definition while I wasn't looking, you are NOT riding your minis. Riding: defined as putting your leg over an animal and allowing them to carry your entire weight. Often moving. You might be sitting on that animal, but you aren't riding it!

The original poster said:

I just think it is VERY shocking that a person would ride a horse when their legs have to be bent to avoid dragging on the ground and think that this horse is a suitable size to ride??????????????

To me, that implies that the woman in question's feet were off the ground and her weight was therefore entirely on the mares. I mean come on, a TWO YEAR OLD?? Maybe some folks ride horses that young, but at least those poor babies are already 1,000lbs. There is no excuse for a grown woman to ride a two year old mini of any size.

Not too long ago, there was a thread on here in which someone SEVERELY criticized someone for a picture they saw in an auction catalog in which a grown woman was riding a mini.  I WAS AT THAT AUCTION AND SAW THE WOMAN AND THE MINI.  The woman was a very small woman and the mini was not actually a mini.  The auction officials measured it at 40 inches.  I wouldn't recommend that situation, but a photo shows only ONE SPLIT SECOND IN TIME.  You really can't judge from that.

I agree that people do jump to conclusions (and I've got some pictures that look pretty darn awful if you don't know the story behind them or all the safety precautions I took) but in some cases, YOU CAN TELL. I'm not saying this photo is necessarily one of them, but if both her feet were clearly visible and off the ground...

Leia

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

but a photo shows only ONE SPLIT SECOND IN TIME.  You really can't judge from that.

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While that is correct statement that one split second in time still counts

 

[capall beag]

In response to Songcatcher I must say this!

To a large extent I agree with you BUT I think I was clear in my thread that I was placing a judgement on only one photo and I do not know the lady or the whole situation.

However, this is the ONLY picture that was provided of her horses when asked to show pics of the horses for sale. These are not registered minis but are priced rather high, the price is clearly based upon the fact that they are broke to ride and drive. Both of her feet are off the ground, the woman has her FULL weight on the horse and is riding her bareback.

I, honestly, was shocked and told the owner of my SHOCK! I think I was shocked because I didn't think any adult would ride a mini, this was NOT a large mini or a small pony.

I absolutely agree things can be blown out of proportion BUT I also think that some people, who perhaps are new to horses, think that mini's can be ridden by adults or large children.

I had a colt for sale last year and advertised that he should mature to 35", a woman visited and wanted to buy him. After some time I realised she wanted to have him as her riding horse. She was about 5'5" and medium buid. I told her she could never use him to ride and she said "Well what would I do with him then?" It was not a case of cruelty or meanness just complete Lack of Knowledge. She said she thought that was what they were used for.

My, personal opinion is that this lady with her minis has no idea that her small mini's are not suitable mounts, because they looked very well cared for.

I have never owned a mini over 36", so that is what I think when I say mini. I think some mini's make great mounts for small children but that is all I would feel comfortable putting on them, little kids.

 

[_minihorses4ever_]

Very unnexceptable. That 30" shouldnt probably be ridden in the first place by small children..

 

[Songcatcher]

I am in no way advocating that minis should be ridden by adults. I was making a joke when I said "I ride all my minis". My point is simply that people who haven't even seen the picture are so egar to condemn someone wholeheartedly even though you clearly said your statement was only based on one picture.

 

[Voodoo]

I'm going to agree with songcatcher. I haven't seen the picture so I'm not making a judgement. If I made all my judgments in life on what other people say and not my own mind I'd have missed out on alot of great things and people so far in life. When I "ride" my 31" mini I'm sure it appears as if I'm putting my weight on him as I almost touch his back, but in fact I don't. I remember another situation similar to this one on here a while back. I was at a rodeo and saw a kid of about 8-9 years old riding a mini. He was in a clown act and rode him around the arena, jumped through a flaming hoop and so on. The mini galloped around like he was in heaven, ears up tail flying. He was well taken care of and clearly liked his job. However, many people on this forum flamed me as well as the owners for allowing this while they had never seen it.

I guess I might be in for it again, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Marty]

I often strattle my minis to play and to scratch them but I would never in my life put my weight on them.

I have no reason not to believe what Capall Beag has posted, and I have seen some people do the same thing with my own two eyes as well. It is shocking to me and cruel for a grown person to mount a tiny miniature horse, and plunk down their weight on them, so I stand behind my statement that I am on this bandwagon because it's plain wrong to do that to these little ones.

 

[Songcatcher]

I often strattle my minis to play and to scratch them but I would never in my life put my weight on them.
I have no reason not to believe what Capall Beag has posted, and I have seen some people do the same thing with my own two eyes as well. It  is shocking to me and cruel for a grown person to mount a tiny miniature horse, and plunk down their weight on them,  so I stand behind my statement that I am on this bandwagon because it's plain wrong to do that to these little ones.

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I WAS IN NO WAY IMPLYING THAT CAPALLA BEAG WAS BEING DISHONEST IN WHAT SHE SAW ! I was simply saying that when two people see the same thing they can see it differently and when one person hears about something they haven't seen, they MAY even see in their mind things that weren't even there.

 

[Marty]

I did see the picture.

This is my interpretation:

Full weight is in fact on the horse.

The rider seems to be a "slim" sized adult

The horses are not the "quarter horse" or "fat pony" type ......they seem to be between fine and medium boned.

The horses are not fat by no means.

The horses appear to me to be quite larger than 30"

 

[RockRiverTiff]

Seems one of these photos pops up every few months. I think it's deplorable, even when it's a joke. There's no telling how many people that photo will reach, especially people otherwise unfamiliar with minis, and I for one do not need to field any more sales calls where a disgruntled potential buyer is trying to convince me it's perfectly acceptable for them to ride one of my minis. (Yes, this has happened.)

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Seems one of these photos pops up every few months.  I think it's deplorable, even when it's a joke.  There's no telling how many people that photo will reach, especially people otherwise unfamiliar with minis, and I for one do not need to field any more sales calls where a disgruntled potential buyer is trying to convince me it's perfectly acceptable for them to ride one of my minis.  (Yes, this has happened.)

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songcatcher i think this is exactly why most people are reacting it isnt about judging this one lady whose pic several have seen- it is about the fact in general that a 30 in mini shouldnt be ridden by even a small adult and this type of picture gives the impression to those that dont know better they can