What brought you to the world of Mini's?

[MelissaAH]

[SIZE=12pt]Hi....[/SIZE]

I am new here and just wanted you all to share the reasons that you choose Miniature Horses. Do you ride full size horses as well or do some of you strictly breed/raise/show minis?

Now to explain why I am curious.

I started riding 3 years ago at the age of 39. I did what everyone says not to do and bought a 5 year old Tennessee Walking horse. I got very lucky with him because he had the best temperment, quick learner, very forgiving and willing. All I can say is these past 3 years have been tough. I often find excuses not to ride and when I do I am always tense and fearful. I have had other people ride him and they say he is awesome.

I was starting to "cowgirl up" the last couple of weeks but I was always fearful. 2 years ago he took off on a gallop on me because horses we were with did. I fell off and really got hurt. It's been a struggle. I am great with him on the ground but in the saddle it's a different story. He's 16 hands and that's high.

So last night I ended up in the ER. I was in the arena and he seen another horse and rider down below the arena and all heck broke loose. He took off on me started crowhopping and bucking and I came off hard. He had never done that before. I landed hard on my back, hit my head on the ground breaking the helmet and sat there for a minute. I was very dizzy, nausueos, and felt like I was going to pass out and I could not breathe...I guess I had the wind knocked out of me. 2 weeks before I had been in the ER for a really bad back spasm when I bent over to grab my purse. I have thinning disks, and often get sciatica. In 43 years those 2 times were the first time ever in an ER. They had to give me percoset because I could not even lay down in the bed. Turned out I sprained my back, have Sacrolitis and a moderate concussion. Today I feel like I was hit by a mack truck.

When my husband picked me up I started bawling like a baby and told him I am done! I tried to overcome my timidness and fears for 3 years and i just can't. I think some people can ride and others just can't. If I had been more confident and experienced I might have stayed on or knew how to handle him. But it was such a terrifying experience I cringe everytime I think of it.

I think all along I knew this was coming. I love horses. I loved horses coming out of the womb

and I can not see living life without them. The last 6 months I have had miniature horses in the back of my mind. I always wanted to show my Walker but he was a pacer and that is unexceptable in the TWH show world. And now I plan to sell my Walker because it's not fair to just make him a pasture pet. He has got too much potential and I am done with riding. Even my 14 year old daughter asked if getting an older shorter horse but I don't think I want to ride but I want horses in my life. I have never been comfortable in the saddle.

So this is why I ask you all about your choices. I know absolutely nothing about them. I seen some gorgeous mini's at the Equine affair. I have seen many body types and colors. I love the mini's that look like this:

Then there are these which are smaller:

What are the differences? Which can be shown in shows? Are there several types? Rules about size etc? Are some better as pasture pets than showhorses? What do you look for in confirmation. babies all look the same, how do you know what they will grow into?

I want to do my research and find out as much as I can about the breed. About showing. Are there books out there that someone could recommend? There are some breeders in my area and I thought it would be nice to go and talk to some of them. I know they eat less. lol. I know this website has a lot of great info.

and I wanted to know why everyone here has them? What advice would you give to someone like me who is interested in the breed and possibly showing?

Thanks...I know that was a long post for my first one.

 

[OhHorsePee]

Hi Melissa and welcome to LB!

I am so sorry about your accident and can truely understand how getting back in the saddle might be an issue. You do have a BIG boy and a fall from 16 hands is no joke!

I had a pony when I was little (9) and then graduated to an Arabian mare when I got older. My sister had always had QH's and we would ride together. It was always fun! I was riding her gelding one day who got spooked and he went one way while I went the other. I was wearing a tube top that ended up more of a belt by the time my body stopped. LOL Minis and ponies are an excellent way of keeping in the swing of having a horse. They look like a horse only smaller. They eat like a horse just not as much. They poo like a horse, only the piles are smaller.

You can worm a few minis or a couple of ponies with one tube of horse wormer. (Never use Quest) It's great! Well, I was with my sister one day as she was buying tack at an auction. I saw a little mini stallion that was sick in a stallion run. Had to get him and take him home, don't you know! LOL We fell in love with him and that started our journey. We have both minis and ponies and love them all. We show, breed and just have fun with them in the pasture.

Do you live close to a mini or a pony farm that you can visit and get to know the breed a little better? You could show either a mini or a pony. If I was starting out again and knew what I do today I would start off with a show quality gelding to get my feet wet. You also would have to figure out if you wish to show in halter or performance classes. But I deffinately would get a show quality pony/mini so you don't have to start over if you end up wanting to show later.

Fran

 

[Betsy]

I know how you feel I had a big horse I didn't like him,he was SPOOKED OF EVERYTHING!!! I got bucked off twice in the grassburs OUCH because the dummy freaked, I told dad get rid of him(sell him). I feel Mini's are more fun and they actually don't buck you off (LOL)!!!!

How I got into Mini's is: mom was at a doctors office once with dad and she started reading a magazine, it had mini's in it!! so she brought it home and showed me the magazine. I got soo excited

and said I want one!!! then that's when we started looking at farms in Oklahoma. and found Jan Tobey's farm(multihitch) and we visited her farm and found 2 I fell in love with.

so that's my story about finding my first Mini's.

I forgot to add, when I was little I had a Shetland Pony, he was black and white. he was soo kool.

we named him "Trigger". but the big horse I told about was my brother's horse. they called him "Charlie Pride" but he was a butt. anyway he was passed down to me to ride. Big Mistake.

He freaked of everything. If a bag blew across the yard he freaked. dang horse!!

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

When I was younger i rode anything that had 4 legs (including cows if they stood near a fence lol) Didn't matter if it was quiet or not, but after I had children I found I was not quite so confident. Then came the day when, while starting a mare as a favour to a friend, I was thrown, HARD, not once but twice. I lay on the ground for some time before I managed to convince myself I had not broken anything vital and could move. I was alone and after catching the horse and doing some ground work (musn't ruin the horse) I untacked and put the mare back in her pen. It was 3 weeks before I could stand upright properly again and nearly twice as long before I stopped hurting completely. I never got past it. I tried for several years to overcome the fear but like you could not relax and enjoy riding any longer. We had gotten our first miniature some years earlier and by this time had a small herd so I already knew how much fun they were. When I had time to ride I would find myself hitching a mini and going driving instead. So I sold my last saddle horse this spring and have no intention of ever having another. To answer your question about what started us on our miniature adventure I would have to say for us it was a combination of 3 things. One is we have a special needs daughter who LOVES animals and the minis are safer for her and she can handle them by herself with out worry. The second would be that we met someone who had a mini driving horse and an afternoon of driving made us begin to imagine our own, and third is we are soft hearted. lol We often frequent local auctions (I would by young, wild and uncared for horses, clean them up, feed them and give them a basic education, then find them a good home) and one auction had an unregistered mare and her 3 month old foal available. She was bid on by only one other person who had many animals who were poorly treated so we couldn't let this little mare and foal end up there. We brought her home for slightly more than she was worth (LOL did I say we were soft hearted?)and enjoyed her so much. We only kept her for one summer before a move made us sell her but we found a perfect family for them and knew we would have minis again when our lives allowed.

My advice to you is read everything you can on minis, (this forum is a great learning tool) and go to shows, visit farms and talk to everyone you can about them. Try not to make any snap decisions and if you want to show buy from a reputable breeder with a good track record. Start with a gelding or mare, don't be pulled in by the way a stallion looks, they are a LOT more work and offer no benefits unless you have a number of mares to breed. Try to find a mentor in your area who will help you in the first few years, it will make learning much easier. And most of all WELCOME to the world of minis, they really are wonderful and I hope you have as much fun as I am having.

 

[Genie]

Welcome to the forum. You will soon find out that this was the best "find" of your life.

We have had minis since 1991 and also, until a couple of years ago, 3 saddle horses.

I have always loved horses and when I moved back home to my birthplace, had to get some livestock around.

The saddle horses were sold because I have osteoporosis, high risk for fracture, so that was the end of my riding days.

Your accident sounds horrendous and likely would have been the end of my life it happened to me, even could have been worse for you as well, if you landed the wrong way.

I hope to have miniatures till the end of my days, just not as many as I have now...l.o.l.

So to answer..................for the love of horses, and minis are the most loveable of all.

Do your homework and make sure you stick with your plan. Don't buy because "the price was right" or any other "okay, but" reason.

I now know pretty well what I am looking for and if the horse is not exactly what I want, I "pass".

I don't care what the price is if it's the type of horse I want. I have spent a lot on "okay" horses and would have been better to wait and buy exactly what I wanted. Cheaper in the long run.

 

[Sassy'sMom]

I grew up with horses. I had ponies and then I had a 1/2 Arabian mare that was absolutely wonderful! Once I was out of school, my mom sold my horse. I could never afford to get one of my own until 2 years ago at the age of 38. I also bought a horse that people said I shouldn't have bought. I thought, I know what I am doing, I can get a young horse, no problem! Haha! I bought a 4 year old paint mare. She was gorgeous, basically my dream horse. She was greenbroke! I thought I could handle her! Like you, I spent time making excuses not to ride her! I had her for a year and 1/2 and hardly rode at all, because once I was up there, it was kinds scary!

I bought a mini as a companion to her, thinking that if she had another horse around, she wouldn't be so spooky. It didn't work! So, I traded her for another mini!

And now, I own 4 of them. And, I don't regret my decision at all. I have a gelding that I can drive, so I am still very happy! And I just love having the little ones around! I may someday get another biggie, but it will definitely be an older, seasoned one, that's for sure!

Good luck with your decisions, but I love my minis and would do the same thing all over again!

Here is a picture of the biggie that I had, she was pretty girl. A big baby on the ground, but I was too timid on her!

 

[barnbum]

My story is very similar to yours... the anxiety from riding when I was older didn't balance out with the joy--and the ER visit was the last straw.

I didn't know minis existed until my daughter was searching on dreamhorse and found an ad for some..... I did a search for them in my state--came up with an awesome mini person near by--and that was the beginning to something beautiful.

 

[Magic]

I've been a "horse nut" my entire life, and owned and rode two full size horses when I saw an ad in the paper saying that there would be miniature horses at the local mall opening. How cool, I had never seen a miniature in person! I took my daughters to the mall opening, and fell in love with minis.

I still have the full size riding horses but rarely ride.

Since you are interested in showing, I suggest that you find some local shows and go watch them, see what kind of horses appeal to you, and what kinds of classes you may be interested in. You may very well want to buy an experienced show horse for your first one, to make things easier (and more fun). You are better off not buying a foal until you know what you like and prefer in minis, ie: height, type, etc. With foals you really just never know how they are going to turn out, especially if the parents and extended ancestry is unfamiliar to you.

I'm so sorry to hear of your fall, I hope you are recovering well. Enjoy your new miniature adventure!

 

[MelissaAH]

Thanks for sharing your stories.

I want to find and talk to as many mini people as possible. I have time because I can't buy until I sell my TWH. I even just bought a brand new Australian saddle from a well known maker and a sheepskin pad. I bought bridle and chest plate. I will sell thos on ebay.

I am a hevay rider and I think that didn't do a lot for my confidence.

I looked over the breeders close to me. I am in Southern California. I would guess to show you need a registered horse or can any mini be registerd?

 

[Carolyn R]

I grew up with big horses. Always liked the tinies, but was always told NO. Well, I got into the minis after I was married and had kids of my own. I still had big horses, but the last two have been medical nightmares, so, I have decided to stick with the minis alone. They eat less, make less of a mess, are easier to transport, are hardier than my last two big guys, and are manageable when kids are thrown into the mix. With that said, they are my horses, not my kids horses, but there is something about minis, even when the kids are in high school they are still curious about the minis, when you have the big guys out here, your just a farm kid, the minis are intrigueing and spark a certain interest.

Carolyn

 

[MelissaAH]

and here's my big boy. I truly love him and he is an in your pocket horse....but I am terrified now.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I would guess to show you need a registered horse or can any mini be registerd?

Unregistered minis can be shown in open shows and in the past could be hardshipped into AMHA (not really all that familiar yet with AMHR rules) but the registry is phazing out hardshipping. In my opinion if you want to show, once you have decided what classes you want to show in and what look you like best, start with a adult, experienced horse that is registered and the very best quality you can afford, and learn the ropes (wish I'd done it that way) so you can have fun right away. Then once you know a bit you can look at more challenging situations like a young or unfinished horse.

 

[MelissaAH]

I would guess to show you need a registered horse or can any mini be registerd?

Unregistered minis can be shown in open shows and in the past could be hardshipped into AMHA (not really all that familiar yet with AMHR rules) but the registry is phazing out hardshipping. In my opinion if you want to show, once you have decided what classes you want to show in and what look you like best, start with a adult, experienced horse that is registered and the very best quality you can afford, and learn the ropes (wish I'd done it that way) so you can have fun right away. Then once you know a bit you can look at more challenging situations like a young or unfinished horse.

Thanks. That would be the best route to go. An experienced horse.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

He's GORGEOUS!

And I have the same problem- I'm terrified! I had a 16hh TWH mare, sweet but green. I rode her THREE times in two years. Wasn't fair to her, so I sold her and stayed with the minis.

It's OK to be afraid. The Minis help my horse fix.

And do buy a registered Mini for your first, you'll WANT to show someday, it's just too much fun!!

Lucy

 

[MelissaAH]

He's GORGEOUS!
And I have the same problem- I'm terrified! I had a 16hh TWH mare, sweet but green. I rode her THREE times in two years. Wasn't fair to her, so I sold her and stayed with the minis.

It's OK to be afraid. The Minis help my horse fix.

And do buy a registered Mini for your first, you'll WANT to show someday, it's just too much fun!!

Lucy

Thanks...it's great to hear stories like mine. My gelding I have had 3 years and rode him less than 200 times and most of that was in an arena. I was alwasy to afraid to trail ride him. Mine was actually 4 when I bought him just shy of 5 so he was green too. Before me he was stalled in a barn for a year because the owner was pregnant. So it was all up to me to get him up to par.

 

[TripleDstables]

I got started in minis looking for a big horse on line actually. I saw a cute little black mini filly owned by Nicky Dobson, and just had to have her! But she was sold, so I got her full sibling Angel. Then Came Diva, also from Nicky. And along came Studmuffin from a nice lady in Ohio...

So, I have 3 minis (one on the way too!) and three biggies. Hopefully soon I'll be down to 3 biggies and 2 minis after the foal is born.

They are like potato chips!

 

[Brandi*]

Melissa,

I am happy to hear you didn't get hurt any worse yesterday. I too had a bad accident while riding. I was working at a training facility, exercising horses. I knew I shouldn't have been riding this one particular horse but my boss kept asking me too so I did. Everyday, before I would put my foot in the stirrup I would pray for a safe ride. One day I was loping him around the arena and I guess he started bucking. Anyways, I don't remember anything except waking up on the ground to the sound of a siren and my head felt very wet. I asked what it was and she said it was the faucet dripping on me. But my hair was actually soaked in my blood. He had thrown me into a steel bar fence and my head had hit the faucet. It had two lesions, one on the back and one on the side. I have no idea how that happened. My boss was out there giving a lesson at the time and said that the horse didn't do much but I KNOW she was lying!!!!! There is no way in this world that I just happened to fly into that fence and hurt my head like that. She told the ambulance guys that the right side of my body had went into convulsions but later said she only said that to get them there faster

I think she was trying to protect herself by saying the horse hadn't done much

I ended up with a severe concussion and I lost all confidence I ever had in the saddle. I didn't end up getting back on after that. I have since ridden a couple times but all of the horses weren't as well trained as we used to have when I was growing up. I do want to get back into riding but have determined that it needs to be on a "babysitter". I can't expect to get back on and right away feel comfortable. I need a horse that is going to build my confidence. To this day I get very angry that my boss wouldn't tell the truth about what really happened. She made it sound like I just kinda fell off. That really didn't help my confidence

But deep inside I know that something really bad happened and I just can't remember what.

It sounds like you just need a more seasoned horse

And a 5 year old IS NOT going to do it for you. I don't care what anybody says. You need an older, seasoned horse. I'm not getting back in the saddle until I find a horse that can teach me how to ride again.

I think mini's are a whole lot of fun and the sweetest little creatures but in no way would they ever be able to replace the feeling of getting in the saddle and heading out on a trail ride with a horse you really trust

But thats just me

What brought my attention to the mini world was when I first saw the picture of a woman holding a mini in the palms of her hands

I have wanted one since I was 12 and now I'm 26. I am currently horseless and miniless but am hoping to eventually get another mini to do therapy work with. Mini's can do so much that big horses can't. For example, you can't take your 16 hand walker into a retirement home to visit the residents

There are perks to having both biggies and minis

Here is the love of my life in horsey flesh

He was my best friend and I really trusted him. You have to get something that you feel safe with both on the ground and in the saddle

Someday I hope to find another like him.

 

[RockRiverTiff]

I was a very lucky little girl--my grandparents bought minis the year before I was born with the intention of retiring on their profits as breeders (ha!). I started showing them when I was three and didn't have contact with full-sized horses until I was eight. I got my Arabian when I was 12, showed him as a teen and young adult, and even dabbled in QH's for a while, but ultimately realized that I still preferred the minis that had been here all along. My old show gelding is leased out now, and we have two QH mares as pasture ornaments, but the vast majority of my time, money, and attention goes to the minis. I still get an urge to ride every now and then, but it's no match for the continual gratification I get just from being around the minis every day. (You'll never meet a horse with a better sense of humor than some of these minis.)

As for educating yourself--contact both AMHA and AMHR. Both registries can send you a list of breeders in your area, educational pamphlets, and maybe even copies of their magazines (Miniature Horse World and The Journal). I also recommend going to some shows to get an idea of what showing minis entails. There are still some A shows in California this year: www.amha.org/index.asp?KeyName=631&ListName=CA

I think that it's good you have to sell your TWH before buying a mini--it will give you time to decide what you really want. Welcome to the forum!

 

[MelissaAH]

Brandi...how scary that story is! I may decide 6 months from now I want to ride but it would have to be a very well seasoned horse that has been there, done that and babysits. At 43 years old you don't bounce like you did as a kid.

My daughter has a wonderful mare we found at a rescue. Cost us $500.00 and she is worth her weight in gold. She's about 15-16 and really takes care of my 14 year old daughter. She is not a rescue neglect but a product of divorce. That's what I want if I ever decide to ride again.

Rockriver....yep, my Walker will take some time to sell in this horse market so I will have lots of time to figure out what I really want. As soon as I am not gimpy anymore I am going to contact a couple of breeders in the area and just go visit.

 

[targetsmom]

Welcome to the forum!! I think you and minis were made for each other.

I have had big horses since 1960, so clearly I am not a youngster! I do still ride the pinto (Target) that I have had for 14 years, but realize that I would be terrified to start over with a new horse when he can no longer be ridden. I got into minis in 2004 when we moved Target to our back yard for the first time, and thought about a companion. I had been showing him at Pinto Association (www.pinto.org) shows, which also have classes for minis and ponies. I also realized my favorite classes were showmanship and trail, and I could do those classes with minis!! So we bought our first mini in 2004 and now have 7. We do show on the Pinto circuit (have a show tomorrow) where we are doing well and having fun. Most of our minis are registered AMHA, AMHR, and Pinto.

There are so many thing you can do with minis, I would suggest that you check them out before you buy, so you get one to match your plans. I am still learning new ways to enjoy minis and I am convinced you can do MORE things with minis than you can with big horses. I know minis that have been on stage, cheer up people in nursing homes, that ride in cars, are lead around by people in scooters or wheel chairs, have been in fashion magazines, - the list goes on. Ours all jump, do trail obstacles, go for walks with us, and several of them drive. See my avatar for ideas. They also untie showlaces, and generally amuse us with their antics too. Good advice to visit lots of mini farms and get more ideas. Good luck!