What do you do for fun

[Taylor Richelle]

Okay here's a fun little topic that I hope to hear lots of replies on! Okay so my question is what do you guys do to have fun or relax when it comes to being with your mini's? You know besides showing?

 

Just wondering as tonight it being 11pm I was outside it's about 35 degrees here but feels really nice for once, I'm out by the barn with the big ol' flood lights on so it lights up the yard over by the barn. I'm in my pj's and setting up jumps and taking the mini's for a spin. Then I just went and sat on the bench we have out beside the pasture and one of my geldings "Sox" lays his head in my lap and just soaks up the attention

Most of the time me and my mom will go out at night around 9ish, turn the radio on, take them out and brush them or, take them out and just play with them. After having a rough day at work or in my case school, it helps me relax! Plus I love being with them and bonding with them, even my mom has commented on how close me and "Sox" are.

 

 

So do you guys do anything like this or do you have other ways of being with them?

 

[Marty]

I used to have a 60 foot round pen set up with jumps and cones and all kinds of obstacles. Loved it. Then I did a little bit of long lining with my former stallion Nick. Everything always to music. That is fun. Hiking is the best fun ever too.

For fun I actually love organizing my tack room over and over like I am OCD about it and cleaning the barn and doing things FOR the horses.

Now that I'm old and decrepid and ready for the nursing home I'm just very content doing grooming, fun braiding in their manes. I do a lousy fishtail but its still fun to do ribbons and bows and SCRUNCHIES of course. If I get any more relaxed I'd be in a coma.

 

[Molly's Run Minis]

i taught my mare Misty some classical dressage manouvers, so we practice those in our spare time.

 

[MindyLee]

I take a couple of my minis to work with me during the summer.

I work at TSC and set up a pen while Im in working so folks and their families can come and enjoy petting them and seeing what minis look like all dolled up in their show clips. Most folks picture minis as fat stumpy little mean ponies and totally change their views when they come to the store and see a couple of them in a pen in show condition, looking all slicked up and who are super friendly!

Its a great way to permote the miniature horse as well as my farm here in my town. I always have a photo book set up with all kinds of pics and info about the registries along with a couple copies of the Journal and World mags. I even stick a bag of Stratagy out by the table and as well as the (used to be Plateform mini) BUT now this yr will be the Purina mini feed to help permote these kinds of feeds for minis too.

My boss just loves it cause it draws a lot of attention to the store too!

 

[whitney]

Trail DRIVE!!!

 

[Jill]

I like to drive but when it comes to what just makes me feel happy / calm / lucky -- you cannot beat being able to go out after dark in your PJ's and lay some hugs on your own horses

I just love doing that especially in the spring and summer.

 

[RhineStone]

We really like our driving club trail drives! Not only do you get to drive your horses, but afterwards you eat, talk, and hang out with the best driving people ever!

Here is a photo of our family a couple of years ago at a club trail drive:

We also REALLY enjoy giving driving clinics. The minis are great for teaching driving, because people are not as intimidated by them.

 

[targetsmom]

Take them for walks in the woods or on a low traffic road

Set up a trail course and take them all through it, one by one

Set up jumps and watch them beg to be taken over them (older ones only of course)

Drive them, especially around the cones course in the pasture

Watch them from the house

Love on them

Take them places so OTHER people can love on them

Turn them loose in a new pasture and watch them show off

Invite other people over to love on them or do any of the above

 

[Blackwater Farm]

Besides just grooming them and braiding them and loving on them in general I like to work on ground manners. I teach yeilding of the hindquarters and forehand, to back up when I point at them, sidepassing, etc. I like Clinton Anderson (if I'm gonna sit through a dvd that is several hours long i want someone thats gonna make me laugh) and put his ground methods to use on the minis. They always worked so well for the big horses so I figured the minis should be no different. I like when we are at a horse show and getting ready to load up to leave and I can back my horse up the ramp and onto the trailer just by pointing at him! I do all kinds of things with them at home, tarps, obstacles, jumps...I just like seeing how creative I can be and if I can get them to do it...my gelding is such a good boy too, he will try anything I ask him and thats all I ask for is a try!

 

[Sandee]

I enjoy training them and then see how they do against others. I mean not the exercise but the actual "training" where you can see the lightbulb go on when they "get it". They more fun than kids!

Also we do parades with our club. And the grandchildren come over once in a while or neighbor kids want to pet and feed. I used to love to go to fairs with my QH because she loved the attention she got; well double and triple that with minis. I sometimes think they could live on love!

 

[RhineStone]

They always worked so well for the big horses so I figured the minis should be no different.

EXACTLY!

There is nothing different about a mini other than its size. It is still a horse.