What do you do with them?

[mad for mini's]

Am I the only one that has people ( especially my parents ) that ask you " What do you do with them?" or "What are you going to do with that many?" Why do they have to make me feel like I have to DO something with my mini's to justify having them ? Why can't it be enough that they just make me happy and I like to go out and spend time with them? My parents just feel that I am wasting my money . I have three new weanlings home now and why do I have to feel guilty for getting more ? I haven't even told my parents about them yet and one of my weanlings I have had for 2 months now ! I am married and have kids , so it isn't like I still live with them but feel like I have to hide the new ones. My parents have visited a few times and they don't even go out to see the horses so haven't noticed the new bodies out there. Why am I so afraid to tell them ? Does anyone else live like this ?

Thanks for listening and sorry to rant but one can only take so much. :no:

 

[SirenFarms]

i get the same thing at school. Do u have one thats old enough to drive? or old enough to train to drive? i bet if u could get them in a cart that would change their whole outlook on it. thats what i did with my parents and now they want to show with me!

 

[LindaB]

Am I the only one that has people ( especially my parents ) that ask you " What do you do with them?" or "What are you going to do with that many?" Why do they have to make me feel like I have to DO something with my mini's to justify having them ? Why can't it be enough that they just make me happy and I like to go out and spend time with them? My parents just feel that I am wasting my money . I have three new weanlings home now and why do I have to feel guilty for getting more ? I haven't even told my parents about them yet and one of my weanlings I have had for 2 months now ! I am married and have kids , so it isn't like I still live with them but feel like I have to hide the new ones. My parents have visited a few times and they don't even go out to see the horses so haven't noticed the new bodies out there. Why am I so afraid to tell them ? Does anyone else live like this ?

Thanks for listening and sorry to rant but one can only take so much. :no:

If you are married, have a family and can easily support all of this and your husband doesn't object, I don't see you have a problem. Your a grown woman and you shouldn't have to answer to anyone. JMO

 

[Warpony]

I hear it all the time, it doesn't bother me one bit. I just tell them. I answer their question as if I believe they really do want to know. Sometimes they do, sometimes they are just being a wiseacre. I've been hearing that about my dogs for ages so I'm used to it.

I tell them, "All my animals are companion animals. Their job is to be my companion. I am training the mini's to drive, but that is not their main job. Their main job is to bring me happiness and joy and pleasure. They do that with great skill. What exactly do YOU do with YOUR pets?"

That ending question usually leaves them stammering since most people don't do anything more with their pets than enjoy their company... which is absolutely wonderful of course, but they seem to forget that people can get a lot of enjoyment out of a relationship with a horse even if there is no riding involved. I can't ride or drive my dogs either but I still enjoy having THEM around, lol.

 

[susanne]

I tell them I can do everything with a mini that I can do with a big horse except ride, and if all I wanted was to ride, I'd buy a bicycle.

(This response, by the way, is especially effective with big horse people.)

 

[Jill]

Anytime someone finds out I have minis, I get asked the same question. It doesn't bother me at all and really, before I got "into" minis, I wondered the same thing

It's a chance to tell them WHY you love minis. You do do things with them, I am for sure

: You enjoy spending time with them. You like petting them. You like grooming them. Those are sure bets :bgrin I like to do those things with mine, as well as drive them and show them. Think of it not as something to be bothered by, but a chance to share with the person what makes the minis so special in your life

:

Further, when I'm ask that question, I tell something else that is true. Before I got my first mini, I thought they were cute but I wondered "what do you do with them." Then a friend let me drive her mini and I knew at least one fun thing you do with minis and decided to get one. Still, at that time, I knew I'd like owning a mini but didn't think I could ever enjoy minis as much as my full size horses. Now years later, I have lots of minis and enjoy them a lot more than full size horses.

 

[midnight star stables]

I tell them I can do everything with a mini that I can do with a big horse except ride, and if all I wanted was to ride, I'd buy a bicycle.

(This response, by the way, is especially effective with big horse people.)

:new_shocked: :new_rofl: :new_rofl: :new_rofl:

That was perfect!

 

[Brandi*]

You sound a lot like me actually. I don't ever really have support from my family and I am always getting negative questions or remarks just to try to bring me down and ruin my fun. This applies to much more than just having a horse. They have never understood my love for horses and I don't think they ever will. I think I share so many pictures of Melody on this forum because I don't have anyone to show them to who would really appreciate and enjoy looking at them. For me my guilt is often about getting their approval and I have been trying to teach myself that it's ok if they don't approve or even understand. And as long as your husband is on the same page as you I would say that that's about all the approval you need for a happy home

:

 

[Warpony]

I don't even tell my mom anything about my animals any more. She doesn't care, and she just uses it as an excuse to criticize me for "having too many animals". To her anything more than a single house cat is "to many animals". I'm so far past caring any more. When I got my mare I didn't say a word. I'm 37 years old, I don't need to get permission from her to increase my herd anyway. lol. She acts happy for me but adds in these snide comments, "Oh, how nice, you'll enjoy having anoooother animal around. *raises eyebrows* Though to be honest i don't know why you neeeeeddddd more animals, you can't even get away for a weekend as it is." Well, maybe I don't want to go away for weekends. Not her business anyway.

I just share my happiness with people who can be happy for me and don;t even bother with everyone else.

Oh, and if she is bad about the mini's she is even worse about my dogs. When I got my first one she called me every other day after she saw him the first time to tell me how ugly he was, and ask why in the world I would want a dog "like that" (said with obvious distaste as if she had just smelled poo). After three weeks I'd had enough and I said, "I get it, you think my dog is ugly. I thought the same thing about both of my brothers when you first brought THEM home too, but I could see that you loved them and I was polite enough to keep my opinion to myself." I NEVER sassed my mom growing up so that REALLY set her back on her heels. She still rolls her eyes over my dogs but she keeps her opinion about their attractiveness to herself. I know they are not everyone cup of tea but it sure is rude to be so nasty about it, especially when you are family.

 

[PaintedMeadows]

I get it quite a bit too and then people look at my Clyde/Belgian and say "Now THAT'S a HORSE, I'll bet you drive him or ride him." Well actually, bought the big boy to ride and the little ones for the shear joy of owning them. I quickly discovered that I enjoy all my horses much more from the ground. I was worried that hubby would want me to sell my big boy if he found out so I didn't say anything. Come to find that he was always nervous when I rode and is thrilled that I don't really want to. He said Barney (big boy) can stay

: forever. He loves him too! Go figure. My FIL thinks I am nuts but I don't really care. My Mom loves how they make me feel but she is afraid of them. lol. I think you just have to be open with your parents and tell them how it makes you feel when they say that. Then go love a mini!!

:

 

[Witts Mini Horse Ranch]

Yep, I have heard it all my life with my animals, even my own daughter doesn't get it. When one is sick be it dog, horse or parrot I get so worried and sick myself and my husband tells me I can't let it get to me that way, its going to happen with this many........I say it is NOT ACCEPTABLE for me and I know no other way than to love them but with all my heart.

So, I have few friends because my animals come first and take all of my time.......I would rather spend time with my animals than go shopping any day! Thank goodness the grand kids love helping me take care of the animals when they come.

My sister-in-law calls me Ella Mae, doesn't bother me at all. My animals make me laugh....even when they are bad, my 2 yearling fillies got into the neighbors pasture (I call them double trouble) and when I called them back and they came running kicking and bucking I had to smile they where soooooo cute!

 

[shane]

My horses are my therapy

they are all unpaid psychiatrists lol

 

[Celeste]

What great responses :aktion033: :aktion033:

I purchased my chestnut shetland just the other day and I was so excited, never owned a horse or pony before so I rang my neighbour to tell her and her response was "what are you going to do with a pony?" She knows

I'm an animal lover and knows I'm not that into travelling (unlike her) so I found that question to be a little

out of place, I proceeded to explain that I have always wanted a pony and that my animals bring me great joy and she proceeded to ask me AGAIN as to what I was going to be doing with it!!! :no: I so felt like saying what joy she gets out of travelling ALL the bloody time seeing the same country towns time and time again but decided that I was better off biting my tongue

 

[CritterCountry]

I have the same thing too. my sister in law who is a western fanatic and loves QH's thinks it is outrageous what prices are charged for 'pets' you can't do anything with. Hmm...sort of like dogs and cats.

:

 

[chandab]

My horses are my therapy

they are all unpaid psychiatrists lol

:aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:

Me, too!

Although, I wouldn't exactly say they are unpaid. [They get carrots, apples, and, and, and...]

 

[Brandi*]

It is great to see that I am not alone with my love for animals. That is one of the first things people learn about me when they meet me. They usually like hearing about my animals the first time but then they are bored anytime I have something new to share. And you know what really gets me is that I have to sit and listen to story after story about how little "johhny" wiped his own butt this morning and then actually threw the toilet paper in the toilet for the first time

: Over and over again!!! What most people don't get is that my animals are like my kids. They usually laugh at us but my husband and I refer to our two dogs as our kids. When we call them we even say come here "kids" and they come running. I obviously know the difference between a human and an amimal but to tell you the truth I would take the company of an amimal over most people. They really dont get how I can deal with doggy poop, slobber, horse poop and such but can't stand spit up from a child. Some have actually got offended that I do not care to hold their babies. I am never rude about it but I think it makes them try even harder to make me like kids. It is very ammusing how some people think they can talk some sense into you about your animal loving "problems" :bgrin lol.

 

[mad for mini's]

Thanks for the great replies everyone , I knew I could count on some of you making me feel better about this .

Warpony : you sound like you are in the exact situation I am in . About the same age too ! My parents think, too many animals,( not for me ! ) you can't go anywhere ( Maybe I don't want to ) why would you want a dog that big ( my Great Dane , she's awesome ! sorry that I waited so long to get one ! ) the list goes on and on . I have never said anything to them about how it hurts me when they make snide and negative remarks to me, I just quit saying anything to them at all about my animals and bite my tounge everytime something is said about them. At least my husband understands and likes having them around too, he is out there with them without me sometimes !

I have loved animals my whole life and have never been without some kind of pet . I do not have one friend or family member that is as involved in animals as I am and none that have horses so this is the only place that I can go to "be around" other horsey people . Thanks everyone !

 

[user 3234]

My minis give me so much!! Adventure when my husband and I pack our geldings with treats and water and go hiking. Peace & calm sitting with my sweet little red road mare while watching the sunset and pondering what she is thinking? Easy: I’m hungry, put me in my stall!

My two geldings and one mare all drive, give rides, but most of all they open my heart and soul to unlimited possibilities. I would like to start teaching my one gelding to jump and show my one mare in halter. A lot of dreams and possibilities.

Thanks for listening.

:

Sherry

 

[PaintNminis]

There are "Horse" People..... and the OTHER KIND lol

I had a Family member Who said that Minis were nothing but yard Pets and he wanted NOTHING to do with them Well His Wife and him came Over and meet my Minis NOW he OWNS more then I do!!!!!!!

I also have other Family Members who say We have so Many animals thats true

:

But they have MORE!

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Jeez warpony if I didnt know it was impossible I would say we have the SAME MOM

: