What do you do with them?

[The Simple Life Farm]

I feel your pain. I FINALLY got my 2 sisters to come to a show today. They only stayed for two hours, not even long enough to watch me show!!!!!! Like they say, friends are better than family, you can pick your friends, but not your family!!!! :new_rofl:

 

[JWC sr.]

You know the first thing that came ot my mind was wow, Thank goodness I had a mother that was an animal person and taught me to be one also. My Dad and his family raised cattle and did not even have a dog for a pet. :no:

Mom's on the other hand loved all types of animals from reptiles to birds, to dogs, cats and horses etc. It did not really matter what type of animal it was they could always find beauty and worth in any animal.

As I have grown up and married, I married an animal person and thank goodness I did. I can't imagine a day without our animals in our lives. To be compeltely honest also, I don't really trust nor have much in common with folks that do not have animals in their lifes. What a dull existence it must be, to never know that welcome nicker, bark or other vocallization from something that trusts you completely. What they give us everyday is much more than we give them. :aktion033:

To heck with those that don't understand the desire to be around animals, in most cases they are people I don't want to be around anyway. LOL

:

 

[Warpony]

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 !

I am blessed to have in-laws who are animal lovers, and my husband is an animal lover (he is a cat person, hehe, but also adores all the other critters) but I really have found most of my support from a variety of online groups. I never would have thought that a bunch of "strangers" all over the world could end up feeling more like family than my own family at times, but they feel that way because we share something that is a very basic part of who we are that I just don;t share with my "real" family.

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

:

I think a lot of us have that "same mom". :no: The sad thing is, they are so caught up in their opinion that they never take the time to get to know us as people and appreciate how much joy we find in the things we love. I think if they would stop being judgmental and just get to know us and appreciate us for who we are they would discover we are some pretty darn cool folks.

 

[Shari]

I really haven't had that problem here. The Elder lady's that live in the area, think it is wonderful I have down sized horse's. Most of them had work horse's, when they farmed and can do no longer deal with big horses. They think it was smart of me to get the small ones to enjoy!

In fact... we are known as the mini horse people. <LOL> :bgrin

Most people I have had here, have really enjoyed my mini's since they are not as scary as big horses can be.

 

[Sue S]

I get the same thing from one of my kids, why do you want horses, I have always loved horse ever sense I was 12 years old,not telling you how many years ago that was. I tell them they make me happy when I am down and I am the one that bought them and feed them so it shouldn't be anyone elses business how many I have.

 

[TriggynBluenDaisy Too]

To get someone like a parent to back off as an adult, been there

:, I let them have their say and consider their points as valid--for them--and agree with them if they are completely dead set on being right.

: What else can you do with parents who don't think you are cabable of making good decisions for yourself?

When any other person not related makes negative comments about how usless my minis are, I try to educate them but not convert them. Everyone's entitled to their opinions about what I do in my life but they don't have the control to change it. Share your love of minis with those who do the same and don't worry about getting anyone's approval who thinks you are wasting your time. Minis are just too much fun to not "waste" time with.

:

Sincerely, a fellow mini addict

 

[George]

I never really know if the person asking is sincere or being smug. I tell them right now Humble is too small to work with but I get a lot of pleasure watching him play and that when he is an adult and starts driving (have to explain that to most) that I will invite them up to see what mini's are good for.

 

[ruffian]

Built in Weight room, exercise room in the barn: $8,000

Non-institualized daily therapy sessionS $9,000

HAVING A GREAT COMEBACK AT THE RIGHT TIME:

"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."

PRICELESS!! :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:

 

[Warpony]

Built in Weight room, exercise room in the barn: $8,000

Non-institualized daily therapy sessionS $9,000

HAVING A GREAT COMEBACK AT THE RIGHT TIME:

"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."

PRICELESS!! :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:

I have to admit, I'd spent the entire week prior planning ahead of time what I would say when she finally annoyed me to the point that I could no longer stand it for another moment.

:

Another thing I say when people rip on me about the numbers or types of animals I have is simply, "If that is too many animals for you or you don't like the minis (or hairless dogs, or rescue cats) feel free to not have them yourself. I'm not sure why you feel you have the right to tell me what *I* can do, I would never be so rude as tell YOU what YOU should do." I find pointing out directly how RUDE they are being shuts most of them up.

 

[mad for mini's]

Thanks everyone , you are great ! :bgrin I am hearing alot of the "too many animals " theory so here is my list of what I am caring for (at the moment)

7 mini's

5 dogs- 2 inside , 3 outside

5 rabbits-2 inside -3 outside ( inside rabbits are just in for the winter , one is very small and the other is very elderly-12 years old)

3 ducks

2 goats

7 finches ( various types )

2 lovebirds

1 canary

1 Russian tortoise - found him in the yard a few years ago, someone must have turned him loose , he would never survive our winters here.

1 Bearded dragon (lizard ) mostly my son's pet

1 75 gallon saltwater fish tank

and that's it , most of the animals don't require that much effort in their care so why the big deal ? Not a waste of money in my book ! I guess I have to learn to not care about what is thought or said about them as long as I am happy with them all.

How many of you hear " Did you get rid of any of them yet ?" My mom asks me that every time she comes over. I'll admitt though that I have been trying to sell my goats but she started that before she knew I was trying to downsize.

 

[LindaL]

My parents, while they accept my decisions to have Minis (over big horses), just never quite "get it". I grew up on big horses, so they have only seen that part of me...enjoying being out riding...and not the part where I just enjoy the HORSE and not the size of the horse. Every once in awhile (not lately tho) they would ask me why I want a Mini "when you can't ride it" and I just tell them that I am not interested in riding anymore and enjoy the things I can do with a Mini, which is everything else. They still dont understand, but that's OK...they are not horse people, so unless you are a horse person you wouldnt get it anyway.

With other people, I get asked what I do with my "pony" all the time (and yes, have to explain everything, because they dont understand anything about horses), which I have to admit gets a little annoying at times, but I try not to let it be.

:

Being a single person and meeting new people...I *always* tell them 1st thing...I am a horse person and I come as a "package deal"...and they MUST at least accept my passion for horses, but honestly I would SO like to find someone out there who enjoys them, too....*sigh*

 

[Magic]

HAVING A GREAT COMEBACK AT THE RIGHT TIME:

"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."

PRICELESS!! :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:

I agree, this comeback of Warpony's was PERFECT, lol!! :aktion033:

You know, my mom never really understood my love of horses, but she never criticsized me about it, ever. She was also baffled as to why I would want a Great Dane, especially IN THE HOUSE (lol) but she kept an open mind and she grew to love my Great Dane, and she was really very proud of me for what I'd accomplished to date with my horses. When she died recently, well, it was good to know that even though she didn't really *understand* my passions, she DID support me in them and was happy for me.

:

I treat my children the same way-- I don't understand why they aren't crazy about horses (lol) but I am supportive of their interests and proud of their accomplishments, regardless of what *I* would prefer to do.

Btw--- does anyone ever ask someone who has, for example, a bunch of parakeets or aquarium fish or something, what they DO with them?? or is it just us mini horse people that have to "justify" what we "do" with our horses?

:

 

[Buckskin gal]

I have been really fortunate to have people understand why we have our minis. They see what we do with them so they never have to ask. My mother died before we started getting minis but know she would have loved to have been a part of it for she loved horses also. I did have a brother that had minis years before we ever did so the family knew about minis. He too done a lot of training and driving with them. Guess I will consider myself lucky because I have more people ask about how they can get one than ask what they are good for!

: Mary

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:

 

[Warpony]

Btw--- does anyone ever ask someone who has, for example, a bunch of parakeets or aquarium fish or something, what they DO with them?? or is it just us mini horse people that have to "justify" what we "do" with our horses?

:

I actually have, sort of... before I had cats I had finches. I LOVED my finches. I mean, I miss having them so bad but it just isn't practical right now for me to have them with 6 cats in this small house. I constantly had people ask me why I didn't have a bird I could take out and play with and DO something with or at LEAST one who could talk. It really annoyed me (this was back before I got my refreshing "don't give a poop" attitude, lol). I just loved having the little guys around squeeeking and chirping and hopping about like the happy little birds they were, I didn't need to carry them around on my shoulder like a pirate or hold conversations with them to enjoy having them as part of my family.

:

But in general I don't think people criticize those type pets the way they do the horses. Horse are still viewed as "work" animals by a lot of people so one they don;t consider useful for working is deemed "useless". I do get comments about my small dogs, from people with big dogs. I had a guy with a house full of retrievers who had never so much as seen a dead bird ask me why I would keep useless dogs and I asked when was the last time his retrievers actually retrieved anything? My dogs do everything for me that his dogs do for him, they keep me company, they bring laughter and joy to my life, and they just make my house feel more like a home. Mine just eat less and shed less while they do it.

My big issue is why does anyone else CARE? My animals are all wonderfully cared for, it isn't like I am a hoarder. I have never once in my life told someone they should have an animal they do not want. I'm not forcing anyone to live with more animals than they feel comfortable with. So why do they even CARE what *I* do, or what kind of animals I keep? Great, they don't like horses that are too small to ride. I get that, but why do they even remotely care about whether or not I DO like horses that are too small to ride? It seriously baffles me.

 

[The Simple Life Farm]

I think, at least with my family, they don't even have a clue

They ask the stupid questions because they are uneducated about the breed. I believe if any of my family actually spent some real quality time with my horses, then they would understand the passion. Instead, they prefer to stand from afar and just make snide comments and jokes!!!!

:

 

[Magic]

I constantly had people ask me why I didn't have a bird I could take out and play with and DO something with or at LEAST one who could talk. It really annoyed me (this was back before I got my refreshing "don't give a poop" attitude, lol).

ROFLOL!! Sometimes we do need to just let things roll off our backs don't we?

:

 

[Warpony]

I constantly had people ask me why I didn't have a bird I could take out and play with and DO something with or at LEAST one who could talk. It really annoyed me (this was back before I got my refreshing "don't give a poop" attitude, lol).

ROFLOL!! Sometimes we do need to just let things roll off our backs don't we?

:

Absolutely. One of the best days of my life was when i realized that people could say whatever they wanted to me but it was within my power to decide how much I cared. When someone says something petty, childish or insulting I just repeat to myself "water off a ducks back" and go on about my business.

 

[mad for mini's]

If it is people that I don't really know just asking about what I do with them , that's fine , I tell them all the fun things you can do with mini's. I haven't gotten into any of them yet but hope to start showing next season and I do have a harness already in hopes of getting one of them trained to drive when they are old enough. It is mainly my parents attitude that gets me , like I need to grow up and get rid of all the "pets" . Since when is it childish to want to care for animals and enjoy being around them ? They are my parents and I want to make them happy I guess. I am always trying to make everyone else happy and have always compromised about what I wanted . The animals is the only thing that I have and they are part of who I am , I wish my parents could just see that.

 

[Magic]

Since when is it childish to want to care for animals and enjoy being around them ? They are my parents and I want to make them happy I guess. I am always trying to make everyone else happy and have always compromised about what I wanted . The animals is the only thing that I have and they are part of who I am , I wish my parents could just see that.

Fairly early on in my marriage, my husband didn't realize what having horses meant to me. I had to sit him down and compare it to his playing sports, which he just loves-- I asked him, "if you could suddenly not play basketball anymore, how would that make you feel?" and let him know that I was just as passionate about horses as he was about his sports. (He played sometimes EVERY DAY so it was a big thing with him). Suddenly he realized just what my animals meant to me, and he has been supportive ever since.

If you can do that with your parents, and let them know that your animals are what makes you happy in life, then maybe they will come around and realize that their second-guessing your decisions makes you uncomfortable. They should want you to be happy-- and if they don't care about whether you are happy but just want to "control" you, then stop worrying about what they think.

:

 

[PaintNminis]

hahaha you know what I told Someone

I told them they weren't Animal People and they Wouldn't understand

That shut them up lol