Cross Breeds

tips on miniature horses?

im planning on getting a miniature horse or shetland next year to keep my horses company when they are on their own in the field. i have lots of experience looking after horses, but have never owned a mini or shetland so wondered if there's anything i need to know? any tips? thanks =]

Public Comments

1. They're pretty much the same as horses and ponies except you don't ride them. Well, little children can ride shetlands but that's about it. They eat the same stuff, can just live on field feed. They still need certain training and guidance as they can get extra large egos. I've always wanted one as they're adorable. You can still teach them to lunge over jumps and stuff and teach little tricks like shake etc. And there's halter breaking and lead to get first off... Hope you have fun with it. They're different in their own way but not care-wise. (:
2. they are pretty much the same except you'll have to becareful that they dont graze too much and go lame if you have a lot of horses then it should be ok, because they will help keep the grazing down, otherwise you will have to move him about or get him a muzzle muzzles are aweful but do help, i have to use one on my pony because she has so much land, over summer we have to try put her on a diet
3. They eat a lot less. Mini's, when on hay and grain, will get a handful. It seems like very little, but they get fed more the amount you would feed a dog. They can be on pasture, just be sure they don't get to large. They can gain weight very easily. That's the biggest thing I see people with mini's and shetlands they overfeed them. After having large horses it looks like they eat nothing.
4. Not really. They eat the same, just less (seriously, alot less, sometimes people get problems with minis getting fat), prob like 5L of feed (mixed and roughage) twice daily. They also need training. While they're too small to ride (ok so I admit I've jumped on one or two or three or four for fun lol), young small kids can ride them if they're broken in. They can be broken in. They need lunging to exercise and get energy out and they need training to learn manners. We have five minis at our stable and they have the worst manners! They try and barge past you walking through gates, kick you when you go in to feed them, they line you up to double barrel, push and drag when they walk, spin and buck and rear and double barrel you when you lead them. Please teach them manners too!
5. It is very easy to overfeed these little guys. They can stuff themselves on grass and are very susceptible to foundering if care is not taken to keep them from overeating. Never forget that for all their adorable cuteness, they are still horses and need all the same kind of care a big horse needs. A great way to exercise a little horse is to teach them to pull a cart. It is tons of fun too!
6. make sure they can't get through the fence in their pen- i had that problem since they're so small