Tongue33;1156983; said:It in some places almost sounds like having a nother kid !!
This has some good info on care
http://www.guidehorse.org/faq_horses.htm
That's the site I was on...LOL
LITTLE PONY
- Thread starter R1_Ridah
- Start date
That's the site I was on...LOL
Although they are about the same size as a large dog...in fact a couple of my wolves are a LOT larger...they have a greater mass and are much heavier than a dog. They can also be tempremental and need a lot of training to be good pets and companions.
Wolf3101;1156999; said:
Ask Rob Detrick..(that guy on mtv who bought one and built it a place out back of his house in hollywood) I don't think they need a huge amount of room but I think they need some run and play room sometimes to work out frustation/energy.. from what I've seen..
Also ferriers make $$(like 50.00+ an hour) so hoof maintnance could be a cost to consider.
I wish my daddy did that... I saw friends who got them then a few months later sell them. I love horses to death! ever sence i can remember, I just hope that if and when you get one, its for life. There are its shots it needs and farrier, grain/hay, tack stuff, water, little blanket for winter time, a place to go for shelter. And you should have alot of room. You wouldnt coop up a rtc in a 20gal, would you? Best thing to do is find a nice stable to house it. They do the feeding, cleaning etc. It would have alot of room and little horsey friends. All you have to do is drive out to it. Also stay out there for a full day and see what it is like to care for these animals. Thats the best thing to do to get an idea on what its like before you buy one. If its something you like then go for it. Ive been working at stables forever, and I love it. But like someone already said, it does take a special person to care for one of these animals.
Lol, those miniture horses look like goats with no horns lol. Why not just get a goat if you want a herbivore that small lol?
Anyways, pets and kids...Essentially, you're the one whose gonna have to do all the maintanence and pay all the bills, and with kids attention spans these days, most kids bore of their pets sooner or later, dumping the entire animal on you to care and look after for.
IMHO If you're not particularly interested in the animal yourself and are just getting it for your kid, don't get it, because whats the point in getting an animal that you're not particularly interested in which could just end up being completely dumped on you sooner or later?
Also take into consideration that horses, even miniture's, live for a looong time- mintiture horses can to live to 25-30 years old, which means that by the time this animal dies your daughter will have long left home, got a job, and will probably have children of her own.
If you can see her (or you) being interested in this animal for this long and keeping up with the expensive maintanence of keeping it healthy, happy and clean, then i say go for it and thoroughly research and then get the miniture horse
.
Anyways, pets and kids...Essentially, you're the one whose gonna have to do all the maintanence and pay all the bills, and with kids attention spans these days, most kids bore of their pets sooner or later, dumping the entire animal on you to care and look after for.
IMHO If you're not particularly interested in the animal yourself and are just getting it for your kid, don't get it, because whats the point in getting an animal that you're not particularly interested in which could just end up being completely dumped on you sooner or later?
Also take into consideration that horses, even miniture's, live for a looong time- mintiture horses can to live to 25-30 years old, which means that by the time this animal dies your daughter will have long left home, got a job, and will probably have children of her own.
If you can see her (or you) being interested in this animal for this long and keeping up with the expensive maintanence of keeping it healthy, happy and clean, then i say go for it and thoroughly research and then get the miniture horse
.
I suggest going out and buying some books and talking to your local breeders and feed stores.
They require all the same things a full size horse does, only in smaller quantities and sizes. So the price tag on owning one would be less. But not a whole lot less.
Your little girl also wont be able to ride it. Miniature horses are used mainly for pulling small carts. But many people use them as pets like dogs. But make no mistake, they require more than dogs.
Worming, supplements and all the crap you need for a regular horse or pony.
They require all the same things a full size horse does, only in smaller quantities and sizes. So the price tag on owning one would be less. But not a whole lot less.
Your little girl also wont be able to ride it. Miniature horses are used mainly for pulling small carts. But many people use them as pets like dogs. But make no mistake, they require more than dogs.
Worming, supplements and all the crap you need for a regular horse or pony.
R1_Ridah;1156991; said:
Yeah, i know my dog needs farrier visits every six weeks and bi-monthly wormings.
Trust me. Taking care of a miniature horse will be much different than owning a dog.
Why dont you enrole her in riding lessons so she can learn about horses and find out just how much she is interested in it first.
But mainly so you can learn just how much goes into horses. YES and even miniature horses.
I've been riding for 14 years and still have never owned my own horse because of how much work and $ they are.
(I've trained other people's horses and have a riding instructor that has me ride all her horses)
I've never lived in a place with enough space to keep one or had enough $ to board one.
I've leased a horse before. And that alone taught me how much time goes into them.
Sure a miniature would be less than a full sized horse. You need to do tons of research and get some experience before buying an animal that requires so much and lives so long.
when i was younger i used to be around people who had miniature horses and some kinds are just downright mean. a large stubborn horse will literally push you around to get its way, the little horses don't have that advantage, so they can sometimes be biters. psychologically there is a lot more work than a dog. you have to be able to maintain whatever training the horse comes with, otherwise even a miniature will take advantage of you when it learns that you are unsure of what you are doing.
There's been some good advice on here, but do you REALLY think a fish message board is the proper place to ask how to take care of a pony or horse?
Honestly, you can't learn how to care for an equine, no matter the size, from a message board or the net.
I suggest you find a good trainer (one that has plenty of positive references) to teach you and your kids how to interact and care for a pony. A good trainer should also be able to point you to a good equine vet and a reputable farrier that can help explain health issues and proper hoof care/maintanance. These are also people that you will need if you aquire a pony or horse because they will need monthly ferrier visits and periodic veterinary visits. 4-H clubs also can be a very good source of information and a good way to find the contacts you need.
These people should also be able to point you to a good breeder or help you with buying your pony/horse because believe me, A LOT of people will try to pull a fast one on you, and you don't want to end up with a pony or horse that looked great at the persons house but is has severe issues once you get it home because you had no idea what problems to look for.
Horses and ponies, even very small ones, are not like dogs and cats. They need to be handled in the same way a standard sized horse does and in many cases can actually end up being more difficult than a standard size horse. The most difficult equines I've dealt with and ridden have been ponies and small horses, and the most calm very large horses.
Your best bet is going to be a gelding, second best mare or filly, but completely stay away from stallions. I don't care how small your pony or horse is, it's NEVER a good idea for a new owner to try their hand at owning a stallion.
Remember that even a small equine can be a danger to your children if they haven't been taught, in person, how to interact with them. A well placed kick could cause severe injury, and so could a nasty bite. Even a well trained horse or pony can develop issues if you haven't been shown how to keep up with their training. A well trained horse or pony can turn into a nightmare given an inexperienced or unsure owner.
Honestly, you can't learn how to care for an equine, no matter the size, from a message board or the net.
I suggest you find a good trainer (one that has plenty of positive references) to teach you and your kids how to interact and care for a pony. A good trainer should also be able to point you to a good equine vet and a reputable farrier that can help explain health issues and proper hoof care/maintanance. These are also people that you will need if you aquire a pony or horse because they will need monthly ferrier visits and periodic veterinary visits. 4-H clubs also can be a very good source of information and a good way to find the contacts you need.
These people should also be able to point you to a good breeder or help you with buying your pony/horse because believe me, A LOT of people will try to pull a fast one on you, and you don't want to end up with a pony or horse that looked great at the persons house but is has severe issues once you get it home because you had no idea what problems to look for.
Horses and ponies, even very small ones, are not like dogs and cats. They need to be handled in the same way a standard sized horse does and in many cases can actually end up being more difficult than a standard size horse. The most difficult equines I've dealt with and ridden have been ponies and small horses, and the most calm very large horses.
Your best bet is going to be a gelding, second best mare or filly, but completely stay away from stallions. I don't care how small your pony or horse is, it's NEVER a good idea for a new owner to try their hand at owning a stallion.
Remember that even a small equine can be a danger to your children if they haven't been taught, in person, how to interact with them. A well placed kick could cause severe injury, and so could a nasty bite. Even a well trained horse or pony can develop issues if you haven't been shown how to keep up with their training. A well trained horse or pony can turn into a nightmare given an inexperienced or unsure owner.
