# Meet my mini's!



## MaggieSims (Aug 30, 2016)

Hello everyone!! I am new to this forum and to owning mini horses! I owned a full size years ago (10+ years ago), and just bought two mini horses about a week ago!


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## Hens and Roos (Aug 30, 2016)

Welcome , glad you joined us and very nice looking mini's!


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## Latestarter (Aug 30, 2016)

If you have any questions, I believe we have a mini horse (ustabe) breeder here  May I introduce @Mini Horses (OK, now where's that danged "bowing" imoji?) Love the "lay of the land" you've got there. Nice!


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## NH homesteader (Aug 30, 2016)

Oh they are cute! My husband is anti - horse so I will live vicariously through pics like this! 

(long story,  he actually respects horses more than anyone I know but won't own any unless we win the megabucks)


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## MaggieSims (Aug 30, 2016)

Thanks you two! I do have some questions actually, so if @Mini Horses shows I'll begin asking!

1) what is the best way to measure these boys? I wasn't given an actual size, I was just told they were both class b size. And what is a good way to get a weight?

2) should I worm on a schedule or after fecal testing?


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## Latestarter (Aug 30, 2016)

I know! I know!  I know the answer to "2)"!  Pick me, pick me! 

Generally speaking you should always do a fecal before worming, otherwise, how do you know what worms if any you're trying to kill? And if you guess wrong, you're helping the parasites build up resistance to that poison. You should follow up with another fecal AFTER worming to evaluate the efficacy (Gosh I love using big words ) of the treatment. Some wormers have lost their ability to do what they're supposed to do in certain parts of the country because folks over used them or didn't use them properly.


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## Bunnylady (Aug 30, 2016)

Welcome to the forum, and the world of the small equine!

B -size minis are between 34 and 38 inches tall at the last mane hair; there are sticks designed to measure height (though on big horses, they measure to the withers, not the mane hair). There are several different registries for minis, while some register up to 38 inches, AMHA only recognizes up to 34".

The weight tapes that they use on larger horses aren't all that accurate for minis; mini proportions can vary quite a bit. One formula for calculating weight in pounds is (9.36 x girth measurement in inches) + (5 x body length in inches) - 348.5. You can use a dressmaker's tape for this.

(incidentally, your boys are pretty fat; feeding them in a way that will gradually reduce their weight would do both of them a world of good) Love 'em both!

You said something about showing - what have they been trained for?


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## MaggieSims (Aug 30, 2016)

Latestarter said:


> I know! I know!  I know the answer to "2)"!  Pick me, pick me!
> 
> Generally speaking you should always do a fecal before worming, otherwise, how do you know what worms if any you're trying to kill? And if you guess wrong, you're helping the parasites build up resistance to that poison. You should follow up with another fecal AFTER worming to evaluate the efficacy (Gosh I love using big words ) of the treatment. Some wormers have lost their ability to do what they're supposed to do in certain parts of the country because folks over used them or didn't use them properly.



More!! I was looking into doing my own fecal testing for my goats, so I would only treat them when/if needed. Are the principals the same for the testing of other poo? It's funny how my life seems to revolve around poo, with 3 kids and animals there is a lot of poo discussion in my home


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## Latestarter (Aug 30, 2016)

My apologies to @Bunnylady I completely forgot she was a mini guru too.   I seriously need to make up a consulting chart...


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## Latestarter (Aug 30, 2016)

YES... Yes... Life is all about the POO! Oh, that and rectal temp taking... They kinda go hand in rear, so to speak...


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## Latestarter (Aug 30, 2016)

I believe a parasite egg is the same regardless of host. The variety of worm may differ a bit but there are many YouTube videos and other avenues that show what to look for. @Southern by choice has done a series of three articles on the process that you can find here on the site up top under articles.


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## MaggieSims (Aug 30, 2016)

Bunnylady said:


> Welcome to the forum, and the world of the small equine!
> 
> B -size minis are between 34 and 38 inches tall at the last mane hair; there are sticks designed to measure height (though on big horses, they measure to the withers, not the mane hair). There are several different registries for minis, while some register up to 38 inches, AMHA only recognizes up to 34".
> 
> ...



No showing, just owning!  I've only had these boys since the 22nd. So only over a week. They are pets for us, so registries are not too important, although I'll take a looksy! They came from the farm they were born on, I'm the only other "mom" they've had, but the last lady just put a saddle on one a few times, and tried a driving harness a few times. I'd LOVE to try my hand at training them to drive.


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## MaggieSims (Aug 30, 2016)

Latestarter said:


> I believe a parasite egg is the same regardless of host. The variety of worm may differ a bit but there are many YouTube videos and other avenues that show what to look for. @Southern by choice has done a series of three articles on the process that you can find here on the site up top under articles.



I wanted to find a good microscope and test my own farm poo. Hubs thinks I'm a weirdo  but I think it can be so helpful to me and my animals, but can also be fun and educational for my kids, looking through a microscope at all things they find can be very fun!


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## Latestarter (Aug 30, 2016)

Absolutely! And considering every time they look crosseyed at you, you're gonna want to take their temp and check them for worms... Being able to do it immediately, yourself, and have the results in 10 minutes, not to mention the cost of vet fecals every month or two... It's a really huge benefit.


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## Bunnylady (Aug 30, 2016)

Most people rotate wormers and worm horses every two months. Some horses may not actually need to be wormed; they may be naturally resistant. I have also heard that, depending on where you live, it can be too hot or too cold for worm eggs to survive at some times of the year, so worming isn't needed then - which are good arguments for fecal first.  However, there is at least one type of worm that has a life stage that has it completely  out of the digestive system,  so it wouldn't show up on a fecal. Also, tapeworms release segments, not just eggs, so a horse could be lousy with tapes and come up negative on a  fecal.

Whatever program you choose to follow, one wormer you do not want to use on a  mini is moxidectin (brand name,  Quest). It is just too easy to overdose a small horse with it, and the results can be fatal. 

And I would be remiss not to ask - have you ever taught a horse to drive before? If not,  it is a really good idea to find someone to teach your boys and  you how it's done. Driving is infinitely more dangerous than riding; there are just so many more things for a horse to get wiggy about,  and so many more ways  he can kill you - even a small one.


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## MaggieSims (Aug 30, 2016)

@Bunnylady 

Lots of info, and I'm kinda glad it came from one person. I've heard both sides of this topic but never from one source. Much to consider  

Checking my own wont be immediately, so conventional for now. Are any herbal or natural wormers available and effective for horses?

And NO, I am no trainer , no experience whatsoever. I haven't read into drive training yet, it was just a wish for them to have training. I do, however, love to learn and am patient, so maybe one day.

For now I will browse for possible trainers, there are carts for sale in my area, so maybe I'll luck out and track down a willing teacher!

Thanks for all the info!


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## Bunnylady (Aug 31, 2016)

MaggieSims said:


> And NO, I am no trainer , no experience whatsoever.



This put me in mind of something someone once told me, "every person that owns a horse is a trainer, whether they acknowledge it or not. There is no 'free time' with horses; every moment you spend with a horse, he is learning something. Whether it is something you _want_ him to be learning is up to you." That's why you can send a horse to a trainer, he can come back as good as gold, and a few weeks later be right back doing the stuff you sent him to the trainer for in the first place. He learned the trainer wouldn't put up with it, so he stopped doing it, but he figures out he can still get away with it with you. 

Good luck with finding a driving trainer in your area. There are people in our area that drive (there are carriage rides in a number of places around here) but finding someone that is both local and willing has been an ongoing challenge for me . . . 

My loving hubby built a cart for me a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, though he is quite talented, all he did was look at a few pictures and wing it, and there was a lot he missed. Consequently, the cart is still a work in progress. The only one of my minis that is big enough to pull that particular cart is Syd (though her parents were both registered minis, Syd, at 40", is oversized so technically not a mini). Syd's basic philosophy of life has always been "wig out first, ask questions later;" people with experience at cart training would most likely suggest getting a different horse . . . . but this is what I have to work with. All I can say is, it's been an 'interesting' journey (kind of like that Chinese curse, "may you live in 'interesting' times.")

Syd and I have done a lot of long-lining; we have done the travois and and a drag, and Syd has been good for all of that. I have rigged a swingletree to a wagon/garden cart and had her pull that, and she has helped me haul a lot of feed and hay from the driveway to the feed room. But she is still not comfortable with that pony cart; something about being between the shafts just gets to her. Last week, after a long-lining session all over the yard, I hitched her to the cart (single-handed; though Syd stood quietly for the whole process, just having her stand still for it was a major step forward). I switched from the lines to a lead rope; Syd is steadier with me beside her; I am not suicidal enough to try to drive her hitched! I led Syd down the driveway, and we were good until I tried to circle her around at the end of the drive. She felt the one shaft pressing against her shoulder in the turn and her brain just fell out. All I can say is, it's a good thing she is as small as she is, because my weight counts for quite a bit against her . . .  as it was, I only got her stopped about two steps away from something that would have destroyed the cart and possibly her, too. After we'd both had a moment to catch our breath, I moved her around some more, and spent a couple of minutes pulling and pushing on the cart shafts to try to get her used to the idea that she had to step sideways to turn. Then my intrepid daughter (known as BB2K on BYC) got into the cart, and we took Syd for a walk through the neighborhood (I just don't have the space for a driving/riding ring here). Two steps up and one step back; someday, we will get this all together, and I'll have a driving pony (or a headstone; sometimes I'm not sure which will come first!)


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## MaggieSims (Aug 31, 2016)

I loved reading that!! You seem like my kinda gal! Well, I've had my boys for about a week and a half, every day I've done something with them. First couple days, where I first put them, my neighbors horses could see them and kept storming their fence, which freaked my boys out. Still, I halterd one, walked around and backed. Tried to halter the other, but he was a bit nervous and put off by the distraction of the other horses. Did that for 2 days, while I built fence closer. I also spent time just in the fence, touching, bushing, playing with their mane. but I could tell they didn't like the big horses. kinda made me wonder if big horses were an issue before, I know they were housed with full sized ones too.
Anywho, now that they are moved they are so much more chill, or they are getting used to me. I like your comment, every thing is training, whether they learn something good or bad it's up to you, I had that thought, just didn't know how to say it! It's been so long for me since i was able to work with a horse, so I'm learning too! Basically I'm starting as if they each are blank slates, no training. Besides basic halter. They are not too keen on separation, the one left behind gets freaked out, but the one out on lead is fine. So I've mostly just been in the fence, working with one while I have one tied. So far so good. Any tips though are SERIOUSLY needed and appreciated!!

Whew, that was a lot


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## Bunnylady (Aug 31, 2016)

One good resource for pretty much all things mini is the Lil' Beginnings website - they even have a separate sub-forum just for driving.

Some people will tell you that putting minis and 'bigs' in the same pasture is just asking for a dead mini. Others will tell you they've kept the two sizes pastured together for years without any problems - the bigs hang out together, and the minis hang out together, just separate from the bigs. Some say that their big horses are freaked out by minis, others will tell you that it's the other way 'round . . . . I guess some minis are like small dogs; they have a big attitude and just don't realize how small they are. For my peace of mind, my minis and my bigs are confined separately, but can chat over a sturdy fence. Considering that I have a Quarter Horse (latte) and a mini (Syd) with seriously pushy, "boss mare" personalities, it has probably saved me a lot of grief and/or vet bills! We joke about one corner being "the gossip fence" because they often hang out there, all together but safely separated.

I get a lot of the "herd bound" stuff, both ways. It doesn't seem to matter which horse gets taken out to be worked, all of my other horses have to talk about it (I have a total of 5, or 4 1/2 if that's how you count the mini mule). None of mine, big or little, care to be out alone, though some are better about it than others. One thing my daughter and I have been doing lately is taking one from either side of the fence and working with them - they aren't _alone_, exactly, but they aren't with their buddy, either. It has helped some. Of course, sometimes, I just take one by herself and take the attitude, "yeah, I know - now get over it and get on with the job at hand."

Working with minis is a little different from working with a bigger horse, IMO. All of the same rules apply, you just have to keep in mind that you are taller than they are, and in their minds, "bigger," so you are potentially scarier. They have pony smarts, and once they know what you want, are usually eager to please. They learn fast, and retain very well - there have been long spells when I couldn't work with mine for some reason, and I have often been surprised by how little review has been needed to get back on track. All in all, they are a lot of fun!


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## Kusanar (Aug 31, 2016)

I have my mini in with my big herd, he's in with 3 normal sized geldings, one of which seems to think he is the mini's mother... go figure... but, my mini and my 16 hand stallion play together if you let them together. In fact, the mini has never had a mark on him from the stallion, but the stallion has had many tiny little dirty hoof prints on his chest and nicks and dings on his head from being kicked by the little guy...

One thing you can do with the separation issues, is, you need to make them not want to be together. So, you put them close together and work either both of them really hard, or just the one who is losing it's brain, I mean, you want them sweaty and wanting to stop for a breather, then separate them as far as you can without them flipping out again, take them to the VERY edge of their comfort range and let them rest, let them graze some nice grass, give them a treat, scratch that special spot they love, etc. Any time they want to go back together when you are working with them, let them, then make them work harder near their buddy, and then remove them and let them rest, before long they will realize that at least when you are there, that trying to hang out with their buddy means WORK.


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## MaggieSims (Aug 31, 2016)

Well, the story was they've been happily pastured with a couple big horses for years. But, at the same time, the previous home was almost too stable. They had no change, only been hauled twice. Once when the owners moved 8 miles away, and once to my house, 100 miles away, and they did the hauling, thankfully. Then I pen them up next to the neighbors fence, in a new place, with new people and scary big horses next door. Go figure that I NEVER saw their horses on that stretch until I got mine. So all this is new to them so I haven't judged any of the weirdness. These are my only horses, fortunately. And now fenced away from the others. I have 10 acres, trees and rolling pasture, so they can't see the bigger ones until I get them out and about.
I just came in from... I don't know what. Halterd both, and jogged around. So, exercise? Training? I don't think they learned anything but i get tired fast  but we kept going until they were tired and I could start to smell horsey sweat but didn't see it yet. We went over brush, through tall grass, around all my various animals, I ran down my long driveway, I learned Pistol has a nice fast trot, and Jazz is a slowpoke. Took them down to the road and waited for traffic, the one that drove by ended up a log truck, so nice and loud on a bumpy dirt road. neither one spooked or really seemed alarmed, so that was good. Went to the pond, no water for them. They wanted no part of my shenanigans. So we trotted back up and visited with my father in law neighbor (he stays in a motor home outside) and his weenie dog. Nothing really seemed to bother them while on a lead, so that's good news.


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## Bunnylady (Sep 1, 2016)

Sounds like fun! I think it's Clinton Anderson who says, "the more you scare a horse, the less they are scared of." Obviously, that doesn't mean you fill their world with more jump-scares than a horror game, but exposing them to lots of odd things under controlled conditions is how you build a bomb-proof horse (at least in theory). With that thought in mind, BB2K and I created an obstacle course in one part of the yard. There are elements like this:





and this:





lots of things to go under, over, around and through. Syd usually works through it with no issues:





I keep trying to think of new things to add; one of Syd's biggest problems has always been things that flap (like flags). As you can see in the pictures, there are water elements that reflect and have frogs that jump in and splash unexpectedly, but I don't ask the horses to walk through them; I'm still trying to figure out how to make a water element with a firm, non-slippery bottom that I can walk them through because Blondie in particular tends to avoid puddles . . . . Also a work in progress.


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## MaggieSims (Sep 1, 2016)

I like your course !! I have young kids so I thought I should  try to expose my boys to as much as I can, so kids being kids shouldn't be new stuff to them.


I 'measured' the bigger one this morning, his last mane hair is 41". I'm pretty sure both parents were registered mini's. His brother is a couple inches shorter, but both have good build, and from what I can see, decent confirmation. What's your take on light riding, for small kids? My biggest is 45lbs. My daughter, who wants to ride more than anything is 30lbs. She rode a camel at a zoo and got her camel's drivers licence, so she says she's ready for riding a pony. I didn't buy them with the intent to saddle and ride, but more to teach my kids horsemanship and handling with a smaller animal. But I'm thinking they are built for a light ride, much bigger than other lead line ponies I see around here. It might be a bonus?


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## Kusanar (Sep 1, 2016)

MaggieSims said:


> I like your course !! I have young kids so I thought I should  try to expose my boys to as much as I can, so kids being kids shouldn't be new stuff to them.
> 
> 
> I 'measured' the bigger one this morning, his last mane hair is 41". I'm pretty sure both parents were registered mini's. His brother is a couple inches shorter, but both have good build, and from what I can see, decent confirmation. What's your take on light riding, for small kids? My biggest is 45lbs. My daughter, who wants to ride more than anything is 30lbs. She rode a camel at a zoo and got her camel's drivers licence, so she says she's ready for riding a pony. I didn't buy them with the intent to saddle and ride, but more to teach my kids horsemanship and handling with a smaller animal. But I'm thinking they are built for a light ride, much bigger than other lead line ponies I see around here. It might be a bonus?



Ok, I may get lynched for saying this, but, I have a 32 inch mini, and when I weighed around 120 pounds I've ridden him with my feet dragging the ground... we even have video of my brother at around 15o pounds and 6 feet tall trying to ride him. Now, I'm not saying heavy riding, but I did walk him and trot him a little bit (because I didn't have a kid that knew how to ride to test him out for me) and I have hopped on him and walked him across the field to find the other horses. He seemed to be fine, but I wouldn't put that kind of weight on him often, I've had him for about 7 years and ridden him maybe 10 times.

And yes, use the kids, actually, there is a fun game you could teach the kids and minis that would possibly be helpful later. It is a Clinton Anderson thing he actually did with a whole stadium full of people at one of his tours. He taught the horse that the pressure would leave when she dropped her head, then he had the entire coliseum full of people yell, scream, wave arms, beat on things, and then when she dropped her head to STOP and not make a peep, the first time she freaked out pretty bad, but within about 30 seconds she dropped her head and everyone shut up, by the end she was actually turning it into a game to see how high she could get her head without everyone screaming! And, the way that this could be useful is that in an emergency or scary situation, kids are inclined to scream, if you teach the minis that when the children scream, that the correct thing to do is to stop dead and put their head down (a horse can't be scared with it's head down), then if something happens and a kid freaks out, rather than the horse heading for the hills, it SHOULD lock up all 4's and calm down.


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## Bunnylady (Sep 1, 2016)

They are horses; the general rule of thumb is to limit the load of rider and tack to about 20% of the animal's body weight. Obviously, animals with sturdy legs like your boys can probably carry more of a load than one with a lighter build, but then, the body mass would be higher, too. When BB2K was smaller, she rode Syd (it was just round-pen stuff, since they were both so green, but it was important lessons for both of them because Syd used to attack children . . . ). My weight limit for Syd is about 60 lbs. It has been years since BB2K was that small, but Syd has done some lead-line pony party stuff. When I think she needs a refresher, I have a "dummy" that I use; I took an old pair of jeans, tied the ends of the legs shut, and poured about 40 lbs. of fishtank gravel in the legs. We just saddle up, tie the legs in place, and there we are . . .  If she decides to get spooky and buck, well, the dummy doesn't get scared or hurt, and it doesn't come off, either.

I have done leadline stuff with my 32" mini mule too, but though Blondie is taller (35") I don't let kids ride her; she's built like a deer and I just don't think her frame can take it. Besides, she's a little bit roach backed, but I bought her for her personality, not her conformation. She will probably make a good driving pony; I'd just need to get a cart her size.

On occasion, it may be necessary for a larger person to ride a smaller animal, I can understand that, but the conformation of the animal needs to be taken into account. A long back is not as strong as a short one, bigger leg bones have more surface area in the joints to spread the pressure out than a more refined frame. Also, a fitter animal can balance the weight of a rider better. What burns my bacon is seeing teens on YouTube saying things like, "My mini is so spoiled. I ride him. He hates it, tries to bite and buck, but I do it anyway." Ummm - ever think about the possibility that the reason he hates it is because it_ hurts_?  When you see a 150+ pound person sitting on a pony and it is pretty much dragging its feet while trying to trot, that's way too much weight and they should know that. You may see tiny little donkeys carrying huge loads in third world countries, but donkeys have denser bones, so they can usually carry more, the material of which the load is composed isn't very heavy, and if the donkey breaks down, they'll just eat it and get on with their lives - not something most Americans want to do with a pet pony.


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## Kusanar (Sep 1, 2016)

This is my mini, he's a chunky little guy, I'm hauling his head up in the pic of him being ridden because otherwise he bucks... he's just not saddlebroke, and the kids don't know any better than gripping with their legs which just makes him hump up and buck.

When I rode him, he had plenty of bounce in his step and he can actually canter with me, as he proved by taking off with me a few times, but I try not to push my luck, and I've gained weight, no way I would get on him now.


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## Kusanar (Sep 1, 2016)

This is what he does most of the time for work though, if he does anything at all...


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## MaggieSims (Sep 2, 2016)

@Bunnylady and @Kusanar 
Wow! You two are very informative! Thanks so much for all the input, I have things to do for sure! I like the Clinton Anderson training tip, I'll look into that one for sure, since I can see how that would help in a hectic situation with kids.

I feel like my two boys are built sturdy for their size, and I have been looking into finding some used tack to start them. What am I looking for when purchasing tack? Obviously small sizes, but should I measure my horses first? What size saddle pad? I figured that would be first to introduce.


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## Kusanar (Sep 2, 2016)

MaggieSims said:


> @Bunnylady and @Kusanar
> Wow! You two are very informative! Thanks so much for all the input, I have things to do for sure! I like the Clinton Anderson training tip, I'll look into that one for sure, since I can see how that would help in a hectic situation with kids.
> 
> I feel like my two boys are built sturdy for their size, and I have been looking into finding some used tack to start them. What am I looking for when purchasing tack? Obviously small sizes, but should I measure my horses first? What size saddle pad? I figured that would be first to introduce.


I would suggest looking though Minitack.com and see what is available, I don't know if you can find it cheaper anywhere else, mini equipment is kind of specialized. But they would have a good selection of everything mini. I have harness for my little guy, but nothing else, if he is ridden it is bareback.


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## Bunnylady (Sep 2, 2016)

I have one little problem with teaching the horse to


Kusanar said:


> stop dead and put their head down


 . . . .

Ever been on a horse that did that? It's _FACE PLANT_ time, folks! Yes, the child won't get run away with, but the ground comes up mighty fast and hard  . . .






(Just click in the middle of the video window where it says "watch this video on YouTube"; it will open another tab to YouTube and play the video). And unfortunately, this little boy has hands like a brick, so I don't know that Ed is entirely to be blamed for acting up like he does.)

You don't have to go with mini tack - a lot of pony saddles will fit a 9 or 10-hand pony (which is what your boys are). Both of the saddles I use are pony saddles/youth saddles, with 12 inch seats. Not a lot of help on the blankets/pads, I'm afraid - I made my own.


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## frustratedearthmother (Sep 2, 2016)

All I've gotta say is that's one brave kid for getting back on!


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## Bunnylady (Sep 2, 2016)

frustratedearthmother said:


> All I've gotta say is that's one brave kid for getting back on!



Well, as his mother points out, that video is a compilation of clips taken over the course of about 18 months; they have lots and lots of video of Ed _not _being bad, too. But even in the footage of him being "good," you can see some head tossing and other signs of frustration and irritation. As the child's horsemanship improved, I daresay Ed's behavior did, too.


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## Latestarter (Sep 2, 2016)

Like she wrote under that clip... those two were bonded, even though Ed wanted things his way. That kid was quite the trooper! Gotta give it to him for not giving up.


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## frustratedearthmother (Sep 2, 2016)

Latestarter said:


> Gotta give it to him for not giving up.



Absolutely!   Cute pair, even when Ed is being a little sNit....(wanted to put a different letter in there, lol!)


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## madelynmccabe (Sep 3, 2016)

Welcome!! So glad you joined, and I love your minis!!


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## frustratedearthmother (Nov 14, 2018)

Very cute!


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