Breaking a Mini...?

[Horsiezz]

We just got a bay roan 36 inch 3 year old mini gelding. We already have a 1 1/2 yr old bay/white pinto mini stallion(not ready to be broke),but we are new to breaking them to ride though anyways. How are we gunna do it if your too big to ride them?

I was wondering if I was too big to ride him, Im 13 and weigh 105 pounds, is it too much ? Hes a BIG mini, a chubby,but muscular one. But im still not sure. I dont want to take the risk till I know for sure. But how else would you do it?
Any tips would be grateful, after we break him to ride we are going to break him to drive. So tips on that would be good too.
Thanks.

 

[dianneS]

I don't personally know any official methods, but I've been getting my two year old used to the saddle. He's doing well with it.

I've been doing a lot of groundwork with him, the same as you would with any big horse. I've done a lot of desensitizing him too. Clicker training works well with minis.

My mini is probably 35-36 inches now. I straddled him when he was smaller and I could still touch the ground. Occasionally I'll throw one leg over his back and praise him for standing still. I've stood him between two of my raised garden beds so that I could straddle him and still touch the ground on either side. I lowered my weight on to him for a few seconds, praised him and then stood up before he decided to start crow hopping! I have heard of other small adult woman, like 120 pounds putting a little weight on a minis back for a few seconds or so, but I don't know that this is really effective "training"?

I'm thinking I'll get some neighbors brave kids to sit on him with an adult beside them to grab them in case the little guy decides he's not liking this whole thing, but as good as he's been with the saddle and as food motivated as he is, I think I could keep him pre-occupied with treats while a kid sits on his back.

Eventually, I'll start ground driving him. I want to drive my mini and just use him for lead-line pony rides. I don't think I'll have children riding him solo.

 

[patandchickens]

If you teach them to ground-drive and *actually* drive, first, then riding is not much of a leap thereafter and they will pretty much know what to do once it comes along, it's a nonissue except for getting used to the feel of the weight and legs of the rider.

So, that would be my suggestion -- ground-driving FIRST, then actually hitched-to-things driving. (If you have not done this before, it would be REAL REAL smart to get a pro to help you, at least for the step of actually hitching to something.) THEN riding, if he ever actually needs to be ridden (it does not sound like you have anyone around TO actually ride him?)

If he is only 3 I would not suggest you try sitting on him yourself. (If he were a spoiled small pony that was *fully fully* grown, like 8 or 10 years plus, then that'd be different).

Really, you can do all sorts of things with ground-driving, especially if you shorten up the reins and approach it as sort of in-hand work (a la old-timey dressage, Spanish Riding School and the like).

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Bunnylady]

A 36" mini, depending on his conformation, probably weighs about 250 - 300 lbs. If you go by the usual rule of thumb of the rider not weighing more than 25% of the horse's weight , then you're looking in the neighborhood of 60 - 75 lbs for the rider and saddle.

I have a 40" oversized mini that I have been training, and am blessed to have a brave small daughter. Fortunately, whatever else you may say about this mini, she accepts things well if given time to understand what is being asked. Before I risked my daughter on this animal, we did a lot of groundwork, doing "walk," "whoa," "back," etc, until I felt sure she was listening. She wore the saddle while working for months before I put my kid on her. I did a lot of "despooking" things before I tried any weight on her back, so by the time we actually did "mount up," it was pretty much a non-issue.

 

[Horsiezz]

Thanks everyone.
We actually just measured him and he is actually 38 inches.
We have had him in a harness and ground driving him, he likes it and does it very well.

He hasn't been worked much because the owner that gave him to us was trying to focus on her other mini and just couldn't handle 2 , so therefor he hasnt had much groundwork or discipline and is a bit unruly. He doesnt like the saddle on his back. He hasnt bucked but he doesnt like it. He needs a bit of work,but in time he should be a great horse.

I might be able to get my niece to ride him, shes 75 to 80 pounds & shes 10. A little persuasion will have to be used,because she isnt a very confident rider yet. But he is going to be hers anyways,just for short riding(untill she gets too big) but mostly to overcome her fears of the horse,and be able to learn more about them,and brush them and do ground work,etc,just to build her confidence. So Wish us luck!

 

[FlipFlopFarmer]

What I do is teach all my colts to ground drive first, I use an old saddle that i have pulleys and rings attatched to. I run the reins through the rings to vary the headset of the colt. I then stand next to the colt and jump up and down while holding the horn, I do this on both sides. I then (when they are 2) stand and put one leg in the sturrip and put a little weight ( without mounting).

Next, I have two blue jean legs cut away from the center of the pants and filled with sand. They are attatched to the top with a chain that I can change the length. I put that in the saddle, and sometimes tie tennis shoes to the ends. I drive them with that and lunge them and pony them behind a big mare of mine.

RARELY, do any of my colts ever buck after all this, u can do the same, just with lighter weights, I wish you luck.

 

[chubbydog811]

Nothing to do with anything...
FlipFlopFarmer: I'm not trying to be a know it all by asking, but I noticed in many of your posts when refering to your young horses, you say "colts"...I can't imagine that you only have young male horses, but maybe you do?
It drives me nuts when trainers call all young horses "colts"...

 

[FlipFlopFarmer]

Nothing to do with anything...
FlipFlopFarmer: I'm not trying to be a know it all by asking, but I noticed in many of your posts when refering to your young horses, you say "colts"...I can't imagine that you only have young male horses, but maybe you do?
It drives me nuts when trainers call all young horses "colts"...

colt is an approved term for any young horse regardless of sex shortly after birth. this makes me smile, because I actually prefer, and typically keep only fillys. Long ago when I worked for a vet, i inquired about the terms, and was told that colt is for male and female after birth, then replaced by filly for female and colt for male. im not sure at what age it is replaced. also, i get into the habit of typing as i speak, which is with alot of slang(southern). I tend to use colt as a unisex term.

 

[S_Toast]

I would not put more than 50lbs (saddle included) on a mini's back. They weren't designed for riding like ponies are. They were designed to pull. That being said, I think the "blue jean weights" are an great idea. The most important thing with a mini is trust. If they trust you they will let you do anything you need to.

Lots of lung work and ground driving is the way to go. I think you'll find that driving a mini is a lot more fun than riding it anyway since you'll get to join in the fun not just the young kids. Good luck Oh treats always get you pretty far with minis too.

 

[dianneS]

I've been using clicker training to teach my mini tricks. It works really well, he loves it and has fun doing it. I'm now using it to get him used to the saddle on his back. Now he looks forward to the saddle and is really eager to please!