What do miniature horse like to play?

I am not sure what was meant by this question but I will try to answer it. 

Mini horses are like children. Some like to just play by themselves, others are very social and play with everyone, some will play with people like they would play with other horses. We have even had a few that needed so much mental stimulus that we tied 5 lead ropes on the fence with 5 different knocks for him to untie. But horses that smart are few and far between; in 20 years we have only breed 3. 

I will always remember my husband taking a mini out to paster for the very first time. He walked up to the mare and put a hand around her neck, like I told him to, and lead her out to pasture. Then when he let her go she spun around in 180 on him and ran back to the barn with her tail straight in the air. She thought that she was pretty funny leaving him all alone behind in the dust. Sometimes horses just like to  be with you. There is no better toy or game than you and your company. 

Toys: all these toys will work for mini horses too.

Why do miniature horses fight?

Miniature horses fight for a few reason. In their natural setting, miniature horses will bite and kick as a means of establishing dominance within their herd. Like many animals Mini horses have a hierarchy and horses will always challenge other horses of the same age. Some mares never make any friends and will always be cast out from the herd.

Stallions will lower their heads to mares and make an almost snarling face to make the mare stay within the heard when she strays. The mare (if with baby) will often protect the baby which is mostly unneeded, but the mare only knows that she doesn't know the stallion and will kick at him. In other cases a stallion will try to put the moves on a mare that is not ready to breed and there for she kicks and bits to let him know she isn't ready yet. 

Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3wT9ESxsTM&feature=em-comment_received&lc=dyRMftNUhsomgtpqYeuyMwtSzc1fn9dHJnZrx9D7xxc&lch=email

Will a bobcat kill a Mini horse?

They have every capability to do it yes. They will take down a deer and will go after Quarter horses, but only when food is scares and they have no choose. We have never had a problem with our bobcat in Indiana. 

Minis travail in very herds so it makes it very dangerous for a bobcat to go after not only babies but adults. So if you are seeing few rabbits, game birds, or anything that bobcats will usually eat then its time to be worried. The biggest problem for Mini horse owners are the people that only own one horse. For the people that only have one horse keep them close to home and not the the back paster.

Anyone have any thoughts or have problems with bob cats let me know and I will post your stories on this article. Since our bobcat leaves us alone I would like to get others in on this. 

What is a good breeding season?

On our farm we let the stallions loose with their mares so that they have babies from late March to early July. This way we arrange our full time jobs so that one of us is home for a short time while our horses are having babies. 

Others will let the stallions lose all year long with the mares and are not sure when the babies will be born. 

What ever works for you.

What age do Mini Stallions stop having babies and when can the babies not be Registered?

I got asked this question by a dog breeder. When male dogs reach the age of 10 apparently any puppies they have can not be registered. This is not the case with Miniature stallions. So long at they produce the babies can be registered so long as mom has the same registrations. All our stallions have babies up to the year they pass away. 

Question of the year: What are the odds of a mini being goared by a deer

Verrrrry tinny. In 20 years of working with minis and having many deer on our property we have never had this problem. 

What about you my readers? Any stories the help this person out? Send me an email and I will add your reply to this post.

Are Mini horses good for children?

Rockyhill's 12' colt named Mystro. 1 Year latter

With out question yes. When going to buy a Mini from a reputable breeder make sure to tell them that you are looking for a kid. Some Miniature horses are better suited for steeling your children and clamming them as your own than others. Like us there are people that love kids and others that can't handle them until they reach an older age. Stallions will think of children as one of their foals and herd them up with the rest of the babies, and mares will never let them out of their sight.

Rockyhill's 12' colt named Mystro. Weenling and
his new owner

Foals will have a little harder time with children sometimes as they are brand new to the world and can accidentally push or shove past kids and knock them down. But they will learn too. Just like buying a puppy they will make mistakes with your children without meaning so you will have to educate them and the kid of proper respect for each other.

Ferrands Triple K Darling Angle and her new owner 

Rockyhill's 12' colt named Mystro.
Weenling and his new owner

Miniature Horses and Dogs

Purchasing a mini horse that is older than 2 or 3 can present a problem with dog owners. Some farms, like ours, have coyotes and irresponsible dog owners that chase and bit at our horses. Thus our older horses have learned to gangue up and chase dogs and bit at them to make the leave the fenced area they live in. Remember that it is very hard for a pray animal to see the differents between a dog and a wolf or coyote. This will be very bad when there are babies being born, but our mares will let the coyotes eat any placentae left at the edges.

What is a mare protecting a baby from other horses for?

A mare will protect her baby mostly from other mares, as young mares or even older mares that didn't have a baby that year, will steal babies. We have had 2 year old mare steal babies from the first time moms, not caring that they have no milk to feed it. Sometime Mare's that are due any day will steal a baby from a first time mom that doesn't know what to do right away will steal it.

A mare protects her baby from a stallion on the off chance that he will hurt the baby. We have never had a stallion harm a baby and it takes a very unstable stallion to hurt young or even new born babies. Now that doesn't mean take the weenlings out from mom and put them in a lot with a stallion. 3 to 4 months is a stallions normal level of child tolerance. We personally have 2 stallions that we can let lose with the young boys and they teach them how to be boys. But we've know theses stallions since they were born so don't try this unless you really know that the babies are safe.

Dose being kicked or bit by Mini horses hurt?

Yes it can. I have been working with mini horses since I was 9 and I have been kicked and had the wind knocked out of me. I deserved it most of the time too as I didn't know how to act around horses at the time. My first horse bit didn't happen until February of 2013 while a mare was in the middle of having a baby. My arm was in the way while she was pushing and she bit down on my arm on accident. She has never tried again and is a sweet girl. Actually she had been overly nice since then so I think she's apologizing. It took 3 months for the knot to go away 3 weeks for the purple to go. It hurt but there was no permanent damage.

Are Mini horses being nice if they nibble (chow) on each others mane?

Yes. They are fine. Just like us they get itchy under all that main hair (in most cases common horse lice) and they are just itching each other when where they normally can't reach.

Why do horses bite each others tale off?

This can be because of boredom. This could also be a protein deficiency. It can be hunger. Lastly it could be a show of dominance, but if they are truly eating the hair it can become a habit so nip it in the butt as soon as you notice it. 

After 20 years my first horse bite!

Do keep in mind that when a mare is having a baby that the pain can be out of this world, even for our veteran mares. Ever birth is different and I got in the way of a scream and she got me. She's never done it before and has not done it since. So remember accidents happen.

But that baby is still worth it

Why would my Mini horse start kicking out of the blue?

There are only 2 reasons a horse of any kind kicks: 1) fear 2) they feel that they have no choice but to fight for their lives. The third less likely reason that never comes out of the blue is that the horse was mentally cracked to start with. Other than our third reason its never out of the blue. Really think about when this change occurred.

Why dose my horse bites my car?

This was a question just posted to me so here is a possible answer:

1. If you use a motor vehicle to feed (a 4-wheeler or a Gaiter) out hay they are trying to get his strange hard animal to give up the food. They know its a different vehicle from the one that feeds them but they could be hoping that it will drop things too.

2. They see their reflection and they don't like what its saying back (body language). 

3. They see their reflection and are trying to get the other horse to scratch their back

Are Mini horses mean?

No. Just like people you have some butt heads out there and just have a bad attitude. This is like 1 in 10 I'd say naturally. Even we have a stallion that is a butt hole on a regular basses. He was just born that way and most babies that come out of his father are known for thier additueds. Now he dosn't bit or kick or attack, you just get this general air of distain when you are in a stall with him while he faces a wall. Making you think, "the wall makes a better friend than me." 

Mini horses get this bad reputation because of a few bad apples in the bunch that their buyers don't know what they are doing. The buyer doesn't know if they were abused or abandoned, or know how to see the signs of it. People think that if they buy a mini horse for $50 to $100 they are getting a great deal and a horse that is mentally fit like the $700-$800 horses, well... all deals come at a price and a great deal at the time you will suffer the quality of the animal you are buying.  

I had someone come out and get a free rooster the fall of 2012 (we had 10 chicks that summer and 4 were Roosters) from us. She drove from one end of town to ours and when she got here she found out that this pretty bird was a wild bird, I said free range in the ad. She had assumed that since I was holding him in the pics he was tame as could be. She demanded I pay her gas money for wasting her time on what she thought was a tame pet. 

Do mini horses play in water? Yes

Some will play in the water troff on a hot day and just splash and splash, causing you to fill the water all day long. That is why most of our lots have 2 acer ponds in them. We have one girl that goes skinny dipping when ever we aren't looking. So when she dose have a baby by her side we put her in one of our lots that doesn't take it for a swim. I have yet to catch her swimming on camera despite my best efforts. Some of our girls enjoy a sprinkler that they can either run under like they hate water or just stand in front of it hogging it all. If one of our water hoses gets a whole its like the forth of July early. 

Here are two videos of our horses playing in their water tanks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4rqVjVV5sA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay3tQNrJrWM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH9ypVd3gnU

Are there different kind of Miniature horses?

Fact: No

There are only Miniature horses. But breeders like to pretend there are sup-classes such as: micro mini, arab mini, draft, Quarter horses style, act. Since all breeds were taken to make the Miniature horses some will look more like a larger breed than others. In the showing world the arab style is more popular. Some people have come up with Micro minis which are nothing more than a Mini horses that is 30" or under. 

Now there is the dwarf mini horse. But saying they are a different kind of breed rather than just a mini would be like saying little people are different from tall people. The Dwarf mini horse is only a mini horse that inherited the dwarf gene from both parents, which is stronger in some bloodlines than others.

So people have come up with sub category names but its all by chance. You can have a 32" mare and 32" stallion and get a baby that gets 29"as a adult. You can have 2 horses that look nothing like an arab and get a baby that dose. 

If a horse is born 10" tall dose it guarantee they will be 30" tall full grown

I have been called about this a lot. People ask if our babies were 10" when born because they herd that if they were they would be 30" tall when they are adults? This is impossible. Unless there are breeders all over the world that don't want to contest for the tital of World Smalles horse. The worlds smallest Mini horse ever born was born 14 inches tall and 6 pound. That was Einstein who has toped out at 25".

• The average weight of a newborn miniature horse is 18lb. 
• The average height at birth is 21 inches

So do not fall for this. If a baby was born 10" tall it would be in the world records. We have had babies born at 20" and never grow since then, and we have had babies born at 18" and grow to 34". The hight of a mini horse is best determend at their end hight at age 3. Some people have found that if you underfeed a young horse they will not grow, then when you get them on your food regiment all of a sudden you have a horse that was 31" that got 48" (This has happened to us). 

Birth hight has nothing to do with end hight. There is no guarantee unless you don't feed your babies to keep them under size. So don't look for that mythical mini baby that is 10" tall at birth unless its a dwarf and even the worlds smallest dwarf wasn't that small when she was born. 

Dose my Miniature horse need shelter, barn, or be indoors

We feel that they really don't but always have the option for them to get into a barn. You will often find you mini will stand in the rain rather than stand in the barn. Mini's like all horses will stand in the rain to wash the dirt off or wash away bugs. BUT KEEP A LOOK OUT. Your mini's can get rain rot (where they get something like a sore on their back from all the rain and damp in their hair) this can only be a real worry in older horses or in VERY wet weather. If you have a hay manger where you see that the hay builds up on their back brush it out. It will hold wet and cause rain rot. Personally we have a barn of some kind in every lot and our horses will never use them. They stand under the trees if it's really wild weather. 

We found that if you have a lot of horses (though it looks awful) old truck trailers with the weals  and axils taken off. They are nice, long, and sturdy, don't rust or rot, and just last longer. For our smaller horses, such as our weanlings, my dad build some very large dog houses for them. But in this case only one horse can be in the dog house at a time so you will have to have one for every horse. 

Winter weather is just like all weather. You won't have to worry about rain rot with snow. And so long as your horse is outside as the weather turns they will get a thick coat that will keep them warm and safe for snow and even ice. Just keep an eye out for total down poor that they don't get soaked to the skin and it freezes. But having a light sprinkle that freezes is ok. Just wiggle your fingers into that thick coat and if its dry your good. But thin horses, very old, or sick horses may need an eye.  

Are miniature horses safe at night?

That depends. On our farm we are serenaded by coyotes, but due to the large herd that we have we haven't had any problems with them but on very rare occasions. Out horses recognize them and will gangue up on a predator all at once, and if the predator isn't smart enough to run then they get trampled. We have found Coyotes in our woods dead form broken hips or limbs before, even if they aren't anywhere near our horses.

But also our older mares hate dogs because of this and will chase off or stomp strange dogs that they don't know. One dose not take any chances and weather if she know's it my dog or not she will kill it. 

Is there a draft miniature horse?

Mini horses were created by taking all breeds and breeding the smallest to the smilers. Some breeders breed for arabian styles, some quarter horses, and so on. Not many breed for Draft style because that isn't what is placing in the shows, but they are out there.

Proof of all breeds being used is the occurrence of the gray gene. This gene with larger horses really only occurs in the Lipizzaner stallions, you will see it very very rarely in other breeds due to gene mutation or the occasion that a horses is born to the Lipizzaners wasn't to breed standards and was sold off. But other than that you will see this gene crop up in mini horses. Also the black gene or the Black Forest breed of horse will show in Minis as well.

But Draft is a style and not a gene. 

What does it mean when horses nip each other's necks?

If your Mini is nipping another horses neck and the other is spinning away or running away, the horse doing the nipping could be saying several things that all have the same outcome:

1. older mare is telling younger horses she is in charge
2. horses the same age trying to figure out who is the boss
3. horse doing the nipping wants some alone time or is annoyed with the other horse
4. Mare bitting stallion or kicking is telling him she's not ready to breed
5. Mare nipping another when she has a baby want's the other horse to stay away form her baby

Basically they want their space, having a bad day, or showing others who is above them in the pecking order.

If they are nipping at other horses while your there, driving the other horse off, they are telling everyone that you are their friend and you are here to see them.

How to build a bond with your mini horse?

First off I have been hearing a myth that you can only bond with babies. You can bond with any horse of any age. Even horses that have been abused, if you know what your doing, can bond and be your best friend.

One thing to do, especially with babies, is to blow lightly in their noses. Horses, similar to  dogs, sniff each other. But instead of sniffing booty, they smell reach others breath. This is very effective when they are young, and comforting for adults.

Another thing to do is just spend time with them rubbing their shoulders, and brushing them:

Why dose my mini horse do this? Swing thier butt around

This little filly who was just born a few days ago is frightened of me enough that she feels threatened by me. Horses do this for 2 reason I have found. 

1. They are threatening to kick you. Some if not most horses will only threaten and not actually kick like this little girl. Most of our horses that are afraid will not kick. They are doing option 2. If the horses ears are back and their butt begins to bounce get out of the way. Often a horse will worn you with a butt bounce before kicking if your lucky.

Having problems with your man and mini stallion?

No matter what you will have some problems with your husband and a stallion. Because if you have done it right your stallion with think of you as another horse, and your stallion will think of your man as another stallion and will try to treat him as such. Your husband is going to have to earn a different kind of respect that a woman earns naturally. And the stallion is going to test him. Thats a given and it will always be worse come breeding season because the stallion will view your man as a great way to impress his ladies.

Miniature stallion in Indiana

I don't know about other breeding farms but as we are a mini horse breeder here is a link to our stallions that we have for sale.

http://www.ferrandstriplekfarms.com/studsforsale.html

How difficult are mini horses to have?

Not really. Think of them like a dog that you don't have to take on walks or worry about regular exercise, unless you show them. They do need attention, at least an hour or more of your time and love a day, unless you also get them a friend (be it a goat, mini mule, ect.) They can spend time allows while kids are at school or you are at work but they will need your time. If you have .8 of an acer you will only need to feed them in the winter, the grass on .8 acres is enough for spring and summer. Anything less then you need to mow regularly to keep poo from accumulating. If you don't have enough land for it to dry after rain in one day you have to little land for your animals. Dirt lots are not healthy and hard on the hoofs, and mud none stop will soften their hoofs and cause very bad decease problems.

How to get a mini horse guilded?

This was a question posed to us through email on our blog. The answer is very simple. Contact your local large animal vet. Some vets will guild a horse by weight and others by a particular age. So contact the closes large animal vet and ask them when they would like to do it. Some people will guild by wrapping a tight rubber-band around the male horses... you know. Then they fall off because you cut off the circulation but the animal will be in amazing pain and it is animal abuse. Old farmers used to do this with all farm animals. You also wrist infection and when the vet comes out to give penicillin they will know. 

So long answer short find a vet and ask them when they want to do the proceeder. Ours has always come out to the barn and done it very quickly.

Why dose my Mini Horse do this? Picture gallery

Need help understanding your Mini horses body language? Send us photos of your horses doing the confessing behavior so we can help you find out what your horse is thinking. Most of their pis are of large Quarter Horses but keep in mind they behave no differently than a Miniature horse dose.

Why do my miniature horses bite (chew) each other on the back? Bonding!

 Have you even seen two of your minis walk up to each other and begin biting each others backs and neither is doing anything to stop the other? IT'S OK!

Horses do this to bond with each other. Horses live by the philosophy 'you scratch my back and I'll scratch your.' Some times it sounds like it hurts or they are going to take out big bites of flesh, don't panic. Their just really itchy. You will know this behavior by when they gently walk up to each other with a mild or relaxed audited. They will try to do this to you to by the way. Horses love their necks and withers scratched as they can't reach these areas without rubbing, so it feels oh so good when you rub those hard to reach spots. And  they will try to return the favor buy turning and trying to scratch you back so be aware. They don't do this to be mean and its bad manners in horse society to not. It can take a little defending to make your mini realize that your more than willing to give them that massage without proper payment. 

What does a correct bite mean on mini? off bite?

A correct bite means that a Horse is going to have less eating problems eating. Also because of strict breeding standards of most breeders they will not use a horse with a bad bite, as it could be passed on to offspring. Not all under or over bites will affect the health of a horse or their ability to digest their food that was not chewed properly. The biggest reason why you want a correct bite is if you intend to breed your minis. If not it isn't that big a deal for you pet to be a little off (and when I mean off I mean by an inch).

How to put muscle on a mini horses chest?

This is a tricky question. It has been my experience that if you work out a mini horse on hill sides while dragging some weight, like a cart, so they have to use their front shoulders more they will build up muscle. Anything that will make them use those front shoulder muscles works. Jumping training can also help. 

Just be carful that you are not trying to put a chest on a young horse thats body just isn't physically mature for it. I would always wait until the horse is 3 years old before doing any training to build a chest. You could end up doing more harm than good by tearing up their knees, joints, and more. You would make a 8 year old do body building would you?

But like people some horses are genetically incapable to build any muscle on their chest. We had a stallion that put his chest on every babies he ever had and they never needed any help building it up. They needed help sliming it down. We also had a mare that all her little boys by the time they where 3 looked like mini replicas of draft horses. Meanwhile we had a stallion that I couldn't build muscle on his chest for anything. He was a narrow man. Looked like a young filly his whole life. 

What are Miniature horses good for?

There are many fun activeits for children to do with minis that are just as fun and even more safe than ridding . Such as carting. You can get as small a mini as you want and not only can your kids have fun but you can too!

The pony look: Look Past the Hair

I have had people call me up asking me if I had any mini's for sale that didn't look like a pony. This always confused me because a pony has just a much potential to look like a horse as a mini. But I think I know what people are talking about now.

People are looking at a show ready and conditioned Mini horse and do not realize that the horses they are seeing for sale on farms are not kept in show conditioned. Most breeding farms do not keep all their animals show ready unless they are showing that animal. 

So here we go!

Conditioning your Mini To Show

Showing Miniature Horses is a great hobby for both adults and children. Whether you are showing 4-H shows, breed shows or open shows, getting your Miniature Horse in show condition is easy with a few tips.

Feed is probably one of the most important aspects of getting a Miniature Horse ready for the show ring. It is much easier to take a few pounds off a Miniature Horse than try to add weight later. The top mistake made by horse owners new to the show ring, is having their Miniature horse too thin. Many new owners mistake a thin Miniature for being in show shape. Judges will penalize a horse in the halter ring for being too thin.

Do I need a mini Trailer?

How do you haul miniature horses?

The way we see it at Ferrand Triple K Farms you either need a horse trailer of any size, or you can take a very small baby( Just weened from it mother) and put it in the bed of your truck in a set up that I often see people use for goats. At the age of weaning a mini baby isn't much taller than an average goat and is pick-up-able enough to put in the back of the truck if needed.

Spring grass coming on?

  It won't be long now before those first blades of grass begin poking through the soil in your pasture. After a winter of feeding hay, most horse owners typically rejoice at the sight of new growth, believing that the tender green shoots will be a tasty treat for their equine companions. But just how beneficial is the first forage of the season?

Putting Muscle back on Miniature horses

Lets say you have a mini horses that had gotten sick, or gotten thin for some reason and you want to put some muscle back on. Fist step is to look at why your hoses has lost the muscle in the first place, and in the case of sickness you first need to solve the cause. Only a healthy horse will build muscle. So if we are looking at a horse that is older, 25 to 30 area and older, then there is a good chance that there is nothing you can do. Just like people, the older you are the harder it is to get the beer gut off and the muscle back in. In younger animals fist find the reason for the wight loss.

Where do I go to get my horse color tested?

There are a few places out there to do this but we like and use regularly the Florda Animal Genetics Lab.  

http://www.horsetesting.com

From their DNA testing, their customer service, down to their color calculator they are our favorites. They also do DNA testing for birds and dogs as well but we have never used those divisions.

Are Miniature Stallions hard to handle?

No. In our experience we have found them to be no different than our mares when you do not allow them to get away with anything. Just like their larger counter parts they can be hard headed yes. And do not forget that some stallions, just like mares and people, just have a bad mind. A stallion can view you in three ways:

Is it okay to turn my Miniature Horse out with large horses?

This is up to you. We have a Quarter horse gilding that loves the mini's and is just tickled pink by them. When it's weening time we turn all the babies loose with him so he can keep them safe and teach them more horse things. But we do have a mare that will kill them given half a chance. She has gotten 2 so far by accident.

Do miniature horses bite and kick?

In their natural setting, miniature horses will naturally bite and kick as a means of establishing dominance within their herd. But this is usually with other horses. A horse sees the world differently than we do. To them our fingers are claws, our eyes are set close like a predator, and we tend to go out to see them in groups (or a hunting pack). You must gain their confides and their respects. We make our horses think that we ourselves are just 'the special' herd members that look... odd.

How long do Horses live?

Horses commonly live to be 25 - 35 years old, and our mini horses have lived just as long. Horse ages translate into human ages almost linearly, but with major differences as to when they hit milestones. Babies mature at a rate far faster than humans, reaching puberty by age two. They even had that awkward teen period from 2 to 3. Have a look at the graph below:

Horse age    Human age

What are you paying for in a Miniature horse

http://www.ferrandstriplekfarms.com

Often I have people call the farm asking about one horse in particular. I give them everything they want to know about him or her only to have them ask at the very end, "What kind of deal would you give me if I buy this horse?" This is the pain of every breeder in the industry, suddenly people are treating us like we are selling a home rather than a product. And perhaps even worse the breeders and the worst at doing it.

So I would like to point out a couple of things to make the buyers out there think before asking this question.

You are not buying a home or a used car

Do Minature horses get flys?

Yes I have been ask this question and my answer is a resounding yes. Anyone that says otherwise is a little off. Now is a fly going to be able to easily find a service mini in NY that gets bathed regularly, not so much. But they are horses and horses get flys, as do humans that just walk around on the farm. Its a part of animal life. Miniature mains, frolics, and tails are their best barrier against them.

http://www.ferrandstriplekfarms.com

Look at this horses face... flys

What are Miniature horses temperaments like?

Every horse has its own pertinacity just like people. You can have a mischievous stinker, a calm cool and collected stud, or a cheerleading bubblehead. Even with their own kind, a mini can be so dependent on people that they are always depressed when they are with their own kind. Some just want to be mommies. Others like to be buddies, and yet others like to be fathers.

Do Mini horses need to be kept indoors all year long?

Only if you want a sad mini. These animals are not like your tea cup poodles. They are hardy animals and they like being treated just like their bigger relatives. If you keep a mini horse pampered, with a coat, and not letting them out at night, or during the winter then you will end up with a less hardy horse. Keeping them up in the winter and the coat will keep them warm and they won't grow their own coat. This is fine if your keeping them ready for showing in the winter. So long as you have a barn of some kind for them to get into should they want to in bad weather that’s all you need.

How do I know if my Miniature horses are to thin?

If you can see the bones of their spine or if you can see the peeks and dips of their hipbone they are too thin. But like all animals, you get your old Minis that just can't keep the weight on anymore (take inside for winter), or you get your young stud that is just too dumb to stop strutting for the girls and eat (sometimes needing separated so they don’t see any other minis). There are always exceptions. If you worry about a potential perches ask if you can bring a local vet that they don't use, or a vet you trust, out to see the animal in question. If the seller is unwilling then you don't want to buy from them anyway.

This is an example of a mini that is to thin with a winter coat, I do not know this mini personally and it could be to thin for many reasons. If it's because of old age try FAST-TRACK. It helps with the digestive proses so that they get the most out of their food. Also as your vet to check their teeth to see if they need floating, or evening out so they can chow better. 

(Kay Baxter http://voices.yahoo.com/conditioning-miniature-horse-show-7602552.html?cat=53)

This is a show body weight. As you can see the hoses is trim, has good muscle and nice round hips. Looks like he could use some muscle building in the shoulders and chest but he looks to be very young, about 1 or 2. Young animals like people will build muscle as they grow, as we girls know, the bottom can develop before the chest. And our mothers where right when they said, "it will come when your ready."

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Her is another show ready stallion that is 28" tall. Thank you Zig Zag of Ferrands Tirple K Farms.

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Here is a mini mare that is just about to have her baby. You can see that her belly is large but her hip, butt, and chest are much smaller. She's at a good weight for having babies and do keep in mind that the weight of a mother is always better larger than smaller. You don't want to curb the nutrition that baby would get before being born. Poor nutrition can be as much a contributor birth defects as genetics. Thank you Spotted babe of Ferrands Triple K Farms for letting us use your pic honey.

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Here is a photo of a mini mare only 3 days after having her baby. Great weight, good chest, and a healthy baby girl at her side. The body standers of a brood mare are very different than those of your show horses. We should always be just a little more voluptuous for that baby. Thank you Viceroy of Ferrands Triple K Farms for letting us use your pic. The baby is precious. 

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Here is a stallion that is a bit overweight, but better overweight than thin. Overweight just means exercise and less grass. But you can see the major weight gain in his neck area. Especially along the top where you can see the layers of fat building. This is a crown and happens often in middle aged or older stallions. As you can also see his hip and but area is very nice so keep in mind, just like people, minis can gain weight in a variety of areas. Some of us get it on our butts, other in their face, and some only on their thighs. Thank you Toby of Ferrands Triple K Farms for letting us use your pic big boy.

Now here is a case of obesity. The legs seem shorter because of the weight making them look wider, crown is large, and shoulders are invisible. This boy is a pony but we have had the same trouble with another girl that we just can't keep the weight off of and she has to stay in the barn to keep from foundering. 

Mini weight problems are just like people. You can have one that can never keep a good weight, looks like a supper star their whole life, or has a tendency to over eat. If you have any questions about a horse you are looking at feel free to email me a photo and I will do my best to help you out

Check out this sight for more depth http://www.docstoc.com/docs/91851497/Feeding-the-Miniature-Horse

What do Miniature horses eat?

A Mini is the same thing as a regular horse right down to what they eat, they just eat 1/4 what the big guys do. If you want a Mini for show and performance then you will be giving them foods high in molasses so they have the energy to preform and work out. But as a pet Minis can be very happy living on grass all summer and hay all winter. You can give them oats and pellets if you think they are getting too thin or just for a treat.


Do do beware walking in the paster with Long John's. Our mini's I have found, like the bed of crumbs under the fish and will fight each other and tare up the box to get it. Proof that just because it's not good for you doesn't change the fact that its tasty.

How much Land do Miniature horses need?

Your average Miniature horse can be very content on a 0.6 or 0.8 acre of land. One Mini doesn’t need a lot. But should you get 2 or 3 you will need 0.9 acre for each additional mini. The more room the better though, and when you are dealing with extra poo you will be happy to have it. Or you may have to take them off the free range grass to lose some weight. A over weight mini can have just as many problems as an under weight one. If your mini's age getting fat try mowing first.


See this youtube video to see a good 2 mini lot with barn:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-brYdxuGbFs&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Do miniature horses play?

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As foals, Miniature horses play extensively, running and chasing other foals, and playing with large balls. As the miniature horse matures they lose interest in physical play. Don't get me wrong, mom and dad will bounce around with the new born kid-o's from time to time, same as you would. But the mini horse adult enjoy mental games. One of the favorite games for adult miniature horses is bobbing for apples. You simply fill a toddler pool with six inches of water, and drop in two apples. 

Is it an Overo? Be Sure Before You Buy

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I love the genetics of hoses and have read on the subject with hundreds of books left behind in my wake. So I want to touch on a subject that many clients have asked me when coming out to our farm, is that black and white bald face stallion an Overo?

I get this question on all our bald face mares and stallions that have come out of our main stallion Ferrands Triple K Ivan. And I always get to say, "No. They are tobianos that were just born that way. Ivan has a 50/50 chance of doing this to his children it seems. " Then they ask if Ivan is a overo and again no.

What are Mini horses like?

Myth: Mini's are like dogs?

Fact: Yes, they are. The more time you put into them the more you get back. They are just as intelligent as any dog and learn just as fast. They are smart and need mental stimulation. Also if you treat them with respect, the same respect you would give a child, they will turn out loving and happy animals. Treat them like a cute play-thing to dress up, aggravate them because its funny, or never teach them the different between right and wrong because they are just too cute, you will have a horse with an attitude that will bit, kick, and act like a brat. Think about it. If you don't teach them what is right and what is wrong they will try to get away with anything and show you that they are the boss. A Mini will not respect someone that will not tell them NO. Treat and train your mini like how you would want a hound dog to act, not like a dog that people want to put in their purse because its a fashion accessory.

Do Mini's need mini barns and stalls?

Myth: Mini's need mini barns and stalls?

Fact: Mini's can get along just fine in a large horse stall. If they feel that they are being left out of something they will find a way to peer out at you. Large horse stalls and facilities are just fine for a Miniature horse. Remember they don't want to be treated like their small because they're personality’s are so big that they know they are giants. But if you want your mini to stop raring up on the stall window to look outside just put a cattle gate on the door and leave to big door open.

Do Mini Horses needs another Mini for a companion?

Myth: A Mini needs another Mini for a companion?

Fact: No they don't. Mini's can buddy up to you, a dog, a goat, large horses, a donkey, or even a cat that is willing. So long as they have another heard like animal that wont hurt them they will make their own buddy herd. But they do need a buddy of some kind if you can not give them at lest 4 hours of your time and love, and another 2 hours of just seeing you around the home, barn, or pasture. They need your time.

Are Mini Horses ponies

Myth: Mini horses are ponies?

Fact: Miniature horses are not ponies. People all over the world took the smallest horses from every breed and put them together until they breed them all down into Miniature horses. That is why some look like Arabians, Quarter hoses, or Draft horses. They even have a gene (the gray gene - this makes a horse turn white no matter what color they were born) that is specific only to one breed of horse, the Lipizzaner stallions. Not saying that there is absolutely no pony way back in their history but that's why you should find a reputable breeder. They are not ponies.

Now for something that is not my opinion but facts that can be found on Wiki:

Conformation, Wight, and Style

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The overall appearance of a miniature horse is one that is proportionate to a full size horse, literally, in miniature. Ideally, they would be as free of faults as any horse, sound and well-balanced, and should be the impression of strength and vitality, with free-flowing gaits. The average miniature horse is around 300lbs give or take, according to height and build. Different conformations appeal to different breeders or owners, which makes the miniature horse perfect. There are miniatures that are built more like a little draft horse, stockier and heavier, like those of the massive Clydesdale, and then there are those that are of a lighter build, with long flowing toplines and dainty features that give the impression of the hot-blooded Arabians that ran the desert sands.

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Arabian style mini horse Little King Jr Jester

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Quarter horse style Mini horse, Ferrands Triple K Micky Blue eyes

http://www.visualphotos.com/image/1x6578114/clydesdale_and_miniature_horses

Draft horse style mini but do keep in mind that his hiar is long so he could look a littel different under there

Where did Mini horse come from

The miniature horse in America is traced back as far as 1888, with notoriety as a breed not becoming too popular until the 1960′s. There are 2 registries, the original one being the American Miniature Horse Registry, established in 1971. They have two divisions, A – horses that measure 34 inches and under, and the B division, that measures from over 34 inches up to 38 inches, the maximum height allowable. The other well-known registry is the American Miniature Horse Association, that was established in 1978. They only register horses that are 34 inches and under. 

Black and White Splash White Stallion for sale

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Ferrands Triple K Ivan's Hawk Eye

Double Registered
28"
Born 2010 

He is out of Ferrands Triple K Belle of Cody whos sire is Lakeside King Cody and his sire is Stouts Champion and Grandam is Lakeside Daisy Mae. Stouts Champion's sire is Stouts Mister Pride and dam is Stouts Peanut. Lakeside Daisy Mae's sire is Arrowbrook Bryan Patrick Casey and dam Little Hoofs Brandy. Belle of Cody's dam is Westwind Belle Of the Ball, who's sire is Raintree Farms Steveareno and dam is Westwind Tinitinsel. GrandSire on Sire side is Triple G #25 and on tipside is Double-O's Mr. Man Moto and Great Granddam is Smithie Mccoy Moto. Grand dame Hobby Horse's Sugar Drop. Westwinds Belle of the Ball's dam is Westwind Tinitinsel, who's sire is Stouts Dare Devil and dam is Westwind cinnamon Toast. Stouts Dare Devil's sire is Stouts Tom Thumd and his dam is Stouts Delinda. Stouts Tom Thumb is Dynamite and dam is Stouts Queenie. Stouts Delinda's sire is Stouts Mister Pride and dam is Stouts Carmel. Stouts Mister Pride's sire is Branamans Peppermint and dam is Peppermint. Stouts Carmel's sire is Stouts Schottchee and dam Stouts Butterfly

His sire is Ferrands Triple K Ivan who's sire is LBF's Clydes Pryde, who's sire was Little Kings Clyde, who's sire is Stouts Mister Pride and dam is Stouts Monalisa. Stouts Mister Pride's sire is Branamans Peppermint and dam is Limpy. LBF's Clydes Pryde's dam is LBF's Soxy Lady. Ivan's dam is Fishers Painted Peanut, who's sire is Fisher's painted Dust Buster, who's sir is Uranus Light Vant Huttenest and dam is Fishers Coretta. Fishers Coretta's sire is Fishers Jim Dandy and dam is Fishers Connie. Fishers Jim Dandy's sire is Fishers little Eddie and dam is Fishers Black Raven. Fisher's Painted Peanut's dam is Fishers Painted Review, who's sire is Stouts Red Head and dam is Fishers Dorothy Stouts Red Head's sire is Stouts Sir George and dam is Stouts Cupcake. George's sire is Stouts Mister Prideand dam is Stouts Ramona and Cupcake's sire is Stouts Little Delilah

Hawk is a heterozygous tobiano with blue eyes, and is Homozygous for black. Sweet and loveing stallion. He is also a splash white

Tobiano: T/n
Red Black factor: E/E
Splash White: SW1/n
Agouti: a/a
Silver: n/n
Appaloosa: n/n
Overo: n/n
Sabino: n/n

$1500

Are Mini horses good for children to ride?

Myth: Mini horses are good for children to ride.

Fact: While strong at pulling a cart, miniature horses like the kind that we deal with at Ferrand Triple K Farms are not riding horses. Most of our horses are 25" to 32" tall and can not safely carry a child more than 40 pound on their back on a regular bases. Anyone that is trying to sell you a mini horse that is for riding dose not always have the animals best interest at hart. If you are wanting something for riding we recommend that you look into Shetlands or ponies. Often in movies, while they say it is a mini or a pony, what you are actually seeing is a Shetland horse (2013 Neighbors christmas episode, or Sherlock Holmes 2) or a welsh pony. You can look up Shetland information on the AMHR website. Or you can always go for the oversized miniature horses that are 50" or taller. It happens sometimes.  There is always an exception to the rule, but look for hights over 50" and large muscles. You will want a body builder (a draft horse) of a mini, not an Arabian