DickL mini ?????

Hey Dick,
how would you compare your mini's to a shetland? Neighbor has a little girl (3) that loves our horses and wants to have one. He has enough space for a nice stall (horses are kept in stalls with little pasture here) and wants to get her a pony. Try to tell him that he won't find much as laid back as our horses are in a pony, but maybe a mini. She runs around ours like they aren't even there (under the belly and behind them) but I've seen plenty of cranky ponies and don't want my little girlfriend to get hurt. I think she is better off with a shedding sheep or goat, but he wants to get her a horse.

Dave

i aint DickL but its been my experience that shetlands dont even make good dog food...oneriest critters i ever had the misfortune to own.

Not DickL either, but you and BCnT are correct that it is a rare find to come up with a kid friendly pony. We had one (Shetland Cross) and she was worth her weight in gold. Had to put her down 2 years ago at ~40 years old. Don't know how many starter riding lessons she gave in her life, but the last few years she was pretty much retired. Wonderful old girl, making me tear up thinking about her. It was a tough day when we had to put her down.

I would guess that ~85% of ponies are going to be inappropriate for your neighbor, maybe more. Can't speak to the minis since I have never been around them much.

YMMV,

Kirk

I find them very loving and gentle for the most part. They are like any other animal, you kinda get back what you put into them. Babydoll the mother of the new foal, Pepper is laid back and just plods around. Kricket is more active and likes to run but is real easy around kids. Teddy Bear is just plain mean and sneeky. When my back is turned he will try to nip me. On the other hand when I drive in he comes to the fence and whinnys until I call out his name. He was five years old when I bought him two years and he bit me when I was leading him to the trailer. The girl that I bought him from said, he does that. When he tries to bite and I put my hand out he shakes his head no. Part of it I think is the stud in him and the other would be the way he was played with before I got him.
I had Shetlands years ago and never had any problems with them. I had one Shetland that would never step on anyone. He would stand without a lead and you could crawl all over and under and he would not take a step until you were clear of his feet.

I think they all will have a different temperment. Shetland or mini. The miniature horse, if not dwarfed, have better horse conformation.

It would be best to spend quite a bit time with any horse that you buy for little ones to be sure of the temperment.

Get that child on a good QH or App at 14 hands or so...still qualifies as a large pony for pony shows but will be able to take the youngster as far as they want to go with riding. I've never found a real "pony" breed that will be as even tempered as a well-minded QH, App or QH bred paint, and we've had some great Welsh and POA jumpers under our roof.

(quoted from post at 11:16:04 08/20/10) Get that child on a good QH .

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She's got 15 already :roll: She tells everyone that'll listen that our horses are her horses. Hoping he won't get her anything because I'm afraid she'll get hurt. She runs around ours like they are just statues. Afraid if she does that with anything else she'll get beat up. And, a pony will be outgrown long before they are past their prime and it would just get passed along or end up as sausage.

Dave