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Are miniature horses easier?
Last I wrote, I had given up on owning a horse - too intimidating. But, guess what? I think I found the solution....a miniature horse. His name is Rowdy and he's a 34" stallion. I know a stallion, under normal circumstances, probably wouldn't be the right horse for a beginner. But, considering I don't have to ride him (and he's only 3' tall) I really enjoy his strong nature. He hadn't been treated well and not trained either, so he and I are working on trust. He has no idea that he's small.
I have a question: I hate for him not to have another horse to be with. The large draft horses are in the next corral, but they only seem to make him aggressive. I would like to breed him. So if I can find a mare can they be put together? One person told me, it would cause problems and I need to separate them except for mating. If that's true, is there any horse (gelding?) that would make a suitable companion?
Thanks for your help. I will be using the same training methods on him that I was learning on the big horse....but with a lot more confidence. Maybe if I can do well with a small stallion, I will be ready for the larger variety.
Thanks. Hope all is well with you.
Denise
Hi Denise,
Well, well....Congratulations! Looks like you just can't stay away from horses. I can relate.....Please understand a three foot high mini can still be a handful and you can still be hurt. This is especially true of a stallion. He can run right over you and leave you in the dirt. His kick can do you serious damage as can his bite. He can reach and strike you in the face. He is stronger than you think and is stronger than you if a test of strength comes up. Please keep this in mind.
Stallions, after they reach sexual maturity, are most always kept alone. In the wild a mature stallion drives off other males once they 'come of age'. He only stays with his 'harem' of mares. He will always view other male horses of any size, whether stallions or geldings, as a threat to his herd leadership. This is normal behavior. If he is kept with his mare(s) he will guard them (her) with great energy and ferocity. Generally, you can keep other horses within sight of him but not with him. He will charge most male horses that come within his vicinity. He will want to breed with any mare that is in heat within a large radius. He can smell the mare. This is the reason stallions require very special attention, accommodations and handling. Just because he is small doesn't really mean it is easier to maintain him or handle him. So keeping him in the same enclosure with another horse is probably not feasible. Even next to another horse won't work. He will probably always need to be separated from other horses and you will always need to be very careful when bringing him around other horses. Are you certain this is the kind of situation you really want? Please consider a mature, well-trained calm gelding will always be the easiest and most user friendly horse you can own. As you are learning about horses and still a bit new to it, are you certain you want the additional challenge of a stallion? A nice, well mannered, well trained gelding will teach you and help you learn without all the extra added on challenges. Why make things harder than need be when you are just learning the ropes so to speak. It is not the size of the horse that makes the difference, it is the training of the horse and the experience of the handler.
Anyway, good luck and I hope all goes well.
Sincerely, Franklin