We were selling corn at my husbands grandma's house, when a friend stopped by. We were talking about the pony I had gotten and he said that he knew someone who was wanting to get rid of a few mini's. I jokening told him that I would take them especially if they were free. Well, when the kids and I got home later the next day, we sure enough had two mini's. Now my problem is how long will it take Destiny to get used to them. She started pacing the fence last night and this morning she is not running but just walking. I know she is letting them know that this is her place and all but I would like to know how long it should take them to get used to each other. Also, the only things that I know about these mini's are one is 19 yrs. and the other is 9 or 10 yrs. they have pulled carts and such. The 19 yr. old will ride a small kid and the 9 yr. old not sure about. He also said that they have been foundered. Other than that they are in good health. I asked why they were getting rid of them and the lady who owned them had brain cancer and couldn't keep them anymore. What do I need to know to take care of them? They are very gentle with the kids and seem to like the attention they are getting. And if they are going to ride the kids, what kind of saddle do I get for them?
Any Help??

i don't know a ton about mini's, but i do know that they founder very easily. even too much green grass will founder them. i'd recommend watching their diet very closely for awhile, esp. since they've foundered once already. you should get a mini wagon for them to pull, i've always thought that would be kind of fun!

I wouldn't even know where to start to find stuff like that but like you, I think it would be fun. After my hand heals (I smashed it with a hammer putting in a post to add electric to it, since the mini's liked to esccape) I am going to try and work with them and see how much they will do and then try to find a saddle for them.

don't you think that you could probably work with them using long reins and just walking behind them? i know lots of people who do that as beginning training for "normal" horses. a friend of ours drives them that way for awhile before he ever gets on them. but i would think that for a mini, it would be a good way to start working with them to pull a cart. i don't know...just kind of floating that out there as an idea.

I'm not sure if mini's are meant to be ridden, but they are usually great at pulling carts. If they are strong enough and have the conformation to support a child riding, great--but I would ask a veterinarian first. The muscles and ligaments in minis are different from a horse or pony, I believe.

I think your other mare will get used to them, and they will probably establish a pecking order soon. If you have secure fencing that they won't get hurt on (no wire or sharp edges) you can put them in adjacent pens and let them sniff, squeal, etc. until they calm down a little. Then try putting them together and watch to see if they sort things out without injury. Sometimes the boss horse just has to show off a little, and then everything's fine. Be sure when you feed them, you separate them or else feed each their own pile of hay, pan of feed, etc. And with minis, as with ponies, don't overfeed--especially grain or rich green grass.

With the foundering, sometimes the only remaining symptom is their long overgrown hooves. These need trimmed more often than normal hooves, so that they grow in correctly and support their weight and balance. Good luck! Your kids will enjoy them, and your other mare will like having other equines on the place.