??? About Purchase, Care and Tack for Miniature Horses

QRTRHRS · Jul 19, 2013

whistlepig said:
In the past we have bred some mares. We nuked the fescue and reseeded. We won't let brood mares graze on fescue although fescue is very good graze for horses that are not in foal. The clovers we weren't so concerned about.

We knew about the fescue but not the red clover. That was the year we spent some 5 grand on breeding and vet care only to have all five brood mares abort.

whistlepig · Jul 20, 2013

QRTRHRS said:
We knew about the fescue but not the red clover. That was the year we spent some 5 grand on breeding and vet care only to have all five brood mares abort.

You will have to educate me on the clover. We understand about mould on the legumes in hay but not a problem with legumes in a pasture.

jerrybob · Jul 20, 2013

Check this out.....enjoy!!!!

19 Reasons Why Therapy Mini Horses Are The Most Amazing Creatures Of All Time

Gale Hawkins · Jul 20, 2013

jerrybob said:
Check this out.....enjoy!!!!

19 Reasons Why Therapy Mini Horses Are The Most Amazing Creatures Of All Time

Thanks so much for the link. Today was hay day and the photo link helped the daughter get started. We got out and found an old hay loft we could use until next hay season so we did not have to tarp the 250 bales on a couple old equipment trailers. After getting permission to use the old stock barn we beefed up the threshold to the loft and patched some holes in the loft. After that we made the hour trip in the old F700 and got a full load (130 bales) into the loft just as the thunder started and the storms started come one after the other. We plan to get the last load when weather is more stable.

We sure have been busy the first seven days as breeders of mini horses but it has been fun but that was my first July hayloft experience in 44 years. Last time I was thin and in shape.

Wagtail · Jul 21, 2013

Gale Hawkins said:
We sure have been busy the first seven days as breeders of mini horses but it has been fun but that was my first July hayloft experience in 44 years. Last time I was thin and in shape.

When I retired here last November I was at 101kgs (due to working office jobs). Since my horses arrived in December and all of the settling up/maintenance I have done/do, I am down almost 10kg! And I'm in better shape than since Navy Recruit training (OK, maybe a wee exaggeration

).

My two guys are the best reason for getting up in the morning!

Gale Hawkins · Jul 22, 2013

The miniature horses have not yet lead to a weight but my arthritis pain is greatly reduced and range of motion has improved a bit. Yesterday right before it started raining we go the truck backed into the seller's hay barn and because he had to leave in 50 minutes I got up in the truck to help toss up to my son and was able to toss the light bales better than the day before. Based on the weather forecast we expect to go haul the hay home at the end of the week but at least it is on the truck and strapped for the trip home. We found loading in the heat, being in the hot truck for a total of two hours then unloading it in the heat into a high loft in the heat was a bit much but at least we will be done storing for this year.

Horse ownership has the four of us working together has a family about the most I can remember on the same thing at the same time. That is good since the kids turn 16 in two months. I am glad we found the two mares with a young colt and filly. After a week all of them are starting to trust us, especially the wife.

Since I am the first out of the house currently I take care of the dog and check on the horses.

QRTRHRS · Jul 22, 2013

whistlepig said:
You will have to educate me on the clover. We understand about mould on the legumes in hay but not a problem with legumes in a pasture.

Here is one quick link. It's been well over ten years since we had the problem so I had mostly forgotten about it. I am thinking it was more of an issue with the red clover and not white. We don't breed anymore but we do have an abundance of white clover in our pastures but I have yet to see any slobbering issues in the five years we have been at our current place.

Gale Hawkins · Jul 25, 2013

We were able to get home rest of the hay and in the loft today. It is a Timothy and orchard grass mix and the horses love it.

If kept dry will hide carry over for one year?

Gale Hawkins · Jul 26, 2013

Rare Italian-born Baby Zonkey in Good Health - ABC News

Based on the comments the zonkey is not all that uncommon in that one guy raises them. They seem to be good a pulling in teams like a mule. It is a little funny reading an equine story written by a writer with perhaps limited knowledge of the subject. The guy we got our hay from has three riding mules and was recently at a mule show that had mini mule teams pulling. He said the minis were fun to watch work.

Wagtail · Jul 26, 2013

I had a look at your link and, whilst the story was on the zonkey, ABC had changed the video to a story on jockey school. So I got a twofer.

The zonkey story is a perfect example of why we've been advising against having a stallion around. Mares are 'tarts' when in season and a stallion will find a way if at all possible. :laughing: Which reminds me, how soon is your colt going to be fixed?

The jockey story reminded me to let you non-Aussie/Kiwi members know that we are thoroughbred racing mad down here. How mad? (hand on heart) Each major city has 4 (yes, FOUR) thoroughbred race tracks, smaller cities usually have 2 and rural town centres average one. It's why my two boys are both TBs, they're so very common around the country due to the huge racing industry. If they don't make it on the track (which leads to the breeding 'game') then the lucky ones get sold on for pleasure riding. So many of the unlucky ones get sent to "The Doggers" to become pet food.