# Mini Horse and Sheep



## JCNelson (Sep 6, 2013)

I have never really considered getting a horse so I really need to do some research. However, I was just offered a young mini horse. I don't need it, and frankly, if it's not serving a purpose I'm not really into it. BUT, my kids would love it. So my question is, has anyone ran a mini horse with sheep? I know sheep can't have copper so I'd have to watch the feed, but other than that is there much more car involved for a mini horse? I would have to keep them together, so that's my concern. Or should I just not tell my kids that I was offered one. Thanks!


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Depends on the Miniature horse, some get along fine and others... will chase and bully sheep.
If it is a colt, it will need to be gelded, specially if you have children about. That can be spendy, depending on where in the country you live.

Then there is the issue of sheep not needing the amount of copper a horse does. SO mineral blocks might be an issue.

Taking care of a miniature horse, is the same as a big horse.
Will need yearly vaccines
De-worming every 8 weeks, or maybe longer depend on the area of the country you live, if you do fecals.
Hoof trims every 8 weeks (and I would not recommend trying it yourself.)

Plus all the other care and supplies a horse will need.


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## JCNelson (Sep 6, 2013)

Thanks bergere!


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

My adult sheep and mini horses/donkey get along well. They spend the night in their own small fields, get breakfast and dinner fed separately and share the big field during the day. I keep them separate if there are small lambs on the ground (the donkey can play rough). I do have an area in in the field that the sheep can get to, but the horses can't. Feeding together as a group was a problem for me -- the sheep want to eat the horses pellets and had no problems driving the horses off their feed buckets. Good luck!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Put the horse in a pen adjacent to the sheep. It won't be long before he longs to be with them, as they do not like being alone. I have kept my donkeys (minis, about 400 pounds each) with the sheep with no problems. With lambs, you do not want a young donkey, probably the same with a young horse. 

My farrier prefers my stubborn donkeys over most mini horses. He thinks it may be because the min horses are spoiled. Make sure you treat the horse like a big animal, expect and teach proper manners. Only use treats as rewards. Get a cart for the horse to be trained to. Your kids can show the carted horse at shows, this way they'll learn to treat the horse like a horse and not a big puppy.


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## WV Farm girl (Nov 26, 2011)

Depends on the mini. If a stud get him gelded immediately! I had a stud mini and he would chase my goats. Also got a nasty attitude. I found him a new home.


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## lexierowsell (Dec 10, 2013)

WV Farm girl said:


> Depends on the mini. If a stud get him gelded immediately! I had a stud mini and he would chase my goats. Also got a nasty attitude. I found him a new home.



I am a lifelong professional horse person, and the only horse I've ever been afraid of was a 32" mini stud. He had been treated like a (poorly raised) dog. Had no manners. I was grooming him the day he was supposed to leave and he reared, bit my face (eyebrow to jaw, 6 stitches), broke the skin on my collar bone trying to tear my throat out and struck me repeatedly with both front feet (ever see a donkey kill a coyote?)

At 5'9 150lb I am not a small woman, and it took me literally tearing a board off a stall door and beating him off of me with it to get to the tack room phone and call for help. He did all this tied, short. 

IMO, and IME, minis are the most dangerous horses around- because people don't treat them like horses. 

That said, it's not fair to label everyone with the same brush. Just be careful.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Miniatures can be great... I have a miniature Horse, her name is Maggie. I have had her a long, long time. I bought her when she was 4 years old and she is now 18.
She has very good manners, because that is what I expect. She does everything from scaled down draft work, or help by using her Sawbuck and panniers and she drives.

But as other's have said, if they are not treated like horse's they can be dangerous...


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