We have had the pleasure of owning and interacting with miniature horses for over a decade. Stormy has been with us since 2013, while Phantom was our newest addition to the herd in 2023.
In other words, we have had plenty of time to realize why we love owning miniature horses, and I wanted to share a few of those reasons with you all today.
1. Size
The obvious one. Miniature horses carry all the beauty and lovability of a full-size horse, but in a smaller package. Their size also makes them easier to handle (perfect for those who are a little intimidated by their larger counterparts). They also have smaller turnout needs (i.e., square footage), meaning they can be kept on smaller properties.
2. Intelligence
Miniature horses (at least in my experience) are super intelligent and love to learn. Obviously, this can be said for horses of all sizes, but I have personally seen our minis a bit more eager to learn new tricks or movements than our full-size horses.
For example, in her younger days, Stormy loved to jump and was phenomenal in all in-hand trail classes.
3. Lower dietary needs
Due to their smaller stature, miniature horses do not require as much feed and are typically fed at 1% of body weight. With the continually rising cost of hay and feed, this is a huge win in saving money on horse ownership.
NOTE: Just because they require less feed doesn’t mean they will eat less! Slow-feed hay nets are your friend!
4. Thick, fuzzy winter coats
Soft, luxurious winter fur coats wrapped around a warm little pony body ripe for the snuggling? Need I say more?
Okay, but seriously, if you have not had the absolute pleasure of petting a miniature horse in winter, I promise it will change your life. Just don’t pet any minis without owner permission.
5. Smaller poops
Miniature horses have smaller manure piles, meaning you have a smaller area to scoop when it comes time for pasture cleanup. I’d call that a win.
They even make smaller forks with narrower tine spacing just for miniature horse poop. Neat.
6. Less grooming surface area
As much as I love grooming, shedding season can bring down anyone’s spirits. With miniature horses, there is less pony to groom and therefore less suffering when shedding season starts.
Although…with that thick, luxurious coat mentioned above, the amount of hair shed is astronomical, so maybe we’ll call this one a draw. Oh well.
7. Versatility
Many people believe that miniature horses are limiting because you cannot ride them. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Between in-hand events, trick training, driving, therapy work, and more, miniature horses bring versatility to an otherwise small world.
Thank you for reading about why I love owning miniature horses. What are some reasons you love them? Let us know! We’d love to hear from you!
We post new content every week!
Check out our previous posts here!
Follow us on Instagram!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel!