The following is tidbits of information we have learned. A lot by trial and error,surfing the internet, reading,talking to other owners, breeders, friends, John Hughes from Thunder Valley Farms and also Gwynn Rankin at our sister farm, CL7 Minis.The following is what we prefer because it seems to work best for us. We are not trainers nor Vets.We just love our Minis and want them to be safe, healthy and happy.Hopefully  some of our tips and information can help you too.

Caring For Your Miniature Horse

You will need the following supplies:

Halter, Lead Line, Grooming Supplies, First Aid Supplies and Feeding Supplies.

Halter and Lead Line

We prefer halters that are adjustable around the nose in addition to over the poll.  They allow for a better fit.  Make sure your halter isn't too tight which will cause your mini discomfort.  We don't like to leave halters on full time for a few reasons.  The first and most important reason is safety.  The halter could get caught on something causing the mini to pull in an effort to free himself causing injuries.  This could easily happen when the mini tries to scratch his head on a tree or fence post.  Although less likely, if the halter does not fit properly and is extremely loose, a horse who uses his back leg to scratch his face could get his hoof hung up in the halter as well.  Also,if a halter is left on all the time you might not realize that it's getting too tight due to growth or the winter coat coming in thick and taking up a little extra space.  A halter that's too tight will not only cause discomfort, but will also rub sores on the mini's face and head.  Also when a horse has a halter on 24/7, this could mean the horse has some problems.  A halter is often left on because a horse is hard to catch or has some other problem behavior. We order our halter and lead lines from Kay Jay Farms. Their web address is www.tackforminis.com.

If you choose to tie your horse during feeding: 

Always use a quick release knot that can be released in case of emergency by pulling the loose end.  Tie your horse with the knot about the level of the whithers.  Doing this will keep him from getting the lead line over his head or from getting his foot caught in it.  You can safely tie a horse higher than this as long as he can hold his head in a natural position.  When tied, the rope should be long enough that he can adjust his head and/or bite at flies, but not so long the horse can step over it or become tangled in it.

 Grooming Supplies

Grooming keeps your mini looking good, gets him used to being touched all over, and it also helps build a bond between you and your horse.  Grooming is done for the animal's health as well.  Regular grooming and handling means you are regularly looking and feeling over the entire animal and will notice any problems early before they get out of hand.

You will need a stiff brush for times when your horse has dried mud or a lot of dirt on his/her coat.  You will also need a medium bristle brush, a small soft brush for their face, and a brush for their mane and tail.  It's good to have a shedding blade to remove loose hair from the coat too.  One of the most used grooming tools you will need is a hoof pick.  It is very important to clean your mini's feet to avoid thrush.  If you have never owned a miniature horse before or are unfamiliar with cleaning their feet, Buck will teach you how.  You will also need a sweat scraper, which is just a squeegee for horses, to remove excess water after bathing which will speed up the drying time.

First Aid Supplies

There are a few things we always keep on hand; Corona or Vetericyn for minor cuts and scrapes. Vetericyn is as safe as water and mimics the animals own immune system to heal wounds and fight infections. It kills antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria as well as fungi, viruses and spores. It kills MRSA, staph and E Coli on contact but is safe enough to use as an eye, ear or oral animal rinse. It is rather expensive but we have had much success with it and if it heals one wound, it has paid for itself. Mineral oil or baby oil and MTG which can be used for a variety of things, are good items to keep on hand. Also betadine scrub for cleaning wounds and bleach or thrush treatment in case of thrush are also good items to have on hand. In addition to those items we also keep items needed to wrap a foot or leg in case of an injury.  A good first aid book is something we keep handy as well, and we have our vet's phone number programmed in our cell phone so that if there is an emergency at the barn or in the pasture we don't have to go inside and look it up.  When dealing with things like colic, a serious injury, or a foaling emergency, time could be the deciding factor in how things turn out.  Having the number handy also allows you to stay with your horse.

Feeding Supplies

There are all different kinds of feed buckets.  We use the small foal feed buckets that hang on the fence board, but any kind will do.  Make sure your mini always has access to clean water and a mineral salt block.  We use large sturdy tubs for hay instead of putting it on the ground.  When eating hay out of a container your mini is less likely to be ingesting dirt and sand which can cause colic.  There is also less wasted hay as it is not trampled over or urinated on.

Preventive Care

Preventive care includes feeding, grooming, exercising, hoof care, deworming and vaccinating.  Worming should be done every two months on a rotation schedule.  Vaccinations should be done as recommended by your veterinarian.  We buy our vaccinations from Valley Vet, Jeffers Supply  and vaccinate annually using this vaccination schedule, but check with your vet to see what he/she recommends for your horse.