On one of my usual routes, there is a small paddock with miniature horses, but being as it's right next to the (presumably!) owner's house, I've so far resisted the urge to stop and take photographs. But when I saw a mare trotting around with her brand new foal, I could resist no longer! Unfortunately, the sun was almost directly overhead, and some of the whites got blown (operator error!). Sorry about that! Plus, they weren't all that great as far as framing etc because I rushed the whole episode.
Finally got some half decent shots of a Grey Catbird! And I have a new-found respect for this shy bird. Last summer they annoyed me with their baby-crying-cat-mewling call, and their steadfast refusal to visit the outer branches to let me get a good photograph. But as I watched them on the weekend, I realised that they have an amazing and beautiful repertoire of songs, and they obliged me with a few trips out from the bushes into tree branches where I could get an unobstructed view.
And some other stuff....
C&C is always welcome, and thanks for looking regardless!!
The mare being about one meter tall... These guys are less than 38 inches max I think (where's that rule book when I need it). You can easily pick up a foal & carry them around like they are a dog. Foal is super cute & I love your wildflowers...
The mare being about one meter tall... These guys are less than 38 inches max I think (where's that rule book when I need it). You can easily pick up a foal & carry them around like they are a dog. Foal is super cute & I love your wildflowers...
Lil
Thanks, Lil!! I was really guessing at the height, another thing I'm not very good at!! Actually, being only 5' 3 1/4" myself, I could probably get away with riding the mare!! No, I wouldn't dream of it, but it was most enjoyable to watch her take the gorgeous little foal round the paddock for some excercise. Miniature horses seem to be getting very popular around here in the last year or two. Perhaps the modern alternative to a pony?
Beautiful variety with nice color and detail, Frank. Very interesting horses and congrats on the Grey catbird captures. Of the flower series I like the last but one.
Socrate
Anti Matter wrote:
Thanks, Lil!! I was really guessing at the height, another thing I'm not very good at!! Actually, being only 5' 3 1/4" myself, I could probably get away with riding the mare!! No, I wouldn't dream of it, but it was most enjoyable to watch her take the gorgeous little foal round the paddock for some excercise. Miniature horses seem to be getting very popular around here in the last year or two. Perhaps the modern alternative to a pony?
Frank
I'd say you're probably not too far off. They can be very small though as I'm sure you realized when you saw the foal.
Ride her - - no. No one can ride her. Minis are used for anything but driving & playing with.
Minis are very popular. People want to own horses but are afraid of the large horses & can't handle the large ones. So they turn to the little ones. But they are not always a good way to go. They have health problems starting around 6 years of age according to my vet. Everything is so small. Foaling is very dangerous. High mortality rate etc.
No, smallest to go is a Shetland like my ColieOlie is the way to go. Shetlands are super health.
Now, he's almost 45 inches at the withers........ I might be able to ride him barebacked.... But why would I when I have a 16'2" Warmblood to ride. That's about 1600lbs of horse....
Hey Frank I must've overlooked this thread
I don't know much about horses but the small guy is plain beautiful! lovely blue eyes!that in-flight vulture shot is my fav. Perfectly executed
Shasoc wrote:
Beautiful variety with nice color and detail, Frank. Very interesting horses and congrats on the Grey catbird captures. Of the flower series I like the last but one.
Socrate
Thanks, Socrate!! You're too kind!! I'm rather fond of that flower shot, myself.
Lil Judd wrote:
I'd say you're probably not too far off. They can be very small though as I'm sure you realized when you saw the foal.
Ride her - - no. No one can ride her. Minis are used for anything but driving & playing with.
Minis are very popular. People want to own horses but are afraid of the large horses & can't handle the large ones. So they turn to the little ones. But they are not always a good way to go. They have health problems starting around 6 years of age according to my vet. Everything is so small. Foaling is very dangerous. High mortality rate etc.
No, smallest to go is a Shetland like my ColieOlie is the way to go. Shetlands are super health.
Now, he's almost 45 inches at the withers........ I might be able to ride him barebacked.... But why would I when I have a 16'2" Warmblood to ride. That's about 1600lbs of horse....
Of course Shetlands are super healthy...they're Scottish, aren't they?!
Hmm...pardon my ignorance, but I don't know what 'the withers' is/are. And you have a 16' 2" horse?? I'm missing something, aren't I?!
Seriously though, the only thing that worries me about the popularity of minis is that people might get them on a whim, and have no idea how to care for them properly. I know a guy who bought his daughter a llama simply because she wanted one because her friend had one. And so it goes....
Nello Milanese wrote:
Hey Frank I must've overlooked this thread
I don't know much about horses but the small guy is plain beautiful! lovely blue eyes!that in-flight vulture shot is my fav. Perfectly executed
Thanks, Nello!! Yeah, this thread didn't garner a lot of attention when I first posted it. Probably because I posted it at 6 o'clock in the morning, and it got pushed onto the second page as the day wore on. No matter!
I don't know much about horses either (although I did play football with a guy we called the "Italian stallion", but that was a horse of a different colour!! ), but I'm learning a lot from Lil.
The Vultures around here aren't shy! I've had several fly past me, inside the closest focusing distance of the 500mm!! When they start circling overhead, that's when I'll start really worrying, though!!
Of course Shetlands are super healthy...they're Scottish, aren't they?!
Hmm...pardon my ignorance, but I don't know what 'the withers' is/are. And you have a 16' 2" horse?? I'm missing something, aren't I?!
Seriously though, the only thing that worries me about the popularity of minis is that people might get them on a whim, and have no idea how to care for them properly. I know a guy who bought his daughter a llama simply because she wanted one because her friend had one. And so it goes....
Frank
OK Frank - -
in regards to Shetlands - - yes they're Scottish. But mine is an American Shetland. A totally different beast than the original one. I'm adding a shot here from his last show to show you what I'm speaking of. So not trying to hijack your thread....
The withers... OK, it's supposed to be the highest point of the horses back. It's where the mane, tip of the shoulder blade & the back intersect. Basically where the bump of the shoulder blade is. On a mini it's not all that visible.
OK 16 hands 2 inches. So I'm hoping my math is right here. He's about 5'4" (I may have my signs messed up I still like the metric system best) at the tallest point of his back. This does not include the head & neck needless to say. Horses are measured in hands each hand corresponding to 4 inches - - which means he's about 64.8 inches tall at the tallest point of his back. This is why I added his weight. He's somewhere in between 1600-1800lbs according to my vet.
Now the moralizing part....
Yes, there's problems with people buying them just because they're cute & little. Horse ownership is a huge responsibility. I met some people who'd lost their older daughter in a car accident & when the younger daughter asked for a horse they went out and bought a mini for her. They bought a foal, a little colt (male horse). When I met them he was about 2 years old & out of hand. No control. He was bullying. Granted small, but like small dogs - - they need manners. I put him in his place & they were in chock. They were asking me about putting him to stud. I didn't tell them "Great idea". I told them - - do you have $ 10,000 + to campaign him at show etc? They told me no. I said that most people who own minis own their own studs. I could have added - - he's no where good enough & his conformation stinks. They kept telling me about his papers which I knew was not worth it's weight in anything.... I was going to get him as a buddy for my Warmblood, but with the warning from my Vet I skipped on the issue. They had after a little more than a year gotten tired of him & now wanted to get rid of him. I would have taken him at a cheap price & then had him neutered (cut as we call it), just to save him from his situation - - but they really wanted too much money for him. Trying to recoup what they'd put into him.
So the moral of the story.... People who don't know how to take care of a horse should not have one. Size is not the reason. The welfare of horse is....
Thanks for the info, Lil!! That's one fine looking animal you have! I can see that there's no resemblance to the Shetland ponies from the Scottish Isles. Your's looks much more like a thoroughbred race horse.
Of course, if the price of gas keeps climbing at it's present rate, we'll all be riding horses to work before too long!! Not exactly a bad prospect, imo. As a truck driver, I could just see me driving a wagon train instead of a semi..."Wagons ho!!"
As for 'hijacking' my thread...pshaw!! Don't ever worry about that. I'm not!!
I just love him - - RCA Cajun Colt 45 aka ColieOlie - - who turns 3 on Wednesday. Is he a descendant of the Scottish Shetlands? Yes.... But about 100 years ago this one breeder started adding Hackney ponies to the Shetlands to make them more refined. ColieOlie is a result of that. He has less than 17% of Hackney in him. Going back 4 or 5 generations there's one in his more recent family tree.
ColieOlie is what is considered an American Shetland of the Classic division. This is what the new show Classic American Shetlands look like. I've been told he's good enough to go to Nationals.
As for looking like a Thoroughbred race horse. Yes he does & he believes he is one. He's just as hot, temperamental & he runs like the wind. He's very fast.
Just so that you know. I turned down $ 10,000.00 for him when he was 14 months old.
that #2 foal is so darn cute.....like a stuffed toy.
That second to last bloom with the red/orange leaves is quite beautiful....and congrats on the catbird
Dave In La wrote:
that #2 foal is so darn cute.....like a stuffed toy.
That second to last bloom with the red/orange leaves is quite beautiful....and congrats on the catbird
Thanks, Dave!! I've got a bird I need ID-ed, so when I post that, I'll include a couple more of the mini's.
I'm quite pleased with the way blooms one turned out. Just wish I could remember how I did that!!
I just love him - - RCA Cajun Colt 45 aka ColieOlie - - who turns 3 on Wednesday. Is he a descendant of the Scottish Shetlands? Yes.... But about 100 years ago this one breeder started adding Hackney ponies to the Shetlands to make them more refined. ColieOlie is a result of that. He has less than 17% of Hackney in him. Going back 4 or 5 generations there's one in his more recent family tree.
ColieOlie is what is considered an American Shetland of the Classic division. This is what the new show Classic American Shetlands look like. I've been told he's good enough to go to Nationals.
As for looking like a Thoroughbred race horse. Yes he does & he believes he is one. He's just as hot, temperamental & he runs like the wind. He's very fast.
Just so that you know. I turned down $ 10,000.00 for him when he was 14 months old.
Anti Matter wrote:
Wow!! Ten grand, huh?! That would be a new D3 and a 500 VR....just kidding!! He's obviously priceless.
I'm about to post a bird that I desperately want an ID on (perhaps you might take a whack at it?), and I'll include a couple more of the mini's.
Frank
Actually Frank...
Ten grand would get me either the D3 ($5,000) or the 500VR ($8,000) or the 600VR (don't know the price) - - but not both....
I wouldn't even sell him for $ 15,000.00 - - - he's my "babyyyyyyyyy) He gives me morning kisses every morning & often during the days I get kisses as well. When it's colder & I bring out his heavy blanket I get a long long long smooch from him as well.
This little guy's not going anywhere. Last horse I sold ended up in a horrible situation. I will not sell another horse ever.
