Your walk command can be as simple as making a “smooching” sound. As an alternative, you might say, “Giddy up!” If you have a hill near your stable, walk the horse up and down it to increase the intensity of the workout. For example, you might start your horse’s workout by walking it 5 laps around the pasture.
If necessary, you can lightly tug on the horse’s line. Wait until your horse is able to complete its walking workout without exerting much effort before you add trotting.
Don’t leave the child and horse unsupervised. Miniature horses can’t carry more than 50 lb (23 kg) on their back, so only very small children should ride them. [3] X Research source Talk to your vet to verify the weight limits for your mini horse.
Blowing a lot of air out of its nose Panting excessively Appearing tired Being listless after its workout Having a dry coat Acting stiff and sore the next day
Your walk command can be something like making “smooching” sounds or saying, “Giddy up!” This exercise trains the horse to follow your motion, which will help it respond better if you want to attach it to a cart and drive it. If your horse doesn’t start walking with you, gently tug on its line to encourage it to walk.
If waving doesn’t get your horse to move, you can smack your body to make a sound, which will get the horse’s attention. As an alternative, you can snap a whip in the air. However, never strike your horse.
If your horse turns to the side and continues moving after you give the stop command, step in front of it again. Hold your hand out in front of the horse and say, “Whoa. ” Continue to give the command until the horse stops walking.
Use your lunge whip to help guide your horse in the direction it should be going and how to walk on. It can help keep your horse at a safe distance from you as well. Don’t “crack” or “whip” it if you don’t need to, but just raise it in the air to encourage your horse to move or change directions. The horse should start walking in the direction you indicated. If it doesn’t, step out in front of the horse to stop it. Then, try again. Hold onto your horse’s longe line as it walks so you have extra control. You can lightly pull on the line if you need to get your horse’s attention or encourage it to go in the direction you want it to walk.
If the horse goes in the wrong direction, stop it and try again.
It’s best to repeat this training for several days before you try attaching a cart.
This will help you get your horse to turn the cart by pulling on the reins.
As you walk your horse, hold the straps that attach to a load or let them drag behind the horse. This helps your horse get used to wearing the harness. Get the best harness you can. If you can, avoid getting one made out of nylon. Instead, choose a leather harness. Once your horse is used to the halter, it’s ready to start pulling something.
The rope will help your horse practice pulling a cart. It helps the horse gradually get used to added weight and drag.
It’s best to check with your equine vet or horse trainer before attaching your horse to a cart. They can make sure your horse is fit enough to pull a cart.
If you’re riding in the cart, hold the reins behind the horse. If you’re using the horse to haul items, walk beside the horse and hold the reins to the side.
You can always ask your vet for advice on how much weight your horse can pull. Don’t forget to add the weight of the cart into the weight of the load that the horse is pulling.
If your horse starts to get too fat, use a grazing muzzle to keep it from overeating while it’s out in the pasture. Minimize your horse’s access to the pasture in early spring. The fresh growth can cause laminitis in your horse and make them overweight due to the high sugar content. [16] X Research source
Don’t put your miniature horse’s hay on the ground, as it will end up eating dirt or sand, which can cause colic. You can estimate your horse’s weight using weight tape. Ask your vet for help, if you’re struggling to estimate its weight. However, it’s best to weigh the horse on a livestock scale. The average weight for a mini horse is 200 pounds, which means the horse should eat around 2 to 4 pounds of roughage each day. [17] X Research source
Always weigh the grain mix rather than measuring it out by volume. Check the label on your grain supplement to verify that you’re feeding your horse the correct amount. The recommended feeding amount can vary. If you give your horse too much grain mix, it will likely eat it, which can cause your horse to be overweight. Additionally, eating too much grain mix can make your horse gassy and uncomfortable. [18] X Research source
You can find a salt block at a local feed store, livestock store or online.
Horses will not drink stale water, so refill it even if the water bucket still has water in it. If you’re using buckets, provide at least 2 in your horse’s stable or pen. When you replace your horse’s water, always empty out the old water. Then, rinse out the water bucket or trough before you refill it.
