ponies,are they good family pet

Pam30

hi we have been offered a 4yr old teaser miniature pony? we live on a farm so space,food etc not an issue!
we have no experience wit ponies but would love it as a pet? do you think this is good idea and anyone any tips what we should check out before we take this pony-or should I say if we take this pony? thanks

Jemmy

Honestly if you know nothing about horses I wouldn't take it. They need more maintenance than your average pet. Might be worth doing some research first, worth asking here.

andreac

If its a teaser then its a stallion. Which shouldnt be handled by inexperienced horse people let alone people who dont have any experience with horses full stop.

No, they dont make good pets. A dog or a cat makes a good pet, not a pony.

Jemmy

andreac wrote: »

If its a teaser then its a stallion. Which shouldnt be handled by inexperienced horse people let alone people who dont have any experience with horses full stop.

No, they dont make good pets. A dog or a cat makes a good pet, not a pony.

Missed the 'teaser' part of that, andreac is right if that's the case someone who knows nothing about horses should def not be taking on a stallion nevermind any other kind of pony. It wouldn't be safe to let the kids in to pet the 'cute' pony, stallions are extremely high strung esp ones that have been used as teasers!

Mugatuu

I grew up with horses at home and they are a huge amount of work! I honestly think ponies are a lot harder to keep than horses as ponies are really clever and take a a long time to trust you. Seen as its a stallion also I wouldn't take him on. Those teaser ponies are brilliant at escaping out little gaps.

carav10

I would recommend staying away if it's a teaser pony, they will have tended to have led very frustrated lives (!) and could be a nightmare to handle. Probably wasn't handled as a pet, so therefore won't make a good pet. Saying that, some can be very calm, and this fella could be a gent! but to be honest as a first timer unless you've spent a lot of time around this particular pony and seen how he interacts, then don't take a stallion. If you do take him, some ponies are very prone to laminitis especially if out at grass all day so you'd need to be pretty up to speed on healthcare, feeding etc. If you are thinking of a pony as a pet, then probably best to spend some time around them first and do the research.

Pam30

might sound like a silly question but would b donkey b different! its really only for small children who love animals and love feeding friends ponies carrots etc when we visit!
would love one,but we want to b sure its the right animal to get!

DBB

A well-chosen donkey might work, but the problem is that you'd need two of them! Equines shouldn't be kept alone, they have a serious need for companionship of their own kind.
It might be a good idea to contact the donkey rescue organisations who will give you all the education and support you need for the life of the animals, and will select an established pair of donkeys that would suit your requirements.

andreac

Do you know the work thats actually involved in owning equines?

They have to be checked daily, at least twice. Wormed and trimmed/shod by a farrier regularly. They need to be groomed and handled also.

Would you not be better to bring them to a stables every weekend and go from there and get some experience first on handling and owning horses/donkeys?

You would need to be aware of the basic care and welfare of an animal and a horses and the type of the ailments/conditions they are prone to so you can spot these if something happens and they need veterinary care.
I really wouldnt suggest getting any type of equine until you have a lot more experience of handling and being around them in general as you cant just leave them in a field and feed them carrots and hope for the best. Theres a lot more involved than that.