This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi Jean,
I agree with you. Training is the key, regardless of size. I have known and heard of many mini and small pony breeders who believe their animals are trained after a week in harness. Sort of like what we hear with the well trained Fjord who has only had 30 days of training, I suppose. Also, one of the ways some of the pony and mini handlers get the flashy look at the shows is to have a poorly trained pony coupled with weighted shoes. Those two factors along with the ruckus of the show environment ends up with a highheaded, stepping out pony frothing at the bit, scared to death. Of course, people think it is a beautiful sight. Also, many accidents happen at these shows, flash is more important than safety to many people, unfortunately. A well trained pony is easy to spot and the seller should be able to put them through their paces in many different situations for the buyer. If not, then the buyer should have some reservations. If that pony is very high headed, frothing at the mouth, flaring nostrils, high stepping, look into the pony's training more intensely. There are many signs of a poorly trained pony being sold as a child's mount. As for minis, they are great little driving horses, certainly, with training, but a mini can only be used for very small riders due simply to their size. I would always suggest a pony over a mini for a child any day. A child, unless he/she has an interest in driving, will outgrow the mini very quickly. Lynda Lynda and Daniel Bailey's Norwegian Fjords & Shetlands White Cloud, MI 231-689-9902 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://hometown.aol.com/baileysfjords/ Standing J. J.'s Painted Bo-Jo ASPC #141052A 1998 &1999 Classic Shetland Performance Pony of the Year
