# We gots a miniature horse! Come take a look :) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 20, 2004, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048 "2004-07-20T18:59:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048/21 "2004-07-21T17:42:26Z")
My friend had a bay-going-gray mini horse called Firefly (I came up with the name). He was a stallion and we all thought he was too short to do anything with the mares until one got pregnant. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![ems](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@ems](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ems)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048/22 "2004-07-21T22:42:55Z")
Awww much cuteness! We have a bad tempered Shetland pony to keep our two elderly horses company but he is great with the kids! However my friend has a 17hh ex-race horse that is terrified to this day off him. They are friends (well Marco - the big one - can stand to be in the same field with Marty - the little one now). When they first met the Marco did the “Snort - what the hell is that?” and Marty took one step forward the Marco went flying off around the field with Marty in hot pursuit. Very funny indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048/23 "2004-07-21T23:43:10Z")
> [@Ruffian](#): > > And BTW, since you like Ferrana so (we’re attached too!), here I am riding her a show Sunday: [She’s going too slow for a hunter class, but it was as good ride and I think we did well.](http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL21/73667/2622437/60429863.jpg) The color’s a bit funky in the shot as it’s a scanned image. > > So I take it you always wanted a grey Arabian? Or…? (More pics of her, and well pretty much everything, are at my online photo album.) Ana is gorgeous. I love her head, she has the sweetest expression on her face. She appears to be very obedient, yet still has spirit. She’s a lovely girl. Yes, I’ve always wanted a gray Arabian, though I doubt that I’ll ever own a horse now. I’m allergic to the whole outdoors. Have fun with your horses. I bet little Firefly will give a lot of joy to lots of kids. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048/24 "2004-07-21T23:54:44Z")
Seeing the photo of Ferrana looking at Firefly, I could hear the voice of Joey on friends, “How YOU doin’?” ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048/25 "2004-07-22T01:07:10Z")
So, if you don’t feed her grain or grass, what DO you feed her? Steak? Serious question - I don’t have that much experience with horses and I’m curious. And another vote for is it a pony or a horse and what’s the difference (other than size) anyway? Thanks for the info! ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048/26 "2004-07-22T01:15:52Z")
I can’t decide who is cuter- you or the horse! Just adorable- what a wonderful animal!! ---
**Author:** ![Ruffian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Ruffian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruffian)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048/27 "2004-07-22T01:44:08Z")
LOL AvhHines…I understand your confusion. Firefly is on a strict diet of timothy grass hay. It’s high in nutrient value, low in calorie, and low in sugar (she just gets gobs of it). It’s generally considered the highest quality hay. 🙂 Lush pasture actually contains a good amount fo sugar; this month’s _Horse Illustrated_ details how some horses founder on such grazing due to the high fructan/sugar content of some spring grasses. The horses are unable to digest the fructan; it gets absorbed through the intestines into the bloodstream and generally throws the horse’s metabolism out of whack. These chemical processes can result in the membrane surrounding the coffin bone to loosen. BTW…this is just one of way too many ways a horse may founder. As far as pony vs. horse, it depends on who you ask. In the showing world, it’s a simple matter of height. I _believe_ a horse that is 14.2 hands (1 hand=4 inches; 14.2 means 14 hands plus 2 inches, or 58 inches at the heighest point of the shoulder) or smaller is labeled a pony, regardless of breed. Although she’s called a miniature horse, and though the mini horse world may bristle, Firefly is in fact a pony. There is a great deal of shetland blood in her–and shetlands ain’t horses. :)’ I’m actually off to the barn now, but later on I’ll look up the specifics and see what other pony vs. horse distinctions I can find. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048/28 "2004-07-22T02:46:10Z")
I wanna ride 'er! Does she bite? If if can’t ride her, she can ride me. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048/29 "2004-07-22T03:05:42Z")
Very cute, **Ruffian**! I’m looking for a companion for my [Irish (scroll down)](http://www.angelfire.com/ga3/DianneCameron2/stgermain.htm) (which will have to wait until I’m employed again). [This](http://www.rerun.org/rerunindex.html) is where I’m hoping to get my new addition. StG ---
**Author:** ![Ruffian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Ruffian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruffian)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048/30 "2004-07-22T05:08:07Z")
**Mehitabel** , sure, minis whinny, snort, and are otherwise as much a horse as their larger cousins. It’s just higher pitched. Firefly’s whinny sounds like Ferrana on helium! As far as whether they are recognized as horses by the larger breeds, it really depends on the horse. Some big guys will blow and snort and freak, and others will be like Ana and accept them. Most will accept them in time, once they learn to recognize what they are. As far as horses vs. ponies, I’m getting the feeling it’s a horse because they say so, and a pony because they say so. Some references: > [@](#): > > For large animals, generally a horse is over 14 hands (56 inches) high, and a pony is under 14 hands high, at the peak of the wither (above the shoulders). For miniatures, there isn’t a lot of differences, and many animals are registered as both horses and ponies. (From [http://www.blaze.net.au/~sasami/faq.html](http://www.blaze.net.au/~sasami/faq.html)) Meh? My mini is _9_ hands–how is that not a pony?? Other web research basically says minis are miniature _horses_ because they’re finer boned and proportioned more like a full-sized horse than shorter-legged, thicker-necked ponies. But I counter that Welsh ponies of the A type and hackneys are both fine boned, well-balanced ponies…so go figure. I’m thinking the mini horse world just wants to be distinct–“We’re NOT ponies! We’re not we’re not we’re not!” ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048/31 "2004-07-22T16:34:17Z")
What a beauty! I want one! _I’m ridin’ a small tiny hoss His name is MIGHTY LITTLE He’s a good hoss Even though he’s a bit dinky to strap a big saddle or blanket on anyway He’s a bit dinky to strap a big saddle or blanket on anyway Anyway…_ (Frank Zappa, “Montana”) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-gots-a-miniature-horse-come-take-a-look/256048.md?page=1)