QuestionQUESTION: i got a mini for my daughter and she is kinda wild i guess
she is not broke and the guy i got it from said that she would be easy to break...yeah okay any way she is about a year old and this is my first horse so i know nothing
ANSWER: Hi Tracy-
Thanks for the question. As I see it, you have three choices. One is to have her professionally trained which honestly might be best since you have had no experience training horses but that will cost. Second is doing it yourself which means you are going to need to gather books and/or videos that can help you (it's much more detailed than I could ever explain here). The third choice is to sell her to someone who has experience and get a mini that is already trained. I know this is probably not what you wanted to hear but this may be the best solution. Yearlings can be a handful. Can you catch her? Does she lead at all? It may just take time and lots and lots of patience but you can do it. Is there a 4-H group in your area that would help you? A good book for information on minis is "the Book of Miniature Horses" by Donna Campbell Smith available through amazon.com and others. In addition, general books on starting the colt and ground breaking a horse also apply to miniatures. Unfortunately, "horse traders" are not always "accurate" as I guess you know but it really can be done with time and patience. See my previous answers for some basics. Best of luck and don't give up on the fun of owning a mini, Toni
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: i can catch her and she does walk on a lead i just love her so much i dont want to get rid of her thank you for all of you advise i will make sure i think it all over
AnswerHi Again Tracy-
If she has those basics, you have a good start. I really think you can handle this, particularly if you are as motivated as you seem. Start by reading as much as you can and then slowly and patiently, put it into practice. Most minis are very smart and will learn pretty quickly. You just need to be consistent and firm. Don't let your love for her allow her to treat you with disrespect and it should all be good. Best of luck, Toni
