I thought I would do an update of my tiny track and share how it’s working this winter. I still love it. The ponies are moving around all the time. Right now they are not using the entire track because one side of it is a big, deep snow drift. Once in a while they will try to come down that side and I cringe the whole time they are floundering through it. It wasn’t so bad when the drift was soft but now it’s hard as a rock! I feed at the opposite side of the track from the wa

Every year I sit down and go back over the previous year. I think about what I want to make happen in the new year and settle on a “Word of the Year.” In 2015 my word was Inspire. I spent that year really making head way with Billy, riding him on the trails and going to Colorado for a week long Level 3 Freestyle/Bridleless course. It was a fantastic spring/summer!! Even if I did break my arm on April 1st. Then I had my confidence shaken while riding, in September and broke my

I have been looking online for the perfect vehicle that my ponies can pull me in this winter and many winters to come. We get a lot of snow, but we also get a lot of wind which can clear the snow off the road (or pile it 6 feet high sometimes!) therefor sleigh runners on my cart will not work. Plus sleigh runners are meant for hard packed snow and we don’t really have that either, not in a way that is groomed and manageable. Then I saw Team Radar on Facebook having a blast in

Though miniature horses are small, they are mighty! It surprises people when they find out how much weight a miniature horse can pull over flat ground in a well balanced cart or wagon. That number will change over difficult terrain, though they can still manage more than you think! (and you should NEVER hitch your mini to a poorly balanced cart or wagon!) “When compared to a full size horse, most minis are less than half the height, weigh only 20% (1/5) of a big horse and eat

Most miniature horse breeders will take offense if you call their horses, ponies. I call all mine ponies because I am aware that the Shetland Pony was used in the making of the miniature horse. From the early 1600’s people have been choosing the smallest Shetland ponies and crossing them on small horses to develop the mini horse. The miniature horse is in essence a height breed. The AMHA miniature horse can be no taller than 34″ at the last mane hair. This typically is not ex

When I found out that Cavallo was making a hoof boot for miniature horses I was so excited!!! I knew I had to have a pair. They sent me some photos of the boot before it was available and I liked the look of it. My mom got me a pair for my birthday. (Well they are really for Sky- but you know what I’m saying!) Cavallo introduces the Cute Little Boot It’s a smaller boot than the Easyboot Miniature Horse Boot and has a lower profile. The Cavallo boot has drain holes in case you

Four Secrets to Happiness Four secrets to happiness as taught to me by my horses: 1) Nature: Pay attention to the small things in nature. Nature is fascinating. I love watching the ants on an ant hill, the bees on a flower, how the plants change through the season and my horses grazing, carefully choosing which grass to eat and which to spit out. 2) Curiosity: Be curious and learn something new every day. Horses are very curious. Allowing them to be so without telling them no

I love my small bale hay nets. They fit a 65 pound bale easily. My bigger 75 pound bales are just a touch too big but it’s not a big deal to peel some hay off the end and use that to fill another net. Sometimes I will tie a knot in the end of my nets and then I can use them to hold just 4-5 flakes of hay. When I tie a knot I will turn the net inside out so the knot is on the inside, with the hay. I am gearing up to have a rather large surgery on Friday so am getting things re

I am often alone when playing with my horses and have had to get creative over the years when taking photos. I have all kinds of little tricks to get my horses to LOOK, ears up and eyes bright. Usually I make funny sounds, meow like a kitty, bark like a dog, quack like a duck… you get the idea. Basically I make myself look like an idiot to get that special, whimsical shot! I don’t mind. The photos are usually worth it! Once in a while I have a horse that just won’t put their

I am a firm believer in equine body work. I have been amazed again and again at how a little massage, some manipulating and energy work can make such a huge change in my horses. I used it often for Billy Blaze and when Sky was having so many troubles this spring I used it again! I love using essential oils along with the body work of my favorite Equine (and Canine!) Body Worker, Heidi Chretien. I often will apply oils for a few days leading up to our scheduled appointment to

I thought I would share the tools I use to trim my horses hooves. I have just a few simple tools that make my life so much easier and keep my mini’s hooves healthy! Many years ago my Father-in-law went to farrier school. I had a few horses at the time and when he came back he happily worked on my horses and chalked it up to practice. Then I bought a few more miniature horses and my Father-in-law told me it was time I learned to trim my own horses! He was getting busy, didn’t

Note the title of this post: “How to Take a Good Picture of Your Horse” NOT “How to Take a GREAT Picture of Your Horse” nor is it “How to Take a Professional Picture of Your Horse.” I have noticed that many many people post photos of their horses that are just not flattering. I’m not talking about those cutesy photos that show the horse’s personality. The close ups of their nose or ears. Fun angles, horses smiling… Those photos are not what this blog is about. This blog is ab

When I brought Bonnie home it was late at night. We unloaded her from one trailer to another without a hitch– in a parking lot, under parking lot lights– and she was quiet and manageable. She didn’t whinny or move around at all. She just loaded right up and stood quietly in my trailer. On the drive home she continued to be quiet and didn’t  whinny when we pulled into our driveway even though the other ponies  whinnied at the trailer. It was about one in the morning, so very d

The girls and I had a lovely walk today. It was a hot one and they both worked up a sweat, as did I! Sky was so funny because she kept trying to turn around and go home, but Bonnie was happy as a clam to be out walking. She had her ears up and trotted up the road without a hitch! They both wanted to stop and take a break at the canal. They took a few minutes to talk to each other and look at the big horses that were following us up the road. Then we went on our way. We walked

Fall is a tricky time of year, at least here in Montana. We have lovely cooler days with very chilly nights and mixed in there is some rain and even a little snow! All this is the perfect environment for those cool weather grasses to start growing again. The above photo shows just how dry it’s been around here this summer. But hidden down close to the ground is this: This is the short green grass that REALLY packs a punch! Because it’s a cold weather grass it thrives in these

I’ve started both girls on hill therapy. They are both over weight and need to bump up their exercise a bit. I am still starting them slow and easy because I don’t need any lame ponies. So for now they are trotting each direction for 2 minutes with a 1 minute rest between direction changes and after they are done. This one minute at the end gives me time to make up with Bonnie if she has gotten emotional. On a side note: I am so so proud of Bonnie! We were gone for 12 days st

All four ponies have been so dirty. They are all itchy and were in need of a bath! So I hooked my hose up to the washing machine water so I would have warm water and lined them all up. Everyone was so patient waiting for their turn. Sky was the best about it all. I also clipped up her mane as it was heavy and thick. I thinned it for her and then bathed her. She likes to be pretty. On the left is Sky’s before Crypto Aero feed photo taken on May 23rd. On the right is Sky today,

I have been using some form of a slow feeder for several years now. The entire time I had Billy he had feed 24/7. He had a slow feeder, a slow feed net and/or access to pasture. Now that I have the minis I did not want that to change. Because I thoroughly understand the importance of a horse having access to forage all times of the day and night I knew I wanted that for my minis as well. I have three hay nets, the 70 pound bale nets to be exact. Forage is the foundation of ev

Today was worming day. I don’t like to worm very often, but both Captain Planet and Zorro have been vigorously rubbing their butts on the fences. They have permanent “blue butt” from the fence grease staining their bums. I am going to give baths today or tomorrow as well, but started with worming. My main goal (besides getting the wormer INTO the ponies) was to walk away without having hurt any feelings or made anyone mad. I waited until they were done with their feed. They e

When I got Bonnie she was due for a hoof trim. I could tell by her feet that she had been living on soft ground. We have hard, rocky, sandy and dry ground here. If I didn’t trim her as soon as possible I was risking her soundness. So even though she had only been here two days as was still very skeptical of everything I was doing, I opted to trim her. I set it up for success as much as I could and she handled it very well. I believe she is innately a RBI (Right Brain Introver