Good Things Come In Small Packages

Meet Jet and Jewel

 Let me introduce you to the two miniature horses that live here on the farm.

 Jet is an all-black mini that we have owned and trained for 9 years.  He looks just like a mini version of my Friesians and a friend saw him for sale in Oregon and said we had to have him.  Jet was a wild child when we first got him.  You couldn’t catch him or get him to do anything he didn’t want to do.  There was a time I was not sure he would be a good fit for the farm but with a little time, a lot of patience, and carrots for bribery, he came around and has been an amazing little horse.

Jet has many wonderful traits, not the least of which is how good he is with kids.  My niece used to ride him when she was much younger and always called him “My pony Jet”.  To clarify, mini horses are not ponies.  Mini horses are just that.  They are bred to look exactly like smaller versions of a full-size horse whereas ponies are bred to be stocker with shorter legs and thicker necks.  Minis are generally smaller than ponies and when compared side by side should more accurately resemble a horse’s overall appearance. 

Now back to Jet.  When we were at our Bellevue Farm Jet participated in countless events at Bridle Trails State Park for the Park Foundation.  He would dress up as the Easter Bunny for the annual Egg Hunt, a dragon for the Halloween Scavenger Hunt, or as Max the Grinch’s dog for Christmas photos.  It was not uncommon for him to greet 300+ kids at any given event. He greeted the families while being subjected to all sorts of squeals and excitement.  This horse stood for hours like a champ and gave so many kids their first-ever equine encounter.  I was always beaming with pride over how well he behavied at these public events. 

We also trained Jet to drive. No, not a car!! He donned a harness and would pull me in a cart in my arena, around our property, and even though the neighborhood into the park.  In addition to riding and driving, Jet also does Liberty work (just like the big boys) and even knows some really good tricks.  He can rear, (stand on his back legs) walk on two feet, bow, climb up the mounting steps, do the Spanish walk, and even smile.  Jet is one of a kind and just as sweet and smart as he is adorable. 

In January of 2022 we adopted a mini mare from Helping our Mini Equines.  We support this local rescue in many ways and were contacted by one of the founders who felt this horse deserved to be at our farm and would make a great addition.  She had been bred a few times and ended up being surrendered by her owner to the rescue and needed a soft place to land where she could be loved and given the life she deserved.  She was 6 years old and had never been given a name before coming to H.O.M.E  We took her in and named her Jewel.  Jewel settled in well and now enjoys life at Black Horse Farm.  While we assumed she would be Jet’s “girlfriend”, she has chosen Zeus as the object of her obsession.  She is not the least bit concerned that he outweighs her by about 1200lbs and about 36 inches and can most times be found at the fence line she shares with his run pining for him.  It is quite cute to see how much she adores her big hunk of a horse.

Miniature horses can be a great option for smaller farms or for a horse owner that is not looking for a horse to ride but one to simply have as a companion horse to groom and spend time with.  Horses are herd animals so it is never advised to have a single horse.  It is always better to have at least two equines and minis do better with another horse their own size for safety and food equity.   If you have ever considered owning a mini horse, please check out www.helpingourminiequines.org as they do great work and often have some wonderful, adoptable mini horses and sometimes donkeys available.