Mini Horses Great Pets For Children

Mini horses great pets for children AG WORLD Ag World 11-2-20 "They're easily trained to saddle or cart. A 3-year-old child can handle one and ride it for 5 or 6 years," says Leon Blair, Kennedale, Texas, who maintains a herd of 48 "mini" horses, including a prize stallion that's just 27 in. tall. Blair started raising miniatures so his grandkids could have their own horses to ride. Mini horses were originally developed about 300 years ago in Europe for pulling ore carts in restricted mine shafts. To be registered by the American Shetland Pony Club, the miniature horses must be no taller than 34 in. At full size, they can weigh as much as 225 lbs. Mini's eat whatever full-size horses eat but in much smaller quanties. One quarter acre of good pasture, or lawn, will sustain one mini. "I can feed my whole herd for considerably less than I spend on my five Arabians," says Blair. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dr. Leon B. Blair, 3604 Kimberly Lane, Ft. Worth, Tex. 76133 (ph 817 292-1405).

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