10/02/2026
I donāt like AI but I have decided to use it to get my point across and a solid point.
Iām generally a quiet person. I try to keep the peace and avoid conflict, but Iām going to speak a little more openly about this situation because Iām upset. Iām angryānot for myself, but for this horse.
I will not be disclosing the names of the people involved or the farrier who was caring for this mini. Both appear to be well-known and respected within the horse community, and I have no intention of turning this into a public attack against individuals. However, I do feel strongly that this situation needs to be addressed.
I cannot stress this enough: miniature horses are not simply pasture pets. In my experience, they require just as much attention, maintenance, and appropriate care as larger horsesāsometimes even more.
We have been involved in the horse industry on our own for about three years, and I also grew up around horses. During that time, we have taken in animals that have been outside of my personal experience or comfort level. When that happens, I believe it is my responsibility to find them someone who can provide the care they need. My lack of knowledge or experience should never be the reason an animal suffers.
Earlier this summer we bought two wild ponyās at auction and when I realized they were too much I reached out and Thaney Lupichuk took them in and transformed them.
Would I have loved to keep them? Absolutely.
But I also had to acknowledge that they were beyond my current level of care. Instead of allowing them to struggle because I wanted to keep them, I found them a home where they could receive what they needed. They are not the first animal we have done this for, and she certainly wonāt be the last.
Part of responsible animal ownership is recognizing when something is beyond your abilities and finding a solution. Animals should never suffer because someone is unwilling or unable to admit that they need help.
This is where my frustration with this situation comes in.
We traded a few goats for this mini. Based on photos I received months ago, I was under the impression that his primary issue was that he needed a trim MONTHS ago.
When he arrived yesterday, I didnāt get a good look at his feet immediately. The people we received him from were people I considered friends, and I trusted that the information I had been given was accurate. Looking back, I recognize that I should have looked more closely. That part is on me.
Last night, when I went to properly assess him, I was shocked by the condition of his hooves.
I had been told that this mini had been seen by a veterinarian and was receiving trims every three to four weeks. Given what I found, I was extremely upset.
If you donāt know Bob, he is a rescue we took in after his feet were neglected for months, if not years. Because of that neglect, he now lives with permanent consequences. He will likely never be completely sound, but we spend a significant amount of money every month to keep him comfortable, and he remains under veterinary care to ensure that his pain is managed.
What happened to Bob was preventable.
A human being failed to provide something as basic as appropriate hoof care, and Bob has to live with those consequences for the rest of his life.
So when I saw this miniās feet, it hit me particularly hard.
Yes, I knew his feet were long.
No, I did not understand just how severe the situation was.
And yes, I genuinely believed that if I was told he was receiving regular three- to four-week trims, his feet would have actually been maintained accordingly and they should have been way closer to be fixed from the photo I seen months ago.
I have spoken with the farrier who told me this horse was on regular three- to four-week trims. Based on the condition of his feet and the changes visible in his hooves, I have serious concerns about whether that history accurately reflects the care he actually received. In fact Iām 95% sure they are both lying.
As a farrier I also believe if a case isnāt in your level or you are not seeing the results you think you should be, it is your duty to speak of even if that means losing that patient.
This mini was apparently already in poor condition when the previous owners received him, and having experienced this with Bob, I understand how difficult it can be to take on an animal with pre-existing issues.
But accepting an animal with problems also means accepting the responsibility to address those problems.
A difficult history can explain why an animal needs care. It should never become the reason that care is not provided.
The mini was also represented to us as being halter-broke and as a yearling. Neither of those representations has turned out to be accurate.
When we took Bob to the veterinarian, one of the first things they did was assess his age. Determining the approximate age of a horse is not an especially lengthy process, and basic dental examination can provide important information. I struggle to understand how his age was apparently never properly established during the time he was in the previous owner's care.
He is incredibly smallāapproximately the same size, if not smaller, than Pedro, my weanling.
And that brings me to the part that makes me the most upset.
Animals are not cheap. They are not a hobby that can be picked up and put down when it becomes inconvenient. They are living, breathing beings who depend entirely on us to advocate for them and provide appropriate care.
And when people fail them, the animals are the ones who suffer.
This is a baby.
This is exactly why we do what we do.
We do it for Bob.
We do it for Pretzel.
We do it for Jelly Bean.
We do it for the animals who need someone to step up when they have been failed.
I will never pretend that I know everything. I don't. I am constantly learning, and I know there will always be situations where I need to seek help from someone with more experience than me.
But I will always believe that if an animal is beyond my ability to care for, it is my responsibility to find someone who can help.
Admitting that something is beyond your comfort zone or ability is not failure. Allowing an animal to continue suffering because you won't acknowledge that fact is where the real failure happens.
We brought Bob around, and we will do everything we can to bring Jelly Bean around too.
And we will do the same for future cases because I know this wonāt be the last.
But tonight, I am mad.
I am upset.
I am angry.
Not because we ended up with another difficult animal.
Iām angry because once again, an animal is dealing with the consequences of human decisionsāand it never should have had to.
