I am thinking of getting mini as a pet but a rider for awhile for my daughter. Does anyone know much about them and what breed might be the best for starters? I know sometimes when you get into "modified" animals they start to pick up certian issues that breeders won't honestly tell you.

But I know I can trust straight answers from this forum. I would a breed that is big enough to ride for a couple years. But small enough not to pop the bubble wrap when my daughter falls off.

Careful with those minis, once you get one you just can't stop. Kinda like pringles chips. We have had minis and my parents still do. They are great pets and companions for bigger horses, and the right one makes a great first horse for a child. Our mini's ranged in size for 34-38 inches. Some of ours are broke to drive and ride. My boys and my niece ride the 36-38 inch mini's. We have a small saddle and a bareback pad that they use. The kids are all under 60 lbs that ride the mini's, once they get to that weight we will probably transfer them to a full size horse. The great thing is the kids have learned how to handle a Horse (mini), pick up their feet, lead, groom, and all the other needed duties even scooping poop, with a horse that they can relate to better. We are even teaching the kids to drive them and they find that more exciting than riding them.

Take you time looking for a mini, a lot of time people will treat them more like a dog than a horse and create some bad habits, some of these spoiled guys can be quite the biters. They are easy keeper and don't require much in the way of food, most can live on air (anyways ours do). They also don't know how small they are. They have little horse syndrome, they think they are 19 hand drafts. Ours are turned out with the full size horses and do fine. If anything they pick on the big ones.

Also when looking for a mini personally I like the quarter or draft type mini. These guys look like little quarter horses that have been put into the dryer and shrunk. All of ours have nice normal looking heads and good straight legs and normal looking hooves.

Depending on the age and how tall your daughter is you might want to look at a welsh pony or even a small quarter horse. Something that might last her a little longer

But if you choose a mini, they are truely fun to have around and have a huge personality for a little horse.

I have 5 minis and am not a big fan of kids riding them. Their max weight is about 60 lb. They are very sweet little guys, but can be little stinkers when the urge takes them! They are also very fast and can step right out from under a kid. Just my .02 cents.
My smallest mini is 33" and tallest is 36".
You would probably be bettrer off getting a bigger pony or a small horse and lead lineing until she is old enough to start taking lessons.
And, like P8ntCrazy says you can't just have one!!! Just like chips.

I started out with mini's, they are alot of fun to have around. I have a gelding that is 34 inches and my 2 year old grand daughter rides on him, we walk him around now until she learns the ropes. I have 4 mini mares and 2 mini stallions and the 1 gelding. My smallest one is 28-29 inches and the tallest is 34 inches. We also have 3 mini donkeys, my husband says he likes the donkeys better. I have 1 mini stallion for sale and I will sale the gelding if someone wanted him. They are great little horses and not alot of up keep. They don't eat much at all, they are good little lawn mowers.
From the mini's I went to the Drafts. No in-between for me. I have 3 Belgians and then I got into the Appaloosas. I have some Appys for sale if anyone is looking. Now I have boought a couple of Paints. The Leopard Appaloosas and the Paints are my favorite. You can go to my website and see my kids....http://www.freewebs.com/wayofthecrossfarm