There are a couple of great articles I would like to share, both written by Rick Gore (told you I'd post more of him!).

The first article is aimed at helping us understand the horse better. As prey, their brains are hardwired differently than ours. By putting ourselves in their mindframe, we can hopefully control the horse better without the use of harsh physical means.
http://www.thinklikeahorse.org/horse_opposition_reflex

The second article helps you to know what you don't know! I know that I don't know a lot, so I think I am stage 2. I am not in denial that I am a noobie who has very little experience with horses thus far. But I do want to understand them, and I do research and experiment.
http://www.equestrianlife.com/articles.php?func=view&id=100&id=100
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http://www.thinklikeahorse.org/index-28.html
The above link is a great page. It is run by Rick Gore - the wacky guy I've posted videos of in the past. I would not put shoes on my horse, even though that would mean possible temporary lameness if shoes had to be removed and a period of adjustment while the hoof built up strength. I'd keep to grass and trails that are maintained... a little bit of a compromise, but well worth it to the horse.
What do you think? Does the above site sway you to change your opinion?
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I always worry about being kicked whenever I am behind a horse. Naturally, I like to watch videos of people being kicked to see what tends to cause a kick and to recognize the signs right before it happens. Most of the time, it is incredibly obvious that someone isn't using their brain at all. For example:
The horse is probably unsure and definately more aware of his surroundings while in a parade, and the guy slaps his butt. Hmm... what exactly was he trying to prove by doing this?
In the above video, any horse would react this way to being burned like that. The man wasn't prepared for this at all, and I think he deserved it anyway. Branding is just really, really cruel and abusive.
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Everytime I see horses being sacked out, I think back to this video. Rick Gore is my natural horsemanship guru. He is firm, but very soft whenever he can be. The comfort and trust between his horse and himself is special. He doesn't believe in always maintaining "personal space," which basically means you keep pushing your horse away from you- that is detrimental to the relationship. I once wrote to him and he told me that it is okay to cuddle and kiss a horse, you just have to make sure they come to you for it. If you are begging your horse for affection, it puts you lower than them in their viewpoint.
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I may not be a great horsewoman... a lot of the time I have no idea what I am doing! But I can say that I at least use common sense. Unlike this woman. Who doesn't even just teach a dangerous "trick" to a 1200 pound saddle horse. She does so to a Percheron... a huge draft. Imagine that "paw" coming at you when you least expect it.

Dear lord, horses aren't dog equivalents.
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This is super cute. A horse jumping competition in miniature.
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I came across an interesting page on the Miniature Horse Club of Ontario's site.
http://www.mhco.ca/
They lay out the average costs associated with owning a mini. I thought this was good info because it shows the vast difference between feeding a mini vs. feeding a saddle horse (and imagine the difference with a large, aging draught).
If you set board at a stable aside and focus on basic costs, this is what it looks like:
-Farrier. Trimming is needed every 6-8 weeks (no shoes). They say that is about $5-$30 each time.
-Vaccines. I assume they price for the vet visit, but if you needle them yourself (if you are confident) it would be substantially cheaper. $100, once a year.
-Dental. $50-$100 per year.
-Deworming. $25-$40 per year, if administered yourself.
-Shavings. They say $50 per month, but to me, this sounds high. Buy shaving in bulk by the truckload and they'll go further.
-Hay. Horse-grade, no more than 50% alfalfa. $20 per month.
-Grain. $10 per month. Grain is optional. I think most people give it, though.
-You need to factor in the years when medical issues result in vet bills. Bills can be incredibly large, depending on the issue.
-Also factor in supplies you need (grooming, halters, coats, treats, etc.) I'd guesstimate that you'd spend at least $100 per year on this, unless you really try to resist spending extra money.

If we add this up, you have a base cost of about $810 per year. That is wiithout boarding or barn/paddock costs, and doesn't factor in extra vert costs. You will spend about $67.50 per month as a base. Not a cheap pet. Very interesting to learn, as I had originally assumed they were very cheap to keep, other than emergency vet costs.
 
Care info relevant to above list:
-Minis require about one flake of hay, twice a day. Not much at all. And only a small cup of grain goes along with each feeding.
-If you have a large pasture and want to cut out feed during the summer, be careful. Unrestricted fresh grass can lead to colic in a mini.
-I don't think the board for a mini would be as much as for regular-sized horses. They don't require nearly as much food, and really shouldn't ideally be kept in a normal stall. Their stalls should still be roomy, but the gate or walls should allow the horse to look out at the surroundings. Pasture board should be fine, as long as a shelter is provid
-If you keep a mini at home, you really can have a 3-walled shelter instead of a barn. The airflow in such a shelter is ideal for them, and they are winter hardy. That eliminates a lot of cost of barn-building. And it allows the horse to exercise in the paddock at will. You still need storage for hay, etc.  An open shelter is better, so pasture board would suffice.
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 I suppose that my taste is typical, being that the Gypsy Vanner is one of my three favorite breeds. It is a gentle, kind beauty with a wonderful story from its past. I can't imagine any horse lover who would say the Vanner isn't "special." Then again, all horses are special, regardless of their bloodline.
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I don't know a whole lot about the breed, but I do know that they have only been around the mainstream market since the 80's or perhaps early 90's. They were first found by a couple visiting the English countryside. The couple stopped, inquired about the horse they saw in a field, and ended up buying this horse, as well as others. They began an internationally-acknowledged breeding program. The horse world had found a new breed.
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Vanners were originally bred by travelling gypsies in the UK. They are believed to have been derived from cold-blooded draught breeds. Gypsy families kept their horses a secret for a long time, somehow managing to keep them unkown by the horse world at large.
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For the gypsy, prized specimens not only possessed beauty, lots and lots of hair, and endurance when pulling a wagon, but they needed to have the proper temperament. If a horse had everything going for it except temperament, it was not valuable to a family. The children of the family usually had the task of caring for the animals. Horses were tied to a tether in a field, as the nomadic existance of gypsies didn't afford fenced pastures. The children had to be able to tend to the horses without danger, so very docile animals were chosen to continue the bloodline.
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Gypsy Vanners are not for the average horseman. You will need tens of thousands of dollars in order to purchase an animal. However, if you can afford one, the temperament alone would be worth the high price. That is my opinion, anyway. And wouldn't we all look so good loping through a field as the feathers, mane, and tail lashed through the air? One can dream. But I am guessing it would be a bumpy ride!
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The Arab (or Arabian) is another of my three favorite breeds. The horses are refined and of ancient blood. There are three major breeding lines, but my favorite is the Straight Egyptian line. The concave face and arching neck goes well with the elegant limbs and short back, making one rather small package of beauty. These horses run on the small side, but their backs usually have less verterbrae than other horses, making a small horse strong enough to carry an adult rider.
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They are hot-blooded, which means they have fire in their hearts. They need to get out and run every day, and their temperment is not for just any rider. I know I certainly wouldn't be able to handle or ride a fiery Arab.
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Arabs were my dream horse as a kid. The Black Stallion movies and tv show featured an impressive specimen (or specimens, I should say).
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Arabs are popular in endurance, because endurance trails require stamina and the courage to prevail over any terrain. They can do pretty much anything, but are often looked down upon in other disciplines, such as jumping, where their size is considered a fault.  
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The Bedouin tribe of the Middle East first owned these horses. The mares were so valuable to families that they were often kept inside the nomadic tents at night to keep safe. The bond between horse and rider was so strong that it is claimed the horses would run across the desert for days until death. They have stamina and the ability to endure harsh desert climates. Traditionally, the Bedouins fed them dates and milk. Strange, but I am guessing they found bits of roughage at times on their own. Perhaps the most legendary breed of all, Arabs have been used in the formation or strengthening of many other breeds. It is no wonder why. 
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This post is going to be picture-heavy! I am not a horse expert, by any stretch, but what I do know is that horses are beautiful. And one of the most beautiful sights in this world, horse-related or not, is the Friesian horse.
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Originally from the Netherlands, this horse comes in three versions, each having a body type suited to a particular use. These horses became popular after an 80's movie, Ladyhawke, featured a gelding of the breed. They are cold-blooded, meaning they are large and docile, like the draught breeds. I'm not sure if it's mostly because of their beauty, but they are popular for use in dressage. They move beautifully, even when running in a pasture (just watch any of the great youtube videos and you'll see!). Of course, they are not numerous, and their breeding is a science, it does seem. There aren't that many stallions available. Their prices can be absurd, so if you have at least $15 000 to $20 000 lying around, you might be able to find a gelding. That would be a starting point, according to my research.  
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I know such a horse would be a waste on me! But they are nice to look at, and certainly they are my dream horse - although I have three dream horse breeds!
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As fate would have it, they are supposed to be sweet and gentle as a general rule. There are always exceptions.
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