Is it cruel?

I agree, many times ponies are safer off pasture. Fat little ponies on green lush grass equals founder in a short time. I've had too many fat little foundered ponies come in to even think about anything besides a dry lot for them.

As long as their forage/grazing needs are met, they're perfectly fine.

If you wanted to provide some grass, you can section off the pasture and rotate. Seeing that you have mini's, it isn't that hard [monetarily] to supply enough forage and nourishment, but I'd go broke if I had to supply ALL my girls' forage, haha. I wouldn't keep them on a dry lot just for that reason. =P

Hi, your minis will be fine without grass as long as they get all the fibre and nutrients they need :)
We have a 0.6 acre paddock and 1 15hh horse, he has loads of room to gallop about in and in winter grass levels are low but we always can spend all the money we have on hay!
Really love you mini btw, so cute and im so jelous, im going to have one one day

My fat horse in a our field, he has eaten it all now :P but he is now lost the weight

Thanks for your comments everybody. I feel MUCH happier about it now!

They are cute. I keep my in "sacrifice paddocks" all winter and then when it rains or has been dry for long periods of time. They are smaller paddocks that I use to protect my pasture. My horses have been standing in mud for 2 days now because of rain. I won't let them tear up my grass though, they'll thank me in the long run....

This makes me smile.

I live in az, so no pasture. There isa lot of dirt. We feed psillium (excuse spelln) every 2 to 3 months because of that.
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I feed psyllium once a week.

I do have pasture but I also have dirt, and the horses eat off the ground.

Most of the area around where I live is red clay, but not my acreage; it's dirt and rocks.

I'd rather be safe than sorry, and have been giving them generic Metamucil once a week in their feed. Sure don't want anybody sand colicking!

I was about to mention sand colic, you guys beat me to it. XD
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My horses were in a dry lot for the past year, we just put them in paddocks to seperate them - one is an older mare we believe is IR or has Cushings so her paddock had very little grass when she went in it, but she has something to nibble on. As long as they have hay, I don't see the problem. All too often you see minis are overweight so dry lot is probably better for most minis than being on grass.