I have recently noticed a trend to fully equip minions that would ICly not be able to use weapons and/or wear armour, packs, and/or saddles.
Please make sure that it is IC for your minion to use an object before you hand it to him. If you are in doubt (e.g., you are not sure what your minion is in the first place), then do not do it.
Note that, if you are in doubt and do not know what your minion really is, then you should most likely not have this minion in the first place. That is, the fact that someone told you that minion X kicks ass is not enough to warrant your buying such a pet. And even if you do buy one, the least you could do is get some information about what this pet looks like, eats, where it lives, and so on.