As NTM said, you'll notice it when you have to use it.
If you shy away from using it, you'll more than likely become slower, because you're trying to do 4 fingers worth of work with 3 fingers. Once I started using my pinky regularly, I notice I was becoming faster, each finger has their own little spot.
Try doing exercises just for the pinky as well, and good dexterity exercises will help.
Like this:
e|--0---2--1--3--2--4--3--2--0--3--2--4--3--5--4--3
and so on....using the fingers like this (middle, index, ring, middle, pinky, ring, middle)
Sometimes I hit notes only dogs can hear.
