Miniature Horses are found all over the world and come in various colors and coat patterns. The designation of miniature horse is determined by the height of the animal, which, depending on the particular registry involved, is usually less than 34-38 inches (82-91 cm) as measured at the withers. [1] [2]

Miniature horses are friendly and interact well with people. For this reason they are often kept as family pets. They are also trained as service animals, akin to guide dogs or assistance dogs for people with disabilities. [3] However, while miniature horses can be trained to work indoors, they are still real horses and are healthier when allowed to live outdoors (with proper shelter and room to run) when not working with humans. [4]

They are generally quite hardy, often living longer on average than some full-sized horse breeds; the average life span of miniature horses is from 25 to 35 years. [5]

Organizations and Registration Requirements

There are two registries in the United States for Miniature Horses, the American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA) and the American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR).

The AMHA was founded in 1978 and was dedicated to establishing the Miniature horse as a distinct breed of horse. [6] [1] The AMHR is a division of the American Shetland pony Club and was established as a separate registry in 1972. [7] In the AMHA, Miniatures cannot exceed 34 inches at the withers (which the AMHA defines as located at the last hair of the mane). There are two divisions in AMHR - the "A" division for horses 34 inches (82 cm) and under, and the "B" division for horses 34 to 38 inches (82 - 91 cm). [2]

Worldwide, there are dozens of miniature horse registries. Some organizations emphasize breeding of miniatures with horse characteristics, others encourage minis to retain pony characteristics. [8]

The AMHA standard suggests that if a person were to see a photograph of a miniature horse, without any size reference, it would be identical in characteristics, conformation, and proportion to a full-sized horse. [1]

According to the AMHR, a "Miniature should be a small, sound, well-balanced horse and should give the impression of strength, agility and alertness. A Miniature should be eager and friendly but not skittish in disposition." [7]

Showing Miniature Horses

There are many horse show opportunities offered by both American registries. Classes include: Halter (horse conformation), in-hand hunter and jumper, driving, liberty, costume, and obstacle or "trail" classes. There are Local, Regional, National, and World competitions.

History

Miniature horses were developed from multiple sources. Many different pony breeds were bred for small size, including the Shetland pony and the Dartmoor pony. There may also have been an infusion of bloodlines from certain breeds of full-sized horses. [9]

In the 17th century, miniature horses were bred as pets for Europe's Hapsburg nobility. Records from the court of the French King Louis XIV, circa 1650, note the presence of tiny horses among the exotic creatures in the king's zoo. Paintings and articles featured the miniature horse by 1765. Lady Estella Hope and her sisters carried on the original English lines into the mid-nineteen hundreds. However, not all early miniatures were pampered pets of kings and queens. Some were used to work in the English Midlands, Wales and Northern European coal mines as pit ponies.

In the United States, the miniature horse breed was refined during the 20th century. Miniature horses in the USA added additional lines from sources that included the Hackney Pony and the Pony of the Americas.

The Falabella miniature horse was originally developed in Argentina in 1868 by Patrick Newell. When Newell died, the herd and breeding methods were passed to Newell's son-in-law, Juan Falabella. Juan added additional bloodlines including the Welsh Pony, Shetland pony, and small Thoroughbreds. With considerable inbreeding he was able to gain consistently small size within the herd.

South Africa's Miniature Horses were developed in that nation and are known as the South African Miniature Horses, a recognized breed in its own right. Mr. Wynand de Wet of Lindley, South Africa, started in 1945 with two Shetland mares and a stallion. Through strict selection, their offspring became smaller and in 1991 Mr. de Wet bred a mare that was only 66cm tall. [10]

Controversies

Dwarfism is a concern within the miniature horse world. Dwarf horses, while often setting world records for size, are not generally considered to have desirable traits, and therefore most minis affected by dwarfism are not accepted by many miniature horse registries. [ citation needed ] Dwarf horses have incorrect conformation and may also have health and soundness issues. [11]

The oldest living horse on record was a dwarf named Angel who lived with the Horse Protection Society of North Carolina, who lived to be over 50. [5] The current record holder for the world's smallest horse is also a horse affected by dwarfism, Thumbelina, who is fully mature but stands 17 inches tall and weighs 60 pounds. Though she has received considerable publicity, her owners have publicly stated that she will not be bred. [12]

Another controversy stems from an ongoing debate over whether a miniature horse should possess horse or pony characteristics. Some miniature horse breeds standards prefer short, stout legs and elongated torsos while others prefer ordinary horse proportions. [13] Even the name is in dispute, terms such as "Midget Pony" and "Pygmy Horse" used in addition to "Miniature horse" and breed-specific names such as Falabella. The level of controversy is reflected in the reality that there are over 30 different registries for miniaturized horses just within the English-speaking world. [14]

References

1. American Miniature Horse Association - http://www.amha.org
2. American Miniature Horse Registry - http://www.shetlandminiature.com
3. Guide Horse Foundation - http://www.guidehorse.org
4. "Horses in your house," web site, accessed January 17, 2007 - http://www.guidehorse.org/horses_house.htm
5. "Miniature Horse Facts" - http://www.guidehorse.org/faq_horses.htm
6. "The History of Miniature Horses and Ponies." Web site, accessed January 17, 2007 - http://www.mini-horse.org/mini_horse_history.html
7. "Unique -- Interesting -- A Class All of lts Own," The Journal of The American Shetland Pony Club Accessed January 17, 2007 - http://www.horseshoes.com/magazine/shetland/amstpncl.htm
8. "The Top 20 Miniature Horse Registries," web site, accessed January 17, 2007 - http://www.guidehorse.org/registry.htm
9. "Mini Horse Breeds" Accessed January 17, 2007 - http://www.mini-horse.org/mini_horse_breeds.html
10. "South African Miniature Horse History." Web site accessed March 18, 2007 - http://minihorseworld.com/resources/library/history/southafrica.asp
11. "Dwarf Miniature Horses." Web site accessed March 18, 2007 - http://www.angelfire.com/ms3/dmh/
12. "Meet Thumbelina, the World's Smallest Horse," Daily Mail, October 8, 2006 - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=409317&in_page_id=1770
13. Mini Horse History - http://www.mini-horse.org/mini_horse_history.html
14. Miniature Horse Registries - http://www.mini-horse.org/registries.html

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