# Little Enstien



## splash's mom (Oct 2, 2010)

If you get a chance, I'm told that on Monday Little Einstien the mini born in Barnstead N.H. is going to be on Oprah with his owners. I just thought that was neat.


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## O So (Oct 2, 2010)

A friend told me to watch Oprah on Monday because a mini horse was going to be on it! So this confirms she didn't hear wrong! LOL


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## cindydog12 (Oct 2, 2010)

I can hardly wait to see him! Thanks for the info


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## Horse Feathers (Oct 4, 2010)

Mondays Ophra has Enstien


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## Reble (Oct 4, 2010)

Oh darn, I missed it...

But found this for some who would like to have seen him today.






on the right and down a bit, is just a little video of him coming on stage, alittle clip

http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Meet-Einstein-One-of-the-Smallest-Horses-in-the-World/2

Here is another video of Enstien.

http://www.urlesque.com/2010/04/28/worlds-smallest-horse-is-worlds-biggest-new-celebrity/


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## Sue_C. (Oct 4, 2010)

I was a bit disappointed, they have him in a dog harness rather than a horse halter, and he just wandered about a bit...really no good shots of him, which would have been easier to obtain had they more control of him. But...he is a cute lil thing, that's for certain.

The Thumbelina "issue" was mentioned, and they did mention that she is a dwarf...but the words chosen carefully...I can imagine they would have to be. I would have simply stated that Enstien is in the running as the smallest REGISTERED miniature horse, and if asked what about Thumbilina, simply have replied that she is a dwarf, and therefore unregisterable. No mis-truth in that, if Enstein indeed is not a dwarf upon maturity; which I sincerely hope is not the case.


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## Margo_C-T (Oct 4, 2010)

I just now watched the 'Einstein' segment on Oprah. Like Sue C., I was a bit taken aback that the owners brought him out in a DOG HARNESS. Made me wonder if they hadn't gotten him properly used to a halter?

He is cute as a bug, and to their credit, he was NOT clipped, suitable to this time of year. That said, at times he appeared a bit 'roach' backed, but, it could have just been the fuzz. Otherwise, he still looked pretty proportionate; his head is a bit long, but that's not unusual in a good number of minis, esp.the 'tinies', IMO...it just comes with the territory(i.e., teeth don't reduce in size as 'quickly', and the jaw has to accomodate them.) I am anxious to see how he develops as he matures.

Margo


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## StarRidgeAcres (Oct 4, 2010)

Margo_C-T said:


> I just now watched the 'Einstein' segment on Oprah. Like Sue C., I was a bit taken aback that the owners brought him out in a DOG HARNESS. Made me wonder if they hadn't gotten him properly used to a halter?
> 
> He is cute as a bug, and to their credit, he was NOT clipped, suitable to this time of year. That said, at times he appeared a bit 'roach' backed, but, it could have just been the fuzz. Otherwise, he still looked pretty proportionate; his head is a bit long, but that's not unusual in a good number of minis, esp.the 'tinies', IMO...it just comes with the territory(i.e., teeth don't reduce in size as 'quickly', and the jaw has to accomodate them.) I am anxious to see how he develops as he matures.
> 
> Margo



Ditto.

The "dog" harness was unfortunate, although I do understand using them at home while training weaners, but it would have been much better if he'd been in a horse halter and able to lead and stand - which is not a stretch for a horse of his age.

As for his back - more than a bit roached I say.

I hope he matures without "dwarf" characteristics, but I don't think that back will get any better (it wasn't the fuzz imo); only worse probably. Having said that, he's cute as can be, but would loved to have seen one of the National or World Grand Champions featured with their stunning looks and excellent conformation.


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## maestoso (Oct 4, 2010)

Like Paris with her dog in her purse, I am sure we will see many people running around with tiny minis in dog harnesses thinking its cute after this episode. I'd say if you are trying to sell your dwarfs, the market for them just got a lot better.


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## StarRidgeAcres (Oct 4, 2010)

maestoso said:


> Like Paris with her dog in her purse, I am sure we will see many people running around with tiny minis in dog harnesses thinking its cute after this episode. I'd say if you are trying to sell your dwarfs, the market for them just got a lot better.



What Matt said.


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## Taylor Richelle (Oct 5, 2010)

I saw him! I just love him!



So tiny!


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## Watcheye (Oct 5, 2010)

I was really put off by the dog harness. That was the first thing I saw. It was glaring. Made him walk a little funny.


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## ~Lisa~ (Oct 5, 2010)

Thanks Mary Lou he is just as cute as can be and really not sure what the issue with the dog harness is.. I mean not what I use for sure but it is not like he was running around totally out of control on stage.

He was simply adorable.


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## Sixstardanes (Oct 5, 2010)

This is a genuine question.

Could the rise of Einstein's back be just normal growth?

With some dogs they grow front end, then back end then in the middle.. and back & forth.


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## Reble (Oct 5, 2010)

Mary Lou - LB said:


> Ok, I found the clip of him on Oprah!!
> 
> http://jezebel.com/5655486/the-worlds-smallest-horse-gets-his-oprah-moment?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+jezebel%2Ffull+%28Jezebel%29



Thanks Mary Lou.

Now I know he is 20" tall and weighs 47 pounds.


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## HGFarm (Oct 5, 2010)

They seem like really nice people- thanks for the link to the show segment.

I am somewhat concerned too that the shape of his back is not all hair. There was one shot of him eating grass where it was quite evident- but I will admit, he is a little cutie and seemed quite at home there on stage. His little face looking up at Oprah was adorable.

I too am curious how he will turn out and what size he will be.


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## rabbitsfizz (Oct 5, 2010)

If you follow the first link there are some comments on there that I think are very, very telling!

Not everyone is happy about this little chap (me included) Not the happiness etc that he is bringing to his owners, that's fine.

It is the real ingrained denial that has me worried....


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## Lucky-C-Acres-Minis (Oct 5, 2010)

I'm going to have to agree with Rabbitsfizz and a few others.. There's always been that nagging feeling of "somethings not right" with this entire situation (and not just the horse himself) for me, but with the publicity and the outlook others (specifically non-horse people) will have on our miniature horses..


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## yellerroseintx (Oct 5, 2010)

you know, I don't know how tall he was at birth or what he weighed but..Tonys little colt, Fan Man is only 21 inches and I think he is about the same age...seems Einstein was 14 inches at birth if I remember correctly and thats quite a growth spurt at 5 months don't you think? Wonder how he will mature...guess we all will be watching...cute lil begger tho ..love his witto face


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## Eohippus (Oct 5, 2010)

yellerroseintx said:


> you know, I don't know how tall he was at birth or what he weighed but..Tonys little colt, Fan Man is only 21 inches and I think he is about the same age...seems Einstein was 14 inches at birth if I remember correctly and thats quite a growth spurt at 5 months don't you think? Wonder how he will mature...guess we all will be watching...cute lil begger tho ..love his witto face



My little boy was about that height around that age too (21" at 5 months). I referenced the growth chart. Granted its give or take an inch but he could easily measure to be 25-27" when done fully growing, especially considering that growth spurt (and if similar ones continue). I think I read some where that his breeder even said he was born too early (thus the small size). If I'm recalling correctly and thats the case then he _should_ catch up in size to what he was _supposed_ to be, right?

Man his face sure is cute though! I know I wouldn't be able to resist it


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## sedeh (Oct 5, 2010)

When Enstien was first born and I saw his pics I thought he looked like a premature foal. Now he's catching up a bit. Still cute as a button though! Don't know why they went for all the publicity but I have to say I get questioned about him a lot at work because they know I raise miniature horses...so, even if it is a bit of hype it does put miniature horses in the spotlight! As they say...any publicity is good publicity! I do think he's got a bit of a roached back though.


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## HGFarm (Oct 5, 2010)

A foal grows most, and very rapidly, during the first six months of it's life, so that is not unusual to grow that much I dont think- it is pretty close to what the height chart says I believe, which is a good guideline. Their growth really slows after about 6 months. How old is he now?


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## yellerroseintx (Oct 5, 2010)

HGFarm said:


> A foal grows most, and very rapidly, during the first six months of it's life, so that is not unusual to grow that much I dont think- it is pretty close to what the height chart says I believe, which is a good guideline. Their growth really slows after about 6 months. How old is he now?



they said he was 5 months old


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## rabbitsfizz (Oct 5, 2010)

I missed that bit...how big do they say he is now?


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## wwminis (Oct 5, 2010)

_I also watched little Enstien on TV yesterday! He is tiny and cute for his age! I too seen a bit of a roach back when he would put his head to the ground! Only time will tell with this little guy! That being said, we had a colt born here 8 years ago that was 14" tall and weighed 12lbs. WW Miniatures Heza Silver Star! He was perfect in all areas and matured at 25". But at 4 1/2 years old he starting showing small signs of dwarfism. We had bred him and he produced a beautiful black colt who also matured around 26" and at 3 years of age we bred Hezas son and he threw a dwarf, so we gelded Heza and his son the next week!_

_So, only time will tell with Enstien!_

_Bill_


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## HGFarm (Oct 5, 2010)

I agree that some are much slower in showing dwarf characteristics. I know someone who had one that looked normal at birth- longer legs, smaller head than the 'typical dwarf' we see most of the time....... But the older it got, the more it 'fell apart' and developed an underbite, back end went down, hind legs became week and it progressed more with time. This dwarf still had a reasonably long neck, etc...


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## pinkapache (Oct 6, 2010)

> Like Paris with her dog in her purse, I am sure we will see many people running around with tiny minis in dog harnesses thinking its cute after this episode. I'd say if you are trying to sell your dwarfs, the market for them just got a lot better.


Couldnt agree more, he is very cute but his hind legs, roached back and very short neck are characteristic of dwarfism. As was said earlier...what a pity Oprah didnt have a show horse or two with great conformation and proportion from the worlds.


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## Songcatcher (Oct 6, 2010)

pinkapache said:


> > Quote
> > Like Paris with her dog in her purse, I am sure we will see many people running around with tiny minis in dog harnesses thinking its cute after this episode. I'd say if you are trying to sell your dwarfs, the market for them just got a lot better.
> 
> 
> Couldnt agree more, he is very cute but his hind legs, roached back and very short neck are characteristic of dwarfism. As was said earlier...what a pity Oprah didnt have a show horse or two with great conformation and proportion from the worlds.


Perhaps people who watch Oprah could flood her with letters and emails requesting that she bring on a National or World Champion from the under 30" class to give a true representation of what is a "perfect little horse". Just a thought.


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## StarRidgeAcres (Oct 6, 2010)

Mary Lou - LB said:


> Years ago I had a little mini foal born and he looked really nice and small.. As he aged, the truth came out that he was truly a dwarf.. The weiner type dwarf.. I gave him to someone that had tons of time to give him plenty of love..
> 
> I just found this picture of Thumbelina... Gosh this picture sure is cute! How can the general public say she is not CUTE? She looks like a stuffed animal..
> 
> ...


I know what you mean Mary Lou. But honestly, Thumbalina doesn't look like that anymore. Sadly, she looks disfigured and like she's in pain. I am NOT saying she is in pain, because I don't know that to be the case. And it's probably been 2 years since I've gotten to see her in person and actually pet her and interact with her. But as she aged, the "signs" became more pronounced and she looked like it was more difficult for her to get around. She was still getting around, that's for sure, but it looked more difficult. She certainly gets the best medical and farrier care money can buy so that's not an issue with her. But goodness, having a dwarf to care for a long road to go down and if you have a horse that you suspect is a carrier or has produced one, why repeat that? (not you personally ML, the all of us, collective "you").

Poor litte Einstein is adorable...of course he is. But for experienced mini people to have him in front of them every day, seeing him from all angles and watching him walk, to say he is not and he may be used as a breeding stallion...well something stinks here and it's not my septic system! To keep putting him in the spotlight and trying to distance yourself from Thumbalina, well, again, something doesn't seem right to ME. Maybe I'm wrong. I hope I'm wrong. But my gut tells me we're all being taken for a ride.


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## Marty (Oct 6, 2010)

The owner's of Einstein were very firm in saying he was not a dwarf and then described Thumbelina as a dwarf in a very carefully manner. One of those videos assured that Einstein's owners are not breeders and they will not be using him for breeding purposes. I too am thrown about the use of a harness on him though.

What bothers me a lot is this gives the non-horsey people the idea that smaller is better. My non-horsey friend saw the Oprah show called to notify me I had better start reducing the size of my miniatures and then my foals could be tiny and famous too. See what I mean? This kind of exposure puts the wrong idea out there and I don't like the general public thinking that is what its all about.

I love Songcather's idea. We should all ask Oprah to give equal time to a World or National Champion and bring them on the show, or any high caliber horse for that matter, just for the sake of comparrison to the open public. Show them driving, show them jumping, show them its so much more than how tiny they can be.


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## HGFarm (Oct 6, 2010)

Oh Mary Lou, that picture is just sad... the one with the harness on. That poor little thing looks miserable and you can see it written all over it. That just breaks my heart.

I agree that something about little Einstein just doesnt quite look right to me either- the back, do his hind pasterns look weak to me or is it my imagination? Time will tell, but like Thumbelina, he has a face anyone would love. His eyes are so expressive.


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## Thinking small (Oct 6, 2010)

My gosh, that Thumbelina almost doesn't look real! The little Einstein guy is a cute one too... I too find the harness an odd choice?



But i appreciate all of you posting links, i generally never watch oprah so would have have not seen the clip otherwise.



Mary Lou - LB said:


> Years ago I had a little mini foal born and he looked really nice and small.. As he aged, the truth came out that he was truly a dwarf.. The weiner type dwarf.. I gave him to someone that had tons of time to give him plenty of love..
> 
> I just found this picture of Thumbelina... Gosh this picture sure is cute! How can the general public say she is not CUTE? She looks like a stuffed animal..
> 
> ...


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## Riverdance (Oct 6, 2010)

I guess I will add my two cents.

For a horse that is 5 to 6 months old and looks like Einstein, something is fishy. He does look to have a roached back (regardless of hair) and still very wean back legs. To try and say that this horse is perfectly proportioned, is like trying to say that fish can fly. His front end looks somewhat in proportion, except for the short neck, but there is definitely something wrong with his back end.

I had a colt years ago, that was very small and looked like any other little Mini, but as the months went by, it was obvious that there was something wrong.

Oprah says it is causing a stir in the Miniature Horse World, it is, but not the kind she may be thinking.

My opinion is that these people bought this little horse to promote him.(the ones on TV, were not the breeders, but ones that bought him) Sorry to say, but they seem to have seen $$$$ signs when they saw and bought this little guy. He has two human nannies for g..s sake, does that not say that they are hoping to make money on him? It takes a lot to promote a horse to the outside world. Thumbelina has been used in this way for years, and now so will Einstein. How sad for these dwarfs and how sad for our breed. Does one ever see a dwarf large horse promoted? I would think not.

Also, they do not have the facilities to keep a horse and said that he just runs around their back yard like any dog. How many people out there are going to now want to buy a dwarf (tiny) Mini so that they can keep it in their small back yard?


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## Lucky-C-Acres-Minis (Oct 6, 2010)

HGFarm, I saw the same thing you did, he does look awful weak in the hind pasterns to me too..

Riverdance, you're last two paragraphs pretty much summed up what I've been thinking too.. Think it boils down to fame and fortune, pushing for a "World Record", getting on National TV and I'm sure hoping to make a buck or two..


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## denny10012 (Oct 6, 2010)

I HAVE ONLY ONE THING TO SAY ON THIS POST...GIVE THEM A BREAK...... THE LITTLE HORSE IS LOVED FOR GODS SAKE !!!!!CARED FOR AND BY THE LOOKS OF IT HAS A GREAT LIFE!!!!!


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## Field-of-Dreams (Oct 6, 2010)

denny10012 said:


> I HAVE ONLY ONE THING TO SAY ON THIS POST...GIVE THEM A BREAK...... THE LITTLE HORSE IS LOVED FOR GODS SAKE !!!!!CARED FOR AND BY THE LOOKS OF IT HAS A GREAT LIFE!!!!!


Chill. We Miniature Horse owners, showers and breeders are not thrilled with the promotion of what may be a DWARF horse. THAT'S what all the fuss is all about.

Yes, he's cute, yes, he's loved... but then again, so are all of ours, and we can promote CORRECT, TINY Miniaure Horses.


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## Riverdance (Oct 6, 2010)

denny10012 said:


> I HAVE ONLY ONE THING TO SAY ON THIS POST...GIVE THEM A BREAK...... THE LITTLE HORSE IS LOVED FOR GODS SAKE !!!!!CARED FOR AND BY THE LOOKS OF IT HAS A GREAT LIFE!!!!!



I am sure that he is loved for now, but what will happen to him when he can no longer get around well, has extensive vet and farrier bills (if they even know what a farrier is, as they seem to have no horse type facilities for him), and perhaps no longer make money for them?

I also do not consider being dragged around the country to promote him as the "perfect little horse" well cared for, and a very bad example of a true Miniature horse that IS well proportioned.

Heck, I could do that with Marbles too, if I wanted to campaign her in that way, she is rarer than a dwarf and could probably get into the Guinness World Book Of Records too. But, I would rather make sure that Marbles has a wonderful life and is most and foremost, a horse.


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## denny10012 (Oct 6, 2010)

I understand what your saying but no one knows for sure he is a dwarf...yet...and maybe with the amount of homeless and abused miniatures no one should be promoting any horse no matter how correct you are breeding......but than thats another whole story.....


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## HGFarm (Oct 6, 2010)

I agree he is loved and as I said previously, the couple seemed very nice.

Whether he is a dwarf or not, only time will tell I think, however I agree that if the Miniature breed is going to be promoted in a good way, all over the news and tv, I would hope it is with a top quality horse that is conformationally correct and an excellent example of the breed, rather than one simply because it is tiny. And I dont know that 'living in the backyard with the pet goats' is a good way to show folks who dont know that it is ok......


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## denny10012 (Oct 6, 2010)

Mary Lou - LB said:


> denny10012 - I am so sorry if it was me that upset you..



No not at all Mary Lou, i just thought it was unfair to have so many harsh opinions on people that may very well have his best interest at heart....and at the end of the day there are miniatures out there in much worst situations than that little guy...


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## splash's mom (Oct 6, 2010)

Hey All,

I agree that he does look like he has some dwarf traits, which only time will tell if they manifest into more.I'm no expert as far as that is concerned. I do know that these people are doctors have plenty of money and love him to pieces. Although it may not be the ideal situation for many and they may not be the most horse savvy people in the world they don't seem to want anything more than to show off the little horse that they fell head over heals for and if he has a good home I'm okay with it. As far as people running out and sticking mini horses in their yard...breeding anything..... they are already doing that, take a look at craigslist sometime. I know this is probably going to get me flamed but it's just my opinion. I just don't think we should knock these people down because they really are decent people. And I do think their heart is in the right place because they sure don't need the money. As a side note I think the horses that I have seen on this site are beautiful beyond compare but please remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder. P.S. No I am not personal friends with them but I am friends with someone who is.


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## ohmt (Oct 6, 2010)

Splash's Mom-thank you for that post. I agree with you 100%


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## susanne (Oct 6, 2010)

Consider if Einstein had been born back in the early days of the miniature horse, when it was all about the tiniest horse possible. He would certainly have been used for breeding and would probably show up in many bloodlines. Some of the historical miniature horse stallions look much worse.

The only way things changed with breeding through education -- those who cared spoke up, and today ethical breeders recognize that dwarfism, though often cute and tiny, can mean a life of pain for the horse.

Oprah is so involved in the ethical treatment of animals that she should be open to a well-spoken, reasonable advocate for healthy, normal minis informing her about the tragedy of dwarves. Not a mass of hysterical protests, but an intelligent, calm spokesperson.

I'd vote for an expert such as John Eberth, or one who has owned a number of dwarves, such as Bill or Janelle (Little Bit).

Educating Oprah and the public about why dwarves do not make good pets and showing a good example of a mini is newsworthy. Demanding that she show the AMHR or AMHA champions will sound self-serving and most likely be ignored.


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## wildhorses (Oct 6, 2010)

I was not going to add my two cents to this threat, but why not, it's a public forum and what it is here for. I have watched Oprah for years and am a big fan of hers. The show in which this horse was featured on simply featured amazing animals in the world. A dog that rides a skate board, an elephant and dog that are best friends, a girl that is obsessed with spiders, etc. I am sure the people that raise bulldogs are not up in arms about their breed being misrepresented by having a bulldog ride a skateboard. It is cute and amuzing to the average joe. I have had horses all my life and enjoyed the clip about Einstein. Do I think he is perfect...no I don't. My years of breeding minis tells me that. Does my next door neighbor think he's perfect...absolutely. She isn't a horse person and doesn't know any different. She saw a beautiful little horse that was loved by his owners...and I truly do believe he is loved. She called me so excited and thought it was a great story.

In the rough economic times, when a quality breeder is having difficulty selling thier quality horses, myself included, I think this was good publicity for the miniature horse breed. It was an introduction of our breed to the world. Was it the best sample to choose...no. If they had featured Miss Kentucky on the show, it wouldn't have gotten people as excited I don't think...because she is not a "novelty". She is perfect in my eyes...but in the eyes of any average joe, they would say, yes she is a pretty miniature horse, but what's so special about her???. But bring Einstein on the stage who is going after the world record as the smallest horse in the world, now that is what catches peoples attention. I still will never forget the first time I saw the woman on TV that had the longest fingernails in the world....had they shown people with just long finger nails I wouldn't have remembered...but they showed the woman with the longest, and that I remembered 25 years later! Get where I am going with this???

This Oprah episode introduced the miniature horse to the world...to many people who didn't likely know they existed. This ten minutes of fame on Oprah did more promoting for our breed and introduced our breed to more people than AMHA, AMHR, the Nationals, the World Show, magazines, private advertising, etc. could have done. 25 million plus people saw a cute little horse on the Oprah show, and for those that do take an interest because of it and go out and want to buy a mini, hopefully they will be informed by the people they are purchasing from and educated about our breed. Some will not, that I know, but hopefully good things can come from the Oprah show. Bad things will result as well. Its no different than when Walt Disney releases a movie featuring a certain dog...there is a large increase in the number of those dogs on the market and sadly even larger numbers in the pounds six months later.

A few weeks back, I saw a post on Facebook that AMHA posted stating they had been contacted by the Oprah show. Never heard anymore about it but I think it is safe to assume that it was in reference to this story. If Einstein is so obviously a dwarf I guess AMHA or AMHR shouldn't have registered him if he is a registered horse. As far as the harness, I found it a little odd too, but the more I thought about it, can you imagine how hard it would be to lead him safely with a halter when he is so little. Maybe this is a little better way...I am not defending it, I just like to look at things from different perspectives.

I think this horse is truly loved by his owners. I think they are very proud of him. There are some spectacular breeders in this world that do some pretty horrible things to horses in order to make them win in the show ring. There is plenty of abuse that happens by members of our own breed, by some of our trainers, and some of the owners. Some of the things that I see some show horses put through for our simple enjoyment sickens me. Some of it just goes too far, and to be quite honest, when I walk through a horse barn on a 110 degree day and see horses double wrapped in neck sweats, etc. it bothers me. These horses don't seem happy to me. Some spend more time in a trailer and stall than they do a pasture. What a life. This is just one example, and we all know the extremes that people will go to in order to win. So when I see a horse that is loved the way that it is by these people, it makes me happy, as there are many, many, many animals in this world who are not loved.

I remember the horse that made me fall in love with Miniature horses when I was a kid. Smidget, the worlds smallest horse. He had his own fan club and I was a member. Clearly now I know he was a dwarf...but as I child I dreamed of one day owning a little horse like him. It's like the lady said on the Oprah show...what little girl doesn't dream of owning a tiny little pony...

In closing, while maybe this little horse isn't the perfect example of the miniature horse breed, Einstein is a much better example than what has previously been protrayed...and we are moving in the right direction. People are taking this a bit too serious in my opinion, and hopefully it will generate interest in our market that has been struggling in recent years. It isn't going to stop the junk breeders, it isn't going to stop the rich from buying a tiny little pony no matter the quality, and we can't rely on Oprah to educate the world about every aspect of our breed of horses in her short clip about a cute miniature horse. This little horse has created quite a buzz.

I just wanted to voice my views and am sure I will condemmed as it goes against what most on this thread feel. But sometimes you just have to speak what you feel, so please don't bash me for my opinion. Thank you.


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## horsehug (Oct 6, 2010)

Excellent post, wildhorses.

Susan O.


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## SWA (Oct 6, 2010)

Very well said Wildhorses.






In regard to the use of the dog harness...don't know if this could be the "why" of it, but just made me wonder...could it be because they haven't found a halter small enough to actually fit him correctly? So the next best thing was a dog harness? Again, don't know if that's why, just a thought.


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## Sixstardanes (Oct 6, 2010)

I wouldn't be surprised that he wasn't in a halter to show off his head/face.

This even possibly could have been the show's request and not the owners' choice.

The reason I say this is we've been filmed with our Great Danes for a couple shows that have been on tv and one of them "That's My Baby" that was on Animal Planet wanted us to actual recreate and even fake some things.


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## ohmt (Oct 6, 2010)

GREAT post Wildhorses!!


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## chandab (Oct 7, 2010)

wildhorses said:


> I remember the horse that made me fall in love with Miniature horses when I was a kid. Smidget, the worlds smallest horse. He had his own fan club and I was a member. Clearly now I know he was a dwarf...but as I child I dreamed of one day owning a little horse like him. It's like the lady said on the Oprah show...what little girl doesn't dream of owning a tiny little pony...


I remember Smidget, at least in name and that he was a little miniature horse.


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## tagalong (Oct 7, 2010)

> As far as the harness, I found it a little odd too, but the more I thought about it, can you imagine how hard it would be to lead him safely with a halter when he is so little.


I can imagine it - and it is VERY easy to lead a mini around when they are that little - why would it be especially hard? Have his two "nannies"/trainers not taught him that? Yes, there are halters that are very small - I am looking at one now. One that all our smaller foals have learned to lead and tie in - and they never had any difficulties with the concept. I am sure that it would fit Einstein just fine. He just does not look all that astoundingly little to me - I will bet there are other young minis out there that are his size. He just seemed to be annointed "the smallest horse" and that has always puzzled me...

I am not sure if he is just butt high in a growth spurt or if that is all hair that gives him a bit of a roachbacked look - but it sort of reminds me of a mini colt I worked with years ago who had scoliosis. It got worse as he grew older...

I doubt that the harness was the show's idea - wouldn't it be better if he looked more like a horse than a dog and actually wore a halter to emphasize that point?

I hope his exposure on Oprah will not backfire - many people will think all minis are that little, will always stay that little and that you can simply plop one in your backyard...


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## HGFarm (Oct 7, 2010)

You know, wildhorses, very well said. I certainly see your points.


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## Reble (Oct 7, 2010)

wildhorses said:


> I was not going to add my two cents to this threat, but why not, it's a public forum and what it is here for.
> 
> sometimes you just have to speak what you feel, so please don't bash me for my opinion. Thank you.


Thanks very good points, I must say even an extra small does not fit my little foals even at 4 months, have to put a knot in them.

So just might of been safer to have the harness.


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## rabbitsfizz (Oct 7, 2010)

I can say without a doubt there would be no trouble at all finding a halter to fit that colt, he just is not _that_ small. I am pretty sure that the harness was just the owners way of saying " see how small he is, we cannot even find a halter to fit"

That is a very mild deceit, but it is a deceit, nonetheless.

I personally object to all the hype around him. He is not that small.

He is not that good.

We need Oprah to have the Champion under 28" _and_ Bill and Wanna Lee's Brat Pack on her show, and just give five minutes to showing the difference.

Even if you could get a Dwarf for nothing (and if you give a pint of blood as payment you sometimes can) you would still be left paying the price of a Champion in Vet bills.

If Thumbelina and Einstein are what the public truly see as Minis and what the public wants then what on earth are we doing trying to breed really really good ones?

I have a colt who is perfect and 23 1/2" (to the withers) at seven months.

Should I call Oprah???


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## HGFarm (Oct 7, 2010)

It has been made very clear that Thumbalina is a dwarf and not a registered Miniature. Nobody has ever claimed she was not a dwarf.

As to Einstein, we are all still rather assuming at this point on something that I feel only time will tell. He could just have poor conformation with his back and rear end.

I dont feel it is fair to pick on why they used a harness vs. a halter on Einstein. What difference does it make? I dont think it was done to deceive anyone. And non horse people would not even know the difference- so what is the point about ridiculing what they used as a control device while he was on the stage? I dont get it.

Rabbits, it sounds like your foal is in about the same size range as Einstein- a nice letter to Oprah, or the records book, would maybe put him in the competition for Worlds Smallest? Join in the fun.


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## Mock2Farms (Oct 7, 2010)

Not to start anymore conflict but I was reading on an online article that Einstien has already had to have one back surgery to help him "walk correctly".. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this??


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## shadelady (Oct 7, 2010)

I have been watching this post with great interest and do not wish to comment on details. However, Einstein HAS been registered with the AMHA and I would have thought that they would have looked at his pictures a lot more closely than some because of all the publicity that surrounds him. On looking up his AMHA pedigree it is clear that there is a lot of very small breeding behind both the sire and the dam so it is not really a surprise that he was born so small. Having said this, and looking at everything that has been said about his current height ect ( and from personal experience of these bloodlines) I would expect him to finish up in the 27-28" range. Time will tell.


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## HGFarm (Oct 7, 2010)

I've not heard about him having any back surgery and at the length of his hair coat, it certainly was not recently as it is all grown in the same length. Sounds like a rumor to me, but you can always contact who ever wrote the article and ask where they got their facts.

What I dont get is how can they declare him the worlds smallest horse with the book of records when he wont be done growing for two or three years?


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## Sue_C. (Oct 7, 2010)

> What I dont get is how can they declare him the worlds smallest horse with the book of records when he wont be done growing for two or three years?


I think the title he actually holds is _the smallest horse at birth_...as to the other, he will have to mature first, as I understand it.


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## HGFarm (Oct 7, 2010)

Ah, thanks for the clarification, but wouldnt they have had to do an official measurement and all the other stuff they do then to put it in the records, or did they? (folks from the record book to verify)


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## trickhorses (Oct 21, 2010)

http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Meet-Einstein-One-of-the-Smallest-Horses-in-the-World/5

In this picture above - he looks dwarfy to me. The roached back is not normal. I have had several normal quality foals born as small as 15" and they never went through a stage where they had a roached back like that. I have seen roached backs in many dwarfs though. IMO, Einstein still has undesirable characteristics and I hope he is eventually gelded. I wish they had a picture of his bite as in one picture it looked like it was off.


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## Riverdance (Oct 21, 2010)

In the picture with the white boxer (which is also incorrect), he still has quite a roached back and he looks undershot in this picture too. With the St Bernard, he looks to have a head too big for his body. It is so sad that they are campaigning him as a perfectly proportioned Miniature. No wonder the large horse world does not take us seriously.


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## Katiean (Oct 21, 2010)

When I first saw his pictures at birth I said both that he looked like he had a roached back and his head was too large. I was told then by someone that they had actually seen him and he was perfect. Even friends can be barn blind.


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## georgiegirl (Oct 22, 2010)

I did send an email to Oprah through her contacts. Not easy to find BTW

I didnt bash Einstein, I just said that it would have been nice to have good representatives of the miniature horse on the program.

Of course, I didnt get a response.


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## Reble (Oct 22, 2010)

They are just saying he was the smallest born at 6 lbs.

I would like to see how he develops before making a final decision on dwarf or not.

We can always educate our buyers.

Do we really think a normal size mini would be in the news.


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## georgiegirl (Oct 22, 2010)

He is cute, no doubt. All baby animals are cute.

Obviously there are a number of health issues with him. Not only the ones that have been pointed out but he is walking down on his back pasterns. At five months of age, shouldnt he be walking more upright with more strength if he is normal?

IMHO I would much rather look at a wonderful representative of any breed of animal. It doesnt matter whether it is a miniature horse, border collie or Siamese cat.

The unfortunate part of this is that the mini horse is getting publicity, but is it really the kind of publicity we need. I know someone who is dead set against minis, bad mouths the breed every chance she gets, and tries to convince everyone that dwarfs are running rampant. She has nothing good to say, in spite of the fact her daughter has, and loves, minis. This just adds fuel to the fire she is trying to spread.


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## Bonny (Oct 22, 2010)

I think he is *cute* but agree he seems to have some abnormalities. Which is very sad for him.

There is another miniature starting to make headlines after Einstein was on the Oprah show. The owner was also disappointed that Einstein was being called *perfect* because of the impact on the mini world. The owners name is Allison and she runs Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue. She has a mini filly named Bella, born at Mystic Rock Miniatures. She is very correct and tiny. Her Dam and Sire are both tiny and correct. You can find her on Face book as well.


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## Bonny (Oct 24, 2010)

I found the link to Bella for those of you interested...

myminibella.com


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## trickhorses (Oct 25, 2010)

Riverdance said:


> In the picture with the white boxer (which is also incorrect), he still has quite a roached back and he looks undershot in this picture too. With the St Bernard, he looks to have a head too big for his body. It is so sad that they are campaigning him as a perfectly proportioned Miniature. No wonder the large horse world does not take us seriously.


Exactly! I am glad someone else can see it also.

This is why I don't support the exploitation of Einstein. Yes Einstein is cute. But if they are going to showcase a mini in front of millions of viewers - they need to at least make it the ideal specimen of what a miniature is and IMO Einstein is not. I still question the roached back and rear legs as a sign of dwarfism because we all know that is NOT normal. So he is either a mini with just HORRIBLE conformation or he is a dwarf - either way I think it is misleading to the public as they will assume he is the "ideal" when he isn't and that is what everyone will want - which I don't think is a good thing for the breed. So I wonder what will come of Einstein if as he grows, his dwarf traits become more prominent or his conformation continues to worsen? Are they going to still parade him in front of the public? What will they say then? I personally think they jumped the gun on parading this little fellow around. The fact that his conformation has changed from the the first time he was in front of the camera - just confirms my fears that he most likely is a dwarf. (We all know there are many forms of dwarfism and Einstein isn't the first dwarf I have seen that looks like him either)


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## Reble (Oct 25, 2010)

Bonny said:


> I found the link to Bella for those of you interested...
> 
> myminibella.com



thanks for the link, but on her growth chart, looks like she was 15.50" at birth.

So I do not believe she will be the smallest.


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