# Purpose of Mini/Shetland cross?



## luv2ridesaddleseat

I have bought my first mini, she is a mare and is in foal to a shetland stallion. I'm curious as to why people do this cross? Is it done very often? What is the purpose of it? I'm just trying to learn all I can before my first foal is born. I did get an application to register the baby from the former owner in some sport pony registry? I would love to hear any information on this cross!

Thank you!


----------



## mendocinobackofbeyond

Hi: I'm not really the one to speak up on this topic, but I think the reason the Shetland/Mini cross is made is because the Shetland has something to offer the Mini (more refinement, better trot) and the hope is that the offpsring will stay small enough to hardship (at 3rd birthday) into Miniatures. The offspring of a Shetland/Mini can never be registered Shetland unless both parents are already double registered Shetland/Miniature and of course, if the offspring goes oversize it is usually considered a grade pony. There is a new registery ASPR, I think that's the one, where it can be registered. Hope this helps some. Ta, Shirlee


----------



## kaykay

The crosses I do along with many others are horses that are already ASPC/AMHR registered. So my foals are born with both sets of papers.

I think they add a lot of great genes back into the miniatures (better hind end conformation, better necks etc)

The problem with your mares breeding is they are both different registries instead of being double registered. So that really limits how you can register the foal.

I have no idea what sport pony registry they are talking about ??

I would never breed for example an AMHR mare to an ASPC stallion.

You can try to register the foal National Show Pony if the stallions is ASPC registered. But this is a performance only registry not a breeding registry.

Kay


----------



## luv2ridesaddleseat

Thanks Shirlee! I appreciate that information. Maybe I'll have fun driving him or her, which ever it is!

KayKay, yes, that is the Registry! The National Show Pony. Honestly, what will they come up with next? The American Warmblood Pony? LOL! Anyway, I didn't know if there was a specific reason my mini was bred with a Shetland. We will love the baby, what ever it is! When I breed her, it will be to another mini!

Thank you both so much for your information, it helps alot!!!


----------



## Firefall

Thats why I got more into the double registered shetlands, (my opinion only), I really liked the long legs and over all conformation that they added to the miniatures. They made them look more like a horse rather than a "barrel with legs" as I've heard many people say. OH!

Plus they can go to more shows!


----------



## luv2ridesaddleseat

Firefall, I love the "barrel with legs"! My mare is horribly overweight and thats exactly what she looks like! Everytime I go out and see her now, thats all I'm going to think of now! LOL!!!


----------



## Karen S

Good Evening,

What is your mare's registered name? and what was the name of the stallion? Could it possibly be your mare is also a registered Shetland with Shetland papers who happens to also have Miniature papers? The stallion could also carry Miniature papers so you would have what we call a double registered mare, ASPC/AMHR. If that's the case and the stallion was also ASPC/AMHR registered the offspring would also carry both sets of papers.

If your mare was a "grade" mare without papers, then to get the baby registered she was bred to a registered Shetland. This new division, National Show Pony was created for a performance only animal not a breed animal and one of the requirements was that one parent had to be registered with the ASPC or the AMHR. The other half could be registered or a grade pony. It was originally was set up for our youth to move from the smaller ponies to a larger pony up to 14.2 hands. This isn't something that was to be looked down on but an avenue for those breeders who had ponies that went over size or were experimenting with larger horses. Heck I even bought a registered Paint mare that is 14.2 to breed to my Shetland stallion to see if I could get a pony 52" pony for a larger child to ride that wasn't quiet ready for a full size horse.

Karen


----------



## Firefall

luv2ridesaddleseat I have a couple too! he he he


----------



## Mini Brook Farm

IMO a top quality, small Shetland blood could enhance most Miniature breeding programs. I've

used my ASPC/AMHR Shetland/Miniature stallion on all my Miniature mares for the past two years

and been extremely pleased with the resulting foals.

Carol

Mini Brook Farm


----------



## luv2ridesaddleseat

Karen, my mare is only registered in the AMHR and the stallion is 40" and is a registered Shetland. My mare is 32.25 inches. Now, if the foal reaches 38" or under at 3 years old, it can be registered in the AMHR registry? I want to say, I like your way of thinking, of breeding to get an "inbetween" pony for a child. I'll bet that would make and awesome cross! Did you get to do it? I'd love to see how the baby turned out.





Thanks for your help!

Carol, are those foals registered as Miniatures?


----------



## Mini Brook Farm

Oh yes, the foals resulting from my ASPC/AMHR stallion/AMHR mares are all AMHR registered.

Carol


----------



## Karen S

Good Morning Luv2ridesaddleseat,

Your baby can only be registered into the NSPR (National Show Pony Registry) of the ASPC/AMHR. If the mare had been ASPC/AMHR and your stallion was only ASPC, then at the age of three the resulting baby could have been hardship into the AMHR if it meet the height qualifications with it's Shetland papers.

You will still have a registered baby with this cross, but for performance only, no breeding stock. If you don't have an ASPC/AMHR rulebook, go to the ASPC/AMHR website: www.shetlandminiature.com, go to the right of the page and scroll down until you come to the rulebook. Click on it and you can go to the section of the rulebook about the National Show Pony.

Find you a new AMHR stallion that will compliment your mare and re-breed your mare in order to get you an AMHR registered foal (if that is what you want). Enjoy your new baby when it gets here and let us all know what it is.

Karen

Hi Carol,

Luv2ridesaddleseat's mare isn't ASPC/AMHR registered she is just AMHR registered and the stallion is only ASPC registered. So her baby can't be anything but the NSPR (National Show Pony Registry).

You happen to have a double registered stallion ASPC/AMHR and only an AMHR mare, then yes any resulting foal that is by your stallion bred to an AMHR mare will automatically have AMHR papers. You can't get ASPC papers due to your mare not being a registered Shetland.

Hope this helps.

Karen


----------



## luv2ridesaddleseat

Thanks Karen! I've got it now, and I will check out the rule book for sure. Now one more thing! How much about does a foal weigh when it's born?

Thanks for all your help!

Joyce


----------



## Karen S

Good Morning,

Had a baby filly born this past monday morning before I left for work. She's out of my 39" Foundation mare and it's the smallest baby we have had thus far. I would say she probably weighs in around 20-25lb. and measured around 26" inches tall. My other larger Shetland babies are around 30lbs.

Karen


----------



## luv2ridesaddleseat

Oh my goodness, I can't imagine! My smallest dog is 33 lbs! My mare is 32 inches and the Sire is 40". I can't believe how small they are!

congrats on you filly by the way!!!


----------



## thecookfam

I just purchase a Amish driving trained mini/Shetland cross gelding. I love his respectful and friendly personality as well as his sturdy build. He’s 36.5” (a bit overweight) but has nice conformation I always heard Shetlands were headstrong so I think the mini horse temperament is a good mix


----------



## Sandra Ericson

Shetland/Mini pony is a greed farm breed which fully adaptable in the harsh climate. They are free minded but not wild.


----------

