All this talk, who is staying small?

[Frankie]

A lot of talk about those going to B's, and smaller shetlands, and I think that is great! Gotta go where our heart is! And what WE think will work for us.

But haven't heard much from, those who plan to stay small. Are you there? Are you planning to stay small, go smaller, (height)? Keeping the same program, or going from a larger mini to smaller?

And, what is your reason for staying with the smaller mini?

It takes all kinds, and we for sure need them in all sizes!

Just wondering, curious.

 

[nootka]

I guess that would be me. I used to have B sized minis, but don't have room for as many and I have more showing options w/the As. Also, I could barely get any money at all for NICE B size horses, so I realized my better utilisation of time and resources was to stay w/the A/R under 34" miniature horse.

That being said, the ones I really love are usually between 32-34" in height, usually closer to 34".

So, I am staying "small" or as small as I ever have.

Liz M.

 

[minimule]

I'm staying under 34" for my horse program. I don't mind larger mares for my mules but want to stay as close to 34" for them too.

Hey MaryLou.......you could send one of those Hackney pony mares to me! I've been wanting to experiment with one and my jack.

 

[zacharyfarms]

Plan to stay with trying for the "perfect" 30" and under.

 

[Erica]

For me I plan to bred and raise the best horses I can regardless of height, I have all sizes here and each of there are here because I think they are very nice quality animals and I hope that they are even able to "outproduce" themselves when crossed to another indiviual - whether that cross produces a 31" horse or a 34" horse, or a 36" horse............My Perfect height would be 33", as is the reason that 90% of my broodmares are 32-34". And two of my three stallions are 34".

 

[Getitia]

I guess for us it is not so much a height issue - over 34 or under 34 but rather the type aspect.

In our breeding program, we really strive to produce a small equine, with excellent movement that has a big horse look. This particular amha/r filly is one of our smaller foals from this year - when we have visitors, they think that she is a Shetland (I guess that is a compliment

) and yet she is on track to mature around 32.

 

[Lost Spoke Ranch]

My husband and I first learned about minis in 1993 and I did some extensive research of all the breeders of the time. I still have the two very large binders with all of this initial information.

Having come from POA's (Ponies of the America's) appaloosa ponies and Quarter Horses when I came across minis, I was intrigued with the idea of raising the best small horse with colorful appaloosa coat patterns.

We purchased our first mini in February 1994 he was a tiny 28" Falabella miniature appaloosa to begin our venture. From that time on, we were hooked!

We strayed a little into producing a variety of coat patterns, but decided this year to concentrate on raising top quality miniature appaloosa.

Earlier this month two of our boys place top ten at the AMHA World Show in Ft. Worth, Texas in both halter and color letting us know we are on the right track.

We are driven to produce top quality and though we may show in AMHR shows in the future have no desire to produce taller than 34".

My two cents worth.

Dawn

Dawn

 

[Amy]

We stiil are small -- to me anything in "miniature" is a SMALL version of what ever the object is.

I do agree the conformation is the thing but I prefer small . ALL of our stallions are under 30".

that being said -- there are some nice "leggy" ones that will still be under.

THe great thing about the Miniatures-- there is a horse to please everyone of us.

Not usually an easy thing to accomplish.

 

[luvmycritters]

This is a no-brainer for me. I love the little ones and any one who frequents this forum knows that I havnt been in to miniatures for very long. But I am hoping to be blessed with a foal or two in the future - and will breed for the smaller ones...My stallion Nakota is 29 inches and one mare is A sized and the other one B. I cant wait to see our first foal!

 

[Buckskin gal]

Although we have some small and some overs It was the small ones that brought us into the breed. There just isn't anything like an excellent 34 or under miniature horse and I think anyone who thinks the smaller ones are just cute haven't been looking at the beautiful horses that AMHA [and many AMHR] people are breeding. The World Magazine, pictures gorgeous, well balanced refined miniatures. Just cute...no way!

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I have to agree on the cute thing.. if it is from a non horse person i dont take any notice really but if it is from a large horse person well.. then I to want more then cute

 

[Songcatcher]

Add me to the list of those who plan to stay small. I got into this business because I didn't want to have to deal with a BIG horse. The smaller ones eat less feed and are USUALLY easier to handle. I have jokingly said, 'I don't want anything bigger than I can pick up and put where I want it". I have two mares that are about 33" and I might even consider an extremely well built "B" size mare, but have no plans to EVER use a "B" size stallion. That's not saying that there aren't some very nice "B" horses, just not what I want to breed. My favorites are my 30" mares and I wouldn't mind if they were a couple of inches smaller.

 

[attwoode]

I will be sticking with the little ones. I have nothing against the bigger ones though.

 

[Miniv]

We are changing over out breeding program with AMHA and having them more at the top end -- not tiny, tiny. We started with our under 34" minis and will probably always have them, but now most of our's are over 30".....

What influenced us, was that over 8 years ago we discovered the Arenosa miniature shetlands that could be registered in both AMHR and ASPC. Once we got our first one, it was the beginning of the end......or was it the beginning of the beginning????

MA

 

[Tobey]

I plan to stay small--in the size of the minis and size of my ranch. I really like the smaller minis--just a personal preference no reason other than I like them. I like the 29-32" heights.

 

[Relic]

Small we want them small not super small and cute but just under 30" because thats the way we like them and we really don't care what other people think or do more power to them for doing what they like with their programs.

 

[Becky]

Working towards my goal here of small, top quality overos and toveros. My herd ranges in size from 28.50" - 33.75" and I've been adding a few under 30" mares to further increase my desire to produce show quality SMALL overos and toveros. I do have foals that go over 34" occcasionally, and they are stunning, but I got into miniatures to have 'miniature' horses not ponies.

I will continue to work towards that goal.

 

[horsehug]

I got into these little wondermous horses 17 years ago wanting to produce the tiniest NICE miniature horses I could, and have never changed my goals.

I do have one mare that is over 34" who I adore and will stay here and also be for my grandson who is 9 months

But all the rest are under 34", and quite a few well under 30".

My heart has ALWAYS been with the TINY ones.

When I first heard of minis I thought of really tiny horses. And I try to raise the kind of little horses that I love, in my favorite colors also, and have found lots of others like them too.

Susan O.

 

[horsehug]

I got into these little wondermous horses 17 years ago wanting to produce the tiniest NICE miniature horses I could, and have never changed my goals.

I do have one mare that is over 34" who I adore and will stay here and also be for my grandson who is 9 months

But all the rest are under 34", and quite a few well under 30".

My heart has ALWAYS been with the TINY ones.

When I first heard of minis I thought of really tiny horses. And I try to raise the kind of little horses that I love, in my favorite colors also, and have found lots of others like them too.

Susan O.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

No choice really- there is nowhere to show an over 34" horse over here, and no value to them. Disastrous decision, but there you go. When the people in charge have no interest in something, it does not get done. Like geldings- nowhere to show, no value = end of the breed as far as I can see. Myself , I have no interest in the bigger horses as I have bred Welsh Ponies that were smaller than some of them, and we only ever see the very best, and in show condition, in the pictures we are shown on the Forum. At the top end of the height range we already have Show Ponies that would knock your socks off, so there would be little point. So...I'll stick with the tinies. It's hard to say how big mine are as some that measure top end of our range measure 32", your way, so let's just say they are all well under 34"