All this talk, who is staying small?

[Robin1]

I plan to stay under 34". Originally I hoped to stay under 30" but getting into performance put a change in that. I do have a 27.25" stallion that has never produced a mature horse over 28" no matter what size the mare, and they are well proportioned babies. So now we have a variety and our customers seem to like that.

Robin

 

[kaykay]

i like every size. i do worry about breeding very small mares. i know they can do fine but they scare me. i have a coming 2 yr old filly that i keep begging to grow. I really thought shed end up 30 or 31 inches and she seems stuck at 28.5. Im hoping come spring shell hit a growth spurt.

32" is my all time fav mini size though. Dont know why but to me that seems about perfect

 

[Charlotte]

After 30 years breeding, training, competing with 'big' horses, when we went 'little' small perfection was our goal.

Under 30", correct, balanced, ..... elegant mares.....masculine stallions........we're getting there!

Personally, I think Star Skipper would be awsome in any size, but he is only 29 1/2".

We have two mares up at 33 1/2" - 34", but they are consistently producing foals maturing under 30" and since that is our goal

Charlotte

 

[capall beag]

I love the wee ones.

I would like to have nothing over 32".

My favorite mare is my Fairy at 29"!

I have one mare that is 36", she is the most elegant of the bunch but too tall for me! She is not going anywhere but I wish I could shrink her by about 4"

Since I can't we will just love her as she is!

 

[Dona]

16 years ago, I was attracted to the Miniatures because of their SMALL size.

So, I have always raised AMHA under 34" Miniatures (double registered in AMHR as well). While I admire the taller "Minis" and Shetlands...that is not what I prefer personally. We all know that "popular" opinion & "trends" change from time to time. But, regardless of what is "currently popular" or what is currently winning in the showring, I will always continue to strive to produce what [SIZE=14pt]I[/SIZE] like.... the smallest, refined "quality" Miniature Overos possible.

 

[mistyrose]

We are staying with the under 34" miniatures. We have had some go over and are happy there are people that will put the B's to good use. But having some go over, I have to say there is a whole lot more horse at 37" vs 34". Alot more to feed and clip. To me- 37" is a good kids riding pony. Our daughter had one to ride when she was young and it was the best thing on earth. But, we will continue always to breed for the under 34" miniature horse.

 

[Kendra]

We're all under 34" and we'll stay that way. And we also like them to be over 32" ... but we're not picky!

Actually, I did some calculating the other day, and of our 40 mature (3 years and older) horses:

- a full 75% (30 out of 40) are between 32" and 34"

- 18% are 30-32" (that's 7 horses, and of those seven, five are for sale ... no reflection on height, but an interesting coincidence!)

- 1 under 30" (had two little 28" geldings until a few days ago when one was sold)

- 2 over 34", unregistered geldings, one my cousins rides, and the other she plans to start soon.

Anyway, it's interesting to me!

 

[Ginia]

We'll be staying with the "under 34" crowd. Personal favorite size is the 30 to 32" range, but have a couple of mares between 33 and 34". The really small mares scare me for breeding, but I love to see the tiny ones if their proportions are "big horse". I must confess tho, I do love my 34.5" AMHR gelding.

 

[Tony]

It is small for me, but to most of you, that is no surprise.

Like Mary Lou, when AMHR changed the rules on hardship, I sold my hackneys which were producing some beautiful and elegant crosses. I did keep one over 34 and one under, both of which were already hardshipped before the rule change.

The rule change also has limited or curtailed our showing in AMHR shows. Before the change, I registered all our show string each year in order to help a couple of local R clubs with their shows. But with the change, we will only show there if we happen to have something that is from the horses that we showed in the past. Didn't show any R this year, but there are plenty of A shows to keep us busy, luckily.

 

[Crossbuck Farms]

I will take a AMHR B anyday thats what I'm set for.

 

[Ashley]

So Becky anything over 34" is a pony?

Me personally, not really changeing much. I was gonna sell my B's and go only double registured but changed my mind. My guys range from 35" down to 28".

 

[Becky]

Ashley, technically any horse under 14.2 hands is a pony!

My preference is horses maturing under 34".

 

[wildoak]

My preference too is for the under 34's. I have an over horse from time to time, but that's not my focus. Our primary stallion is 30", and his foals are normally downsized from their dams. I am going to do more driving in the future, and I do like the 33-34" drivers, but one of the nicest driving horses I've shown was my 32" Buck Echo son, so I'll sure look at any size that moves good.

Jan

 

[Ashley]

I know that, just that you made it sound like if a horse is over 34" it isnt a miniature anymore. But I guess thats pretty typical thinking of most AMHA breeders.

 

[Tammie-C_Spots]

We have for many years bred for temperment, conformation, color, movement, breeding soundness and have achieved that but the sizes sometimes ended up in the B range (and they still are wonderful horses) so we bought a tiny stallion to try to bring some size down in the foals. I like both sizes actually- the tiny ones (28 and under) and I also like the 36" ones because they look more horse like and tend to be better movers

Tammie

 

[Dontworrybeappy]

As far as I'm concerned, my goal is to make correct, well proportioned, athletic and pretty moving minis, 38" and under!

Hopefully with pretty silver & black colors and spots!

We still need to sell our 27" 3 year old colt - he's just *too* small and I have 3 colored Appy stallions in any case, so poor little Dude is sort of redundant, despite his great bloodlines and beautiful face and motion!

Maybe I could trade him for a filly that got too tall for someone's taste? Hmmm!

Appy is 33.5 -34", Moon is still growing but by an "A" stallion and a "B" mare, and Buzz who'll be here in a few weeks from DRK is by two little ones but looks like he'll be taller than his folks - still under 34". Most of our mares are "B" size, but we do have 2 little ones and a tiny filly. Then there's the two ASPC mares, too!

Meanwhile we still have our Arabians, our Khemosabi son Khornerstone KpM who is permanent, along with 3 of his mares and Brenda's mare all in foal for 2006, and his daughter and granddaughter! The rest are boarders! Oh, except for our "desert bred" burro yearling jenny!

 

[shminifancier]

I know that, just that you made it sound like if a horse is over 34" it isnt a miniature anymore.  But I guess thats pretty typical thinking of most AMHA breeders.

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Yes..and a.Yuppers with that.

 

[Viki]

I prefer the 34 & under. I am not an A or R breeder, but a MINIATURE breeder! All of my horses are double registered. Our goal here has always been the under 34" horses and we are sticking to that. Doesnt mean we dont have some that go over, like everyone, we do! I love them too! They are great little animals and most have gone to great show homes! I am just not set up for B sized horses and prefer the smaller horses.

Viki

 

[coopermini]

All but one of ours is under 30 1/2" and looks like we plan to stay in that small range. After watching and learning for a few years before buying we couldn't see much of a market for B size except for some really good driving prospects and I'm sure there is demand for good B halter horses as well.

Looking to get the best possible small horse.

 

[Bess Kelly]

small ones......always my favorite. I've never seen a horse I didn't like but, do prefer the smaller minis. Oh, have some of all sizes. But, will never get away from my tiny ones. Have several mares at 28 & under.