Charlotte
Well-Known Member
Regarding AMHA & AMHR, first I would like to say that what I am writing isn’t about which organization is ‘better’. Each organization is it’s own unique entity. One isn’t better than the other, just ‘different’ from the other, which is as they are meant to be.
What I am writing is simply to try to clear up some misconceptions about AMHA. There don’t seem to be very many AMHA members that read/ post here any more so I think a lot of misconceptions go unaddressed.
To begin with, AMHA is set up a bit differently than AMHR/ASPC.
In AMHA the membership must vote on and approve of all Rule & Bylaw changes. The BOD can’t change what the membership has voted unless there is overwhelming reason such as legal council advises such, or the vote is found to be against the ByLaws (usually this was missed during research phase) or there is reason to believe the item voted on may cause great damage to the organization. In my 20+ years as an AMHA member I have only seen a few times when member vote has been overturned and most of the time the item required rewriting and presenting again.
In AMHR the BOD has the final say on any changes within the organization. The members attending convention may vote on issues but the Board has the final say.
Neither of these methods of governing the two organizations is better than the other! They are just DIFFERENT!
Now I’ll address some of the things I have read on the ‘Closing AMHA' thread.
1. The closing of hardship registry by AMHA should not have slipped up on anyone. It was voted in 3 years ago by the members and was circulated through the process for a year before that. At the time it was passed by the membership, foals born that year would reach three before the new rule went into effect. Plenty of time for anyone to get horses hardshipped.
2. Although becoming a recognized breed certainly entered into the thinking of many members, closing the registry is based on much more that just that. The AMHA has passed a new standard of perfection that describes a horse like animal, not an American Shetland Pony. American Shetland Ponies no longer fit AMHA’s standard of perfection to the same extent they used to when the standard was more vague. The people who have gravitated to AMHA very much want a small, 34” and under, horse like animal. Please refer to the AMHA Standard of Perfection on the web site.
3. I would be very surprised if another rule change extending, or reinstating, hardshipping would be passed by the membership. The members who attend the meetings and vote seem to like the direction AMHA horses are going and support the closing of the registry.
4. Every time an oversize division is brought to the floor, it is voted down. I have my doubts that closing the registry will change that. I wouldn’t bet on a lawsuit changing anything either. First, the 34 inch limit is fundamental to AMHA. It is in the articles of incorporation, in the bylaws and in the rules. It does not compare in importance to what was called excessive white in the AQHA. In addition, anyone wanting to sue the AMHA now has to go to mediation and is on the hook financially for part of that cost. Third, the only place the AMHA can be sued is in a Texas court in the same county the AMHA resides in. No organization should be subjected to repeated ‘frivolous’ law suits. We are all aware of the cost of a suite happy society when we pay our various insurance premiums.
5. It is felt by the majority of members that once the only way to get an AMHA horse is to acquire one born of AMHA registered parents, the value of AMHA horses may go up all around the world.
6. As far as the hardshipping fees being too expensive, all registration fees are voted on and set by the membership.
7. For most of their history, the animals of AMHA and AMHR have been pretty much the same. Look at all the double registered horses, if you need proof. Things are now changing. The AMHA is breeding towards a small Arabian type of horse like animal and AMHR is going to the American Shetland Pony type of animal. The AMHR show judges have been told to pick pony characteristics not horse characteristics and that smaller is never better. This is a fundamental difference from AMHA. Although it is not talked about here on Lil Beginnings, there are many who feel that the AMHR is going to become the American Miniature Shetland Pony Registry. At least as of now, that is just not the direction the AMHA members want to go. The goal of the AMHA has always been to breed the smallest and most perfect horses.
8. I do find a bit confusing the statements about the small gene pool of miniature horses. Many years back when Frank was asked to research DNA identification testing for AMHA he had several geneticists tell him that miniature horses had the most diverse genetic pool of any modern day horse breed. I can certainly understand that considering the different and various horse and pony breeds and crosses that have gone into the making of Miniature Horses.
To end, please remember what I said in the first paragraph…..Each organization is DIFFERENT from the other and that is JUST FINE!
What I am writing is simply to try to clear up some misconceptions about AMHA. There don’t seem to be very many AMHA members that read/ post here any more so I think a lot of misconceptions go unaddressed.
To begin with, AMHA is set up a bit differently than AMHR/ASPC.
In AMHA the membership must vote on and approve of all Rule & Bylaw changes. The BOD can’t change what the membership has voted unless there is overwhelming reason such as legal council advises such, or the vote is found to be against the ByLaws (usually this was missed during research phase) or there is reason to believe the item voted on may cause great damage to the organization. In my 20+ years as an AMHA member I have only seen a few times when member vote has been overturned and most of the time the item required rewriting and presenting again.
In AMHR the BOD has the final say on any changes within the organization. The members attending convention may vote on issues but the Board has the final say.
Neither of these methods of governing the two organizations is better than the other! They are just DIFFERENT!
Now I’ll address some of the things I have read on the ‘Closing AMHA' thread.
1. The closing of hardship registry by AMHA should not have slipped up on anyone. It was voted in 3 years ago by the members and was circulated through the process for a year before that. At the time it was passed by the membership, foals born that year would reach three before the new rule went into effect. Plenty of time for anyone to get horses hardshipped.
2. Although becoming a recognized breed certainly entered into the thinking of many members, closing the registry is based on much more that just that. The AMHA has passed a new standard of perfection that describes a horse like animal, not an American Shetland Pony. American Shetland Ponies no longer fit AMHA’s standard of perfection to the same extent they used to when the standard was more vague. The people who have gravitated to AMHA very much want a small, 34” and under, horse like animal. Please refer to the AMHA Standard of Perfection on the web site.
3. I would be very surprised if another rule change extending, or reinstating, hardshipping would be passed by the membership. The members who attend the meetings and vote seem to like the direction AMHA horses are going and support the closing of the registry.
4. Every time an oversize division is brought to the floor, it is voted down. I have my doubts that closing the registry will change that. I wouldn’t bet on a lawsuit changing anything either. First, the 34 inch limit is fundamental to AMHA. It is in the articles of incorporation, in the bylaws and in the rules. It does not compare in importance to what was called excessive white in the AQHA. In addition, anyone wanting to sue the AMHA now has to go to mediation and is on the hook financially for part of that cost. Third, the only place the AMHA can be sued is in a Texas court in the same county the AMHA resides in. No organization should be subjected to repeated ‘frivolous’ law suits. We are all aware of the cost of a suite happy society when we pay our various insurance premiums.
5. It is felt by the majority of members that once the only way to get an AMHA horse is to acquire one born of AMHA registered parents, the value of AMHA horses may go up all around the world.
6. As far as the hardshipping fees being too expensive, all registration fees are voted on and set by the membership.
7. For most of their history, the animals of AMHA and AMHR have been pretty much the same. Look at all the double registered horses, if you need proof. Things are now changing. The AMHA is breeding towards a small Arabian type of horse like animal and AMHR is going to the American Shetland Pony type of animal. The AMHR show judges have been told to pick pony characteristics not horse characteristics and that smaller is never better. This is a fundamental difference from AMHA. Although it is not talked about here on Lil Beginnings, there are many who feel that the AMHR is going to become the American Miniature Shetland Pony Registry. At least as of now, that is just not the direction the AMHA members want to go. The goal of the AMHA has always been to breed the smallest and most perfect horses.
8. I do find a bit confusing the statements about the small gene pool of miniature horses. Many years back when Frank was asked to research DNA identification testing for AMHA he had several geneticists tell him that miniature horses had the most diverse genetic pool of any modern day horse breed. I can certainly understand that considering the different and various horse and pony breeds and crosses that have gone into the making of Miniature Horses.
To end, please remember what I said in the first paragraph…..Each organization is DIFFERENT from the other and that is JUST FINE!
