Has anyone seen the recent pictures of Einstein?

[miniwhinny]

It's very hard to tell from one of two pictures. It's easier in a video because you can freeze the frames. I do see a roached back, hope he doesn't suffer with that later in life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naqsceQlX84&

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

After seeing that last video, I am 100% convinced he is a dwarf.

 

[Contessa]

Miniwhinny thanks so much for getting that youtube video on here. I tried but I couldn't get it.

 

[HGFarm]

I agree, that last one really showed how bad his back is...

 

[Molly's Run Minis]

i say dwarf. he has a severely roached back, his head looks longer than his neck, his head looks longer than his front legs and for all we know he could have bad teeth and need corrective farrier work, lord knows his owners arent telling us if he does need it

this whole situation is very irritating to me. why is it dwarfs are promoted on tv but 'normal' minis arent?

***********************

 

[MountainMeadows]

He certainly looks like a dwarf to me BUT people, let's look at the good side of this situation --- he is obviously very much loved, and being very well taken care of. From the looks of things, he will have all the proper care that he will need to live a comfortable life, for as long as that may be.

It could be so very different - thank God that he ended up in the home that he did, where he will bring endless hours of joy to his owners and in turn be given a wonderful life. I only hope that when the time comes (and sadly it usually comes early with dwarfs) that his owner has the support that she needs to end his life in a humane, pain-free way. I am not meaning to sound gloomy, but we all know that the life expectancy of dwarves is much less than most minis - and given that they are so smart and so quickly can worm their way into your heart, it is going to be a very difficult decision for his owner to make.

Many hugs go out to her for opening her heart and her home to little Einstein.

 

[Riverdance]

He certainly looks like a dwarf to me BUT people, let's look at the good side of this situation --- he is obviously very much loved, and being very well taken care of. From the looks of things, he will have all the proper care that he will need to live a comfortable life, for as long as that may be.

It could be so very different - thank God that he ended up in the home that he did, where he will bring endless hours of joy to his owners and in turn be given a wonderful life. I only hope that when the time comes (and sadly it usually comes early with dwarfs) that his owner has the support that she needs to end his life in a humane, pain-free way. I am not meaning to sound gloomy, but we all know that the life expectancy of dwarves is much less than most minis - and given that they are so smart and so quickly can worm their way into your heart, it is going to be a very difficult decision for his owner to make.

Many hugs go out to her for opening her heart and her home to little Einstein.

Stacie,

While he may have a good home, they are promoting the heck out of him and traveling around the country, like poor Thumbalina. They are the ones who have contacted every news station, tv show and anyone else they could, to let the public know that they have him. They are also giving the public a really POOR idea of what a true, "completely proportional" Mini should look like.

I have Marbles, another very rare miniature, but I have not contacted every news program, Ophra or Guinness World Records. I want Marbles to live a normal horse life. Not take her out to make money on her.

 

[miniwhinny]

He certainly looks like a dwarf to me BUT people, let's look at the good side of this situation --- he is obviously very much loved, and being very well taken care of. From the looks of things, he will have all the proper care that he will need to live a comfortable life, for as long as that may be.

It could be so very different - thank God that he ended up in the home that he did, where he will bring endless hours of joy to his owners and in turn be given a wonderful life. I only hope that when the time comes (and sadly it usually comes early with dwarfs) that his owner has the support that she needs to end his life in a humane, pain-free way. I am not meaning to sound gloomy, but we all know that the life expectancy of dwarves is much less than most minis - and given that they are so smart and so quickly can worm their way into your heart, it is going to be a very difficult decision for his owner to make.

Many hugs go out to her for opening her heart and her home to little Einstein.

I think this is great also but if you look at his other youtube vids they say they were going to geld him but now are not, they are keeping him a stallion. I'm not saying he is or isn't a dwarf...I don't have enough experience to know but even if he's not IMO he's not something I would keep as a stallion.

 

[AnnaC]

Here in the UK the Daily Mail Newspaper published a picture of him about a week ago - standing sideways saying hello to a big horse (the large horse's head was lowered as they were greeting each other, its body was not in the picture) This gave a pretty good side view of Einstein and it looked a recent one. My immediate reaction on turning the page and seeing the picture was one of sadness as, to me, his dwarf characteristics had become even more apparent.

I too feel sorry for the little chap as, although I know he will be looked after, I also feel he is missing out on simply being a normal little horse - racing around a pasture with other small horsey companions, enjoying life and interacting with others of his own kind, bless him.

Anna

 

[Riverdance]

Here in the UK the Daily Mail Newspaper published a picture of him about a week ago - standing sideways saying hello to a big horse (the large horse's head was lowered as they were greeting each other, its body was not in the picture) This gave a pretty good side view of Einstein and it looked a recent one.

The picture you are referring to was taken last year. There are no pictures taken of him yet this year. It will be interesting to see if the post any updated pictures.

 

[Molly's Run Minis]

I think this is great also but if you look at his other youtube vids they say they were going to geld him but now are not, they are keeping him a stallion. I'm not saying he is or isn't a dwarf...I don't have enough experience to know but even if he's not IMO he's not something I would keep as a stallion.

i think they are only keeping him a stallion because they are going for the world record of 'smallest stallion in the world'. hence the name of Einsteins website, smalleststallion.com. he wouldnt make any record if he was a gelding. i sincerely hope they dont breed him or stud him out. i also hope they realize what they are getting into, from what i've seen they treat him like a baby instead of a horse, they even have a harness for him instead of a halter.

i know he's small, but he's still a horse that needs dicipline and time to be a horse, not a celebrity

also, if they want him to have a horse companion so badly they could just get a 30" or under gelding. instead they have to make a book about it, more publicity

*Edited to fix spelling mistakes, as usual

 

[Sandy B]

I find the topics of dwarfs fascinating since we are relatively new in the mini horse world. I have seen obvious pictures of dwarfs and have seen a couple in person. However I have seen a "fine line" in what some of you breeders are saying is conformationally correct and then what is listed as "dwarf characteristics" at the different levels. Please help me understand this all. When talking about dwarfs being large headed or large dome shaped heads & large eyes to the point of being very exotic looking- I see many many pictures of show breeders posting pictures of foals with huge foreheads and eyes. It is almost gross looking. So is this a dwarf trait? I see many many minis looking like miniature Arabians, long fine legs and light in the hip that are winning at halter- is this the "ideal" mini confirmation? I see breeders faulting minis that look like mini quarter horses- stocky, bigger hip, a bit shorter legged with bigger bone, heads not as refined. Is this type of mini a dwarf or conformationally challenged? I thought minis were to resemble several different breeds of larger horses since they are miniature horses. I mean, I agree that roach backs, bad bites, huge heads with no necks and long bodies and no legs scream dwarf, but who is to say that the Arabian type mini is more desirable than a stock type or qtr horse looking mini?

I have bred and shown quarter horses for years and have seen my fair share of conformational problems in foals. Some were prone to such problems due to genetics and others was just cruddy luck. Those with bad legs could mostly be fixed with frequent proper hoof care of glue shoes or even surgery to release tight tendons. This is not a dwarf issue, but a growth issue. It happens. So does every mini that is born that had contracted tendons or crooked limbs considered a dwarf? What about neck length? Have you ever looked at full size horses and seen the difference in their necks? Does a short neck automatically mean dwarf?

Finally, is there a test that can be run on breeding stock to test for dwarfism? I want to do my part. We have more stock type looking minis, which we prefer. They are all pretty, and correct with the exception of one aged mare with a short neck and none have Arabian dished heads, but none have ugly heads and all bites are correct. I suppose some of you would say they are conformationally poor due to looking like mini quarter horses, but we like them.

 

[AnnaC]

Oooop's my mistake - re the Daily Mail Picture - but if I remember correctly they did say it was recent! (I should know better than to believe what I read in the paper LOL!) I would love to see a really up to date sideways picture of him - is it my imagination, or on the Tube video did he seem to be moving strangely/almost sideways with his hindend? Must go and have another look!

Anna

 

[Molly's Run Minis]

Oooop's my mistake - re the Daily Mail Picture - but if I remember correctly they did say it was recent! (I should know better than to believe what I read in the paper LOL!) I would love to see a really up to date sideways picture of him - is it my imagination, or on the Tube video did he seem to be moving strangely/almost sideways with his hindend? Must go and have another look!

Anna

i noticed that too Anna, he seems a bit unsteady when he's moving.

 

[AnnaC]

Sandy, I'm sure those with a lot more experience of dwarfism will answer your questions, but I just wanted to say that I also favour the more 'stocky, but proportioned' minis - my older original mares are all 'stocky', their daughter's being just a tad lighter, then we have a stallion who 'refines' things just a little again. But I do like my girls to have 'substance' and would be delighted if the girls were born that way and the boys were born more refined so as to be more suitable for the show ring - trouble is I never know which sex I will get until I can get a 'peek' at birth, and I cant send it back if it is not quite what I ordered LOL! So I continue to breed what I like and hope that others will like them too - well at least the boys, as all the girls mostly stay here for the rest of their lives, breeding or not.

Anna

 

[ohmt]

Sandy-there is a whole bunch of information on the dwarfism forum right below the back porch that should answer most of your questions. It is very interesting and informative. There are no tests but hopefully will be very soon.

 

[Matt73]

"Those with bad legs could mostly be fixed with frequent proper hoof care of glue shoes or even surgery to release tight tendons. This is not a dwarf issue, but a growth issue."

This statement is fallacious. More correctly, most/many dwarves do have leg problems. But, not all leg problems are caused by dwarfism. Bad legs can be a growth issue, too...or may not be. There are several causes of bad legs/hooves. Some can be improved with a great farrier and/or vet, and some can't.

 

[miniwhinny]

i noticed that too Anna, he seems a bit unsteady when he's moving.

I wonder if he has issues moving well with his roached spine. I once had a friend who had scoliosis and it for sure influenced the way she moved (or didn't) Knowing how young he is still - and stil growing - it's certainly developing at a fairly fast rate.

Oh and as a side note...since when are we claiming "smallest horse in the world" for a new born that hasn't finished growing? Ozymandias was about 14 inches at birth...he was TINY - but now as a 5 year old he's a normal 28-29 inches.

 

[Molly's Run Minis]

I wonder if he has issues moving well with his roached spine. I once had a friend who had scoliosis and it for sure influenced the way she moved (or didn't) Knowing how young he is still - and stil growing - it's certainly developing at a fairly fast rate.

Oh and as a side note...since when are we claiming "smallest horse in the world" for a new born that hasn't finished growing? Ozymandias was about 14 inches at birth...he was TINY - but now as a 5 year old he's a normal 28-29 inches.

it probably is his spine and im sure it will give him many problems. I dont think 'we're' claiming he's the smallest horse, his current owners are. evident by his website title.

 

[miniwhinny]

I dont think 'we're' claiming he's the smallest horse, his current owners are. evident by his website title.

Sorry - that's what I meant...it was more of a generic "we" than an actual "we"