*We’re thrilled to bring launch the IAMHA and the online capabilities to our fellow lovers of the American Miniature Horse, which is recognized as the most desirable miniature horse worldwide,†said John Cherry, President of IAMHA. “Our founding member group has an American Miniature Horse herd inventory valued at more than $5M and includes what is believed to be the largest group of Champion American Miniature Horses ever assembled! We also have the most comprehensive collection of breeding stallion bloodlines in the world.*
Sorry, I came into this post late, hence the reason I am delayed. As for the above statement from the initial article posted on here: Ummm, who was the appraiser of this herd? Is this how much was spent to aquire this herd or what he thinks they are worth? I can look at my 4 out here and say I have a million dollar herd. Someone else may see it as a $1000.00 herd and someone else may not give me two cents.
*Many of our Founding Members have played a critical role in establishing the current American Miniature Horse community and now want to ignite a revolution that has a global scope. Today, our members continue to lead the industry in breeding, training, exhibiting show horses and selling quality miniature horses. We welcome all lovers of the American Miniature Horse to explore and join our revolution.*
Ok, and I am new to minis myself but know plenty of folks who aren't and from what I heard, the original founders of AMHA were a group that were booted or couldn't cut it in AQHA. Hmmmm, who knows. Just what I have heard.
*Based upon in depth discussions and numerous observations, it was agreed there is a significant need for the formation of the IAMHA DBA as the International American Miniature Horse Alliance (IAMHA). Our concept is to create a co-operative entity for breeders and owners of American Miniature Horses to use their collective efforts and purchasing power to seek and improve new methods for the advertising, marketing and promotion of their horses. *
Why don't we just work on better advertising, marketing and promoting within the two clubs that already exist. I know that had I not known anyone with Minis and did not get any myself I could not have told you that their were mini shows even in our area or what anyone did with little horses. What was the point in having them? It seems that unless you are a member and receive the letters and magazines or know someone who has minis and is into showing, you would know nothing about it. Why don't you work on an advertising idea that will reach non-mini owners as well as mini owners to educate them on the breed and the many things you can do with the miniatures?
*4. In the event AMHA fails to continue to establish and maintain itself as a strong viable organization, this group will be prepared to lead the Miniature industry, create an organization/registry with the mission and structure to protect all current investments, and lead the breed without personal bias.
Why would AMHA fail? If the group fails or is failing maybe they need to worry about fixing the problem and finding out the reason for the failure. Gee, maybe the politics and sneaky tactics of the members within? Maybe as much effort should be put into the A registry and what it can do to improve itself as has been put into starting a 3rd club or whatever you may call it.
*To accomplish these goals and to sustain the future of the American Miniature Horse, it is imperative for AMHA to be financially strong and organizationally responsive. Without a sound, successful breed association, the value of the American Miniature Horse breed will be diminished, which will discourage people from participating in all phases of Miniature Horse ownership. Therefore, working with the American Miniature Horse Association is critical.
Horse value diminishes and fluctuates due to more reasons than just a club. Try economy, try dishonest breeders/sellers (not everyone but there are some out there and we all know it) try breeding programs in general and people breeding anything to anything so they can have something to sell for a quick buck which does nothing but flood the market and rescues and auction rings with culls and undesirables.
*IAMHA recognizes the importance of AMHA and its foundation for preserving and maintaining the pedigrees of Miniature Horses, while working to promote the breed.*
If they cared about the pedigrees they would not have done away with the oversized breeding stock program to begin with. As founding members will remember and know, they used to allow a foal out of two A parents that went oversized to be registered as such and used for breeding only. Now you have to drop the A papers on the foal cross it back with a small stallion, keep it for 5 years and re-hardship back into A. Well since the R registry is so generous you can double register and preserve the pedigree there but what just happend to the A pedigree when the papers were dropped on the one parent because it went an inch over and then that foal had to be hardshipped. *poof* no A pedigree.
*The American Miniature Horse Association has been the most respected Miniature Horse associations in the world. When foreign breeders looked to the United States, they looked to AMHA. Those members from within North America as well as foreign breeders looked to the AMHA for guidance, strength and leadership. The AMHA led the way by placing an emphasis on pedigrees of quality with known and traceable ancestors, re-enforced with verification through blood typing and later DNA. AMHA set the global standard for the breed, The American Miniature Horse.*
While the A registry has it's good and bad points as do all I would not go so far as to say that it is one of the most respected in the world as I know who holds at least the two top spots for that and can tell you for a fact that I knew even before I got minis that a lot of the big horse breeders and clubs that the miniature horse club was a big joke and it was nothing against the horses.
*In recent years, it has become known there are many issues which have weakened the AMHA. The reason and motivation for these issues is not nearly as important as the fact of where they have led or the path these issues have forced the organization to take.*
What do you mean that the reasons and motivation for the AMHA being weakend are not important?! Find the issues and fix them and that would probably re-strengthen the club. I would be a little more focused on where the club is going wrong than thinking an outsource is the answer to all our prayers.
*Currently, the AMHA is experiencing serious declines in:
All levels of annual membership
Annual foal registrations
Numbers of approved horse shows
Numbers of horse show competitors/exhibitors*
Oh look, here are some problems. Now how is AMHA not IAMHA going to fix and handle this? Ever think of sending some types of surveys out to current and previous members to find out why? Why are previous members caring to not renew? Why are memberships down? Why are foals not being registered? People are still breeding and selling. Why are each states clubs not having more horse shows? I know in AZ we have 2. There are all breed fun shows that go on about 10 months out of the year and they have little award banquets and point tallys and year end awards. Their membership is about $20 and it costs about $10.00 a class and they still manage to thrive and do that for it's little members. With as many members in each state that AMHA has, the cost of membership and the amount that is charged for each class and you can not find a way to have more than 2 shows and mind you ours are back to back leaving 11 other free months in the year with nothing unless you want the extra added expense of hauling out of state for others. Why is the A world show having about 800 horses in attendance and the R show having over 2000 and not all of those are R sized horses either?
*Any of these individually would be symptomatic of a potential problem; however, when these declining statistics are combined the impact is very, very significant on the future stability of the organization. Each of these areas represents significant revenue generating centers within the scope of breed association business, all functioning below the standards of previous years.
All of these add up to fact the AMHA is weakening as a business entity, losing momentum, and reducing its ability to grow and sustain growth of the breed.*
Glad you have figured this out, now why not take that time in being a productive A representative and finding the root of the problem and again fixing it instead of taking all your time to think of a new organization and how much your leaders herd is worth? Gee, I have nothing better to do today, I guess I will sit and figure out how much my Moms herd is worth and then maybe the neighbors behind us....
*8. Eliminate the hardship registration due to sufficient numbers of horses.*
Oh, another fabulous idea, so when your foal out of two A sized parents goes over and you breed it back to a small stallion you now can't hardship that foal back into A?
*The horse shows have become the primary use and center for participation of the Miniature Horse by the AMHA members. Therefore, it is imperative that the AMHA place an emphasis on quality management and operations of the activities associated with the Miniature Horse shows. Simply stated, without a flourishing, exciting horse show system, the demand for horses and their monetary values along with the participation by members will continue to decline.
Therefore, the IAMHA makes the following recommendations:
1. Establish a separate membership category for those who participate in horse shows for the purpose of supporting the related activities and services.*
Are you serious, a separate membership category for those who participate in shows? Are we being rewarded or penalized here? Oh, your a breeder, you pay this much in membership, oh and you are a shower so you have to pay x amount? Will it be more or less? What if you are a breeder and a shower? Do you then have to pay two memberships? We do that now for those who choose to do A and R. Or do you just pay a really expensive membership? Membership fees now are ridiculous as are the show ring fees. Not really prices for the blue collar working type who might have small children intimidated by larger horses so would like them to start somewhere but don't have a lot financially to work with. That is where those members will in turn go to POA or somewhere else that is more reasonable and youth oriented.
I am maybe just a little confused on this club and their objectives. So is the answer always going to be when one club tries and fails branch out and start another and when they are not happy with that one then someone will branch out and start another. How many do we need to get it right? 4, 5, 10. Ummm, do you not get to elect and vote officers in a club? If you are not happy do you not have someone that you take your complaints to to have them reviewed by the club? Are the officers being voted into the club so uncaring about the club, breed and members that they would not want to listen and fix what is wrong to improve on that club they have instead of calling a do-over and whiping away the old one and starting all over with a new one? If you couldn't do it right this time, starting a new club and adding a letter to the name will fix it? How long do you think then that the members will continue to follow like sheep and dump one registry to go to the new improved, then when that one fails to dump it and go to the next new and improved. I am not an ewe and do not want to jump from club to club. I would like to pay my dues, attend some shows with my daughter, my mom and our horses and have some fun and if we get some points and earn some titles great and if not then it is a great experience in good sportsmanship and competitiveness and being a gracious looser. I would like to have a couple of quality foals each year and sell what I want and buy what I want to improve and increase my herd as I can. I do not want to wonder if I will not be able to give my horses away because the potential new owners are wondering if the club they are registered with is a truly reputable club with the breed and members first and foremost a priority or if it is a shakey fly by night organization who will only be there until they feel it is so screwed up they don't want to fix it because it is easier to start over and call it something else. If you do not like what is happening in your organization then you vote the members who could give a crap about anything but status out, and vote/nominate/elect officers who will get in there and get the job done. If AMHA fails it will be through no fault but their own. If the members and horses were first and foremost a priority then maybe they should get input from the members on where the members think the club is going wrong and make an honest and true attempt to fix the problems.
Oh and I must have missed how this IAMHA is funded... Is this a buisness? Do we pay a membership or some sort of fee to tell you what to tell the AMHA on how to fix their problems? If this is not for profit and is a buisness, does paying these fees in turn make us business partners? Will we know exactly what every dime is being used for or if it is lining someones pockets so they can have a "self-proclaimed" $5 million dollar herd themselves? What do we get in return for these fees?
Very interesting website for IAMHA by the way. I love the 'why miniature horses' section. All the benefits of a mini versus a big horse. Under suitability for riding, for mini it states: Children up to 70 pounds may ride depending upon age, height and body type of horse.
Under big horse it states: Children any size and adults can ride. Hazards are greatly increased due to the animal's size, and the degree of training or experience of the rider.
Ok, I had a shetland when I was a kid that used to run away and scrape me off on barbed wire fences and ran under a clothes line and swiped me off her back that way and she was small and I was not completly inexperienced. What about driving minis? Anyone who has had one run off with them in a cart and had a really nasty cart wreck, and yes, this has happend even to experienced drivers. What happens when an inexperienced person buys a 'broke for driving' mini and ends up in an accident. I like how negative jabs were made at big horses but nothing negative of course about the little guys. What happend to educating people. People need to know that because it is little and cute does not mean it can not hurt you.
Under training costs and halter in hand: $300 and up per month/horse Family involvement is encouraged- even small children can help train a miniature horse.
For the big horse:$??? to $??? per month/horse Depends upon the reputation of the trainer, stable and breed
Reputation of the trainer huh? Yea, I know a miniauture horse trainer who could not pay ME to 'train' my horses. I know more than one but one really sticks out in my mind. Horses stay there a year then mysteriously don't know or 'forget' how to lead when they get to the show ring. Hmmmmm. Not just the dishonest in the big horse buisness my friend. Small children can help train? They can't show a miniature stallion until they are 16 however to show a POA stallion you only need to be 8. My daughter trained her Arabian. Again, size does not matter and any of them can hurt you soooooo, why are we jabbing at the big horses and big horse trainers? Bitterness about some past big horse dealings perhaps? Oh and average training costs for a big horse is $700.00 to $800.00 a month again depending on what aspect of training you are getting into. There are more things than making it look pretty on a lead when you get into big horses.
Suitability for driving for the miniature this is what was stated: Children 3-4 years and up routinely drive at home, parades and in shows. Adults-a miniature horse can easily pull up to1-2 adults in a cart in ail gaits, minimal experience is needed.
For the big horse owners: Children-questionable. Adults--Dependent upon experience.
Hmmm, minimal experience huh? Again, anyone have stories of nasty cart wrecks they would care to share? How dangerous can those be?
Suitability for handicapped: Greatly adaptable to handicapped individuals due to smaller size and affectionate nature.
For the big horse: Difficult for handicapped individuals to handle due to larger size.
I happen to know there are several organizations where the big horses are used for theraputic riding programs for even the most severly handicapped. The handicapped kids really love and look forward to it and it does not matter the degree of their handicap, none seem the least bit intimidated. If they are that severly handicapped they will probably not be handling a horse of any size on their own anyway.
Why don't you list the different activities available to those with miniature horses, such as showing, driving, CDE's, drill teams, parades, etc... and leave the slander of the big horses, trainers etc.. out of it. I noticed that there was nothing said that teeth and foaling problems are more prominent in miniature horses than big horses. Maybe that is where things go wrong to begin with, you want to convert people over to minis yet you slander the big horse and what those people love about them but hey, come join our club! You listed all the negativities of the big horse and not one of the little horse as a cautionary statement or whatever. There are good and bad in every breed so you could have used better tact in stating that overall, economically the smaller horses are less expensive to own however they still require all the veterinary/dental care that the large horse do. Oh and the price range for the carts with a max listed on the minis as about 1500.00? Sure, why are some of the show carts $2000 and up? I will be happy if I find one used for $1500.00 Maybe used should have been the key word in that little factoid.
Funny on the site it says you do not want to be a registry however in the above posted statements your exact words were that if the AMHA were to fail you would become a registry.
Oh and as also stated on the site this is a buisness and not a not for profit organization and there will be varying levels of membership. So, what would those fees be? Pay X amount and you can be a 40% buisness partner, for X amount less you could be 20% buisness partner? If we are paying fees into your buisness what service are we receiving? Basically you are going to play go-between between AMHA and us as members? Isn't that what we have elected officers for? Secoundly if we are paying money to your buisness, would that make us investors? Is their some kind of tax work we will need to file each year as a buisness partner or investor and even better yet do we get some cut of the profits?
I do apologize for being extremely blunt with this. However, this seems like a bizarrly, sneaky, scam that will benefit those that are saying they are going to do this and that however are these same people not AMHA members/founders/officers that also said they would do this and that when they got their position? What is going to happen when these varying levels of membership are paid by folks like you and me, and nothing happens? What if there are no added shows, advertising or anything else to show for it? They will say they tried, it will be someone elses fault, they will wipe out the buisness and start another one under another name again with the same wonderful ideas and promises in mind. I think it is funny that someone has discovered that these same people who want you to pay a fee for them to give your ideas to AMHA already sit on the AMHA board now. Why are they not opening their mouth at this point? Why go behind the club you are 'supposed to be representing's back? Why do we have to pay for these people to speak on our behalf? What are our regional directors for then? I also find it funny that their is no introduction on the website proudly stating who they are as new founders/buisness partners of this little scheme? info@iamha is the email? Gee, is it a big secret on who they are? Are we supposed to blindly send our money to some mystery person? If you are out to do such great things, why don't you step up and introduce yourself? We have one name for the person in the initial post, are the others silent partners? Oh, apparently so, since they are sitting so silently on the A board now? For the Texas Mystery Mini Club, I will not be traveling to Texas to attend your shows, I will not pay you to act like a union to go between me as a member and the A board when as board members you aren't accomplishing anything and if the A fails then so be it. I will have an AMHR herd.
My flame suit is on and I pack an extinguisher so go ahead.....Make my day!! :new_2gunsfiring_v1:
