One more reason!

[Bonny]

GRRR!

This statement was made on another forum I belong to. I assume it was made from an uneducated knowledge of the miniature horse! This is why I am taken aback when miniature horses are posted all over the media, because of size, with no regard to conformation.

QUOTE~" Minis are not known for great conformation"

I would really like to post some pictures of some Champion miniature to educate this person. If anyone would like to share some please post here and I will copy.

I am not doing this to start problems, just educate.

It really is sad that society sees minis in this light!

 

[rubyviewminis]

I hear ya. I always get surprised looks when people, including the veterinarians, see my minis. They always comment on what pretty minis they are and not what they expected. What a shame.

 

[stormy]

I doubt this is because of media coverage of minis, have seen some great coverage of Nationals and Worlds...go look at Craigs list and sale boards...not many people see show quality minis. This is our fault as breeders and producers more then anything else. We need to be visible in our communities, at open shows, at public events.

 

[Jill]

I do absolutely think the "Einstein" situation is a factor.

You're welcome to use pictures of any of my horses if you wish.

 

[Bonny]

Stormy, I can certainly understand your opinion!

I would Love to see some Champion Miniature make it on Oprah....

I will share links, and also link back here so yall can see how I am promoting your horses!

 

[stormy]

Folks I have had the opportunity to present my horses at the local museaum during a parade of breeds, at a historical village during a special harvest festival and I try to attend at least one open show and one parade a year...if you don't like what people are seeing take action to change it, don't just whine about it!

 

[Matt73]

I would, actually, agree with that statement. Sure there are a lot of minis with good conformation (dare I say near perfect?), but there are many more out there with some pretty glaring conformation faults. There are many more minis out there that are pasture pets than are shown; the show world is a comparatively small world in terms of the mini population....and I've seen some pretty wonky looking minis

 

[Riverrose28]

We do lots of mini breed demos, here we are at So. MD Horse Science School Parade of Breeds. The tallest horse and the shortest horse after the parade. This little mare was EAstern Champion, and third at worlds. She is conformationally correct. If you want more pics, I have plenty.

 

[MindyLee]

I just saw a add for a dwarf for sale on CL for $550. It was a add that said great horse, one of a kind, would be great for 4-h, been there done that, and so on and so on why its a great horse and why someone should buy it.

I will give them a plus for saying it was a dwarf, but still....

Worse part was, the add explained it was a family loved pet for yrs, problem is they are horse flippers and dont own a mini let alone a dwarf mini for yrs. They got it at a auction the weekend before the add was posted!

 

[MindyLee]

Heres a pic of my mare who measures at 34" tall. Shes a good example to use for a nice conformation miniature horse!

 

[Dontworrybeappy]

I would, actually, agree with that statement. Sure there are a lot of minis with good conformation (dare I say near perfect?), but there are many more out there with some pretty glaring conformation faults. There are many more minis out there that are pasture pets than are shown; the show world is a comparatively small world in terms of the mini population....and I've seen some pretty wonky looking minis

Yep - I would definately say that "minis are not known for good conformation" is a true statement.

There are several large horse breeds that I would say the same thing about. It takes many many decades to fix type and quality when breeding for specific types of animals - size, color, hair.... seems you can (at FIRST) choose one of the traits and have to ignore some flaws.... then you have to work on breeding the flaws out.

The good news is that nowadays we do have enough great minis around that we don't have to settle for one good trait - with enough looking and education, we can choose breeding, show AND pet stock that have good conformation, size, color, and good disposition! (the hair was in reference to other breeds, minis have more than enough!)

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I agree that breeders are just as responsible but I think that more fingers should point towards the backyard breeders who don't breed for conformation and show quality but for the all mighty dollar.

Also we can't say that Einstein is the only contributing factor and be to blame but we cannot forget that the dwarf who I am going to say is the "official smallest horse of the world" that everyone knows as Thumbalinia who was before Einstein and was paraded all over the country, and she was a full blown dwarf.

I can't possibly blame people who own full size horses, to think like that, they are just uneducated at what miniatures are capable of and I would just send them over to AMHR or AMHA's site.

 

[Carolyn R]

I agree with getting out there and showing what you got, but on another note, have you looked at the schlecht plastic figures at toy stores or the

TSC? I picked one up and said, "Oh my Lord, it that what they think is an accurate depiction of today's miniature horses?" Check it out next time you are out and about.

 

[Bonny]

I am sorry Yall, It just truly saddens me. I have many friends that spend so much time and effort breeding quality , it just makes me sick to think that the population as a whole is STILL being considered dwarfy. Short legs, bad bites and such. There are so many beautiful, stunning horses here That I guess I wasnt looking through the worlds eyes. ( glad I dont!)

There are so many on CL that are incorrect, but i see that in the big horses too.

The statement was clarified in that other post. Maybe just maybe we can start showing the population how amazing and beautiful most minis are. And get people to stop using CL as a guide! LOL!

 

[ohmt]

Well here is a reserve National Grand Champion halter stallion from 2001:

And him at 16, hanging out in the pasture:

His daughter, just a week old

And as a yearling:

These are "A" sized minis-A/R registered

Minis have come a LONG way and i believe that statement in this day is false. Maybe 10-15 yrs ago i'd agree.

 

[Bonny]

Ok Not intending to be ugly here....

For yall who think that statment true..I have a question. How many of you own, show, breed this type of mini? How many of your friends?

I would tend to think that the majority dont, there fore doesnt it seem to be less than the majority? I cant imagine the BYB are out breeding the quality?

I would agree with OHMT, maybe years ago, but certainly not now?

The mini that was being refered to as being know for conformation faluts, is one described to me on the topic as one thats short stumpy legs, off bites and basically dwarfy.Thats the breed standard that minis are being known for, SAD! Yall agree they are known for this to the public? If we are agreeing that that is what they are known for, Its really time to change that opinion!

 

[Riverrose28]

I don't think any of us would show that type of mini, since it wouldn't place, now. Problem is the almighty dollar. There is a flipper 20 miles from me that goes to auctions buys cheap horses that look like short legged, long backed, big headed old fashioned ponies. She takes them home, then resells them to people looking for the cheapest mini that is cute for a pet. She uses that money to buy hay for her show horses. When some of her clients come here and see what a real mini looks like, they are shocked, I hear things like wow they look like little horses, or but, they are taller then so and so's, I want a really small one so I can take it in the house, and your prices are too high. The uneducated person just doesn't know. We need to educate, educate, educate. Which is why I spend lots of money doing demos and educational expos.

 

[Matt73]

Why are people showing off their minis? I know there are gorgeous, correct minis....and I own three of them. One is in my avatar. There are many many people on here that own gorgeous minis; I'm saying that, in the world in general, there are probably more wonky ones out there than pretty ones....

 

[Matt73]

Okay...here's my 6 year old mare, two weeks after giving birth to her second foal....A nice mare with an awesome pedigree. She looks like a horse and is 33"

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I agree, my friends that are not horse people and even the ones that show big horses but dont know the minis are always amazed at how nice my minis are since they are not short, fat, and stocky! My farrier shows arabians at the high levels and always comments on some arabian features he loves on my horses! Feel free to share any of my pictures from my website as well.