Miniature Horse breeds

Most agree that the original small ponies were bred-down from Shetland stock over successive centuries using well-known techniques of animal husbandry to produce small work horses for coal mining areas of Wales. 

Click here to read about the history of miniature horses

Are miniature horses a true breed?

Some breeders believe that the Arabian Horse is the only true breed, and that all other horse breeds were developed by mixing-in Arabian horse bloodlines.  For example, The Darley Arabian, the Byerly Turk and the Godolphin Arabian were the foundation sires for the Thoroughbred horse breed. 

Some claim that Arabian bloodlines were used in miniature horses.  The Australian Department of Natural Resources and Environment claims that miniature horses are a true breed:

"Small individual finely bred Arabian horses were selected to gradually reduce the size of the breed".

Miniature Horse Breed Standards

Independent miniature horse clubs, association and registries have evolved across the globe (click here for the registry list).  Each registry has their own rules, conformation standards and size requirements, ranging from 28 inches to 38 inches tall.  The most common miniaturized horse breeds include:

• Dartmoor Pony - Dartmoor National Park in southwestern England is home to thousands of miniature ponies who ream freely across a vast moor.  The Dartmoor ponies height requirements fall within the height requirements of several USA miniature horse breeds.
   

• Falabella – According to Toyhorse International, the Falabella breed is an Argentinean breed that descend from one stallion with a 'dwarf' gene. He was discovered in the 19th Century by an Irishman named Newton when he settled in Argentina. Some claim that because on a single foundation sire possessed the dwarf gene, Falabella's have a far lower incidence of miniature horse birth defects.

The Falabella horse became an instant sensation in 1962 when the Julio Falabella family provided three midget ponies to Robert Kennedy, who placed them under the Christmas tree for Caroline and John-John.  Falabella ponies were photographed grazing on the White House lawn in TIME and Newsweek, and the US market for tiny ponies surged. 

• Micro Mini - Some breeders have created Micro Mini breeding programs, further reducing the size of their horses and establishing an independent breed.
   

• Midget Pony – This breed was popularized in the 1960s by the McCoy stud, owned by Smith McCoy of Roderfield, West Virginia, and was created by selective breeding, using Shetland Pony stock.  McCoy midget ponies were the foundation stock for many of the USA miniature horses.
   

• American Miniature Horse - Some miniature horse breeders in the USA bred extensively with dwarf horses such as the famous Bond Tiny Tim, an AMHA registered dwarf stallion that was bred extensively and sired many AMHA champions.

   

   

  Tikki Adorian, the creator of the British Miniature Horse Society and creator of the Miniature Toy Horse breed, claims that the American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA) used her Miniature Toy Horse bloodlines as the foundation for their brand-new American Miniature Horse breed:

"I was horrified that all my pure British bloodlines were suddenly to become the basis for an American breed of horses."
 

• Miniature Pony - The Dartmoor ponies of England have several registries allowing ponies of heights within the USA miniature horse registry requirements.  Some miniature pony breeders claim that dwarfism, dystocia and abortions are as low as large-breed horses.  According to the owner and breeder at the Miniature Pony Stud, dwarfism is virtually unknown in their breeding program.

   

• Miniature Shetland Pony - There was an ongoing effort to downsize Shetland ponies in the early 20th Century.  Teddy Roosevelt's son Quentin had a 39 inch Shetland named Algonquin, who he rode about the White House lawn.
   

• Miniature Toy Horse - According to Toyhorse International, this is a recognized British breed, and the Toyhorse International Stud was the founder of the British Miniature Horse Society, the recognized registry for Miniature toy horses.  In the 1970's the Toyhorse International Stud was home to 24 stallions and many of the foals were sold and the farm became one of the leading exporters of miniatures in Europe, and possibly the world.
   

• Pygmy Clydesdale - Wiley Miller, creator of the award-winning Non Sequitur comic strip says that Lucy is a Pygmy Clydesdale.
   

• Pygmy Horse – Sweetwater's, the world's largest miniature horse breeder has developed  a breed on horses that are significantly smaller than the American miniature horse.
   

• UK Shetland Pony - The "UK Shetland Pony" breed is a miniaturized pony registered by The Shetland Register, and standing between 28 to 38 inches tall.  Personal Ponies (a USA national organization dedicated to the belief that the life of a child with disabilities can be immeasurably enriched by having a tiny pony to love and care for), rejects the use of American Miniature Horses in favor of the "UK Shetland Pony" breed, a miniaturized pony registered by The Shetland Register, and standing between 28 to 38 inches tall.

  "We like our ponies to stay in the mini-to-midi range, 28"-38", with the goal of breeding towards the midi-size range of 32"-38". However, regardless of size, all ponies must maintain the bone, substance, and temperament of the UK Shetland."

Many of the miniature horse registries allow cross-registration with other horse registries.  Some USA miniature horses can be cross-registered as Shetland Ponies, Miniature Ponies, Falabella or Miniature Toy Horses.  Miniature horses can also be cross-registered with color registries and become registered Appaloosa, Sabino or Paint horses.

USA Miniature Horse is a non-profit web site dedicated to collecting useful information about miniature horses in the United States.