Miniature Horses

[Babson Arabian]

Miniature horses were first developed in Europe in the 1600s, and by 1765, they were seen frequently as the pets of nobility. Others were used in coal mines in England and continental Europe.[9] The English began using small ponies in their mines after the Mines and Collieries Act 1842 prohibited the use of young children as mine workers. Shetland ponies were most frequently seen, although any small, strong ponies that would fit in the small mine shafts were used as pit ponies. The first small horses in the United States date to 1861, when John Rarey imported four Shetland ponies, one of which was 24 inches (61 cm) tall.[2] Additional small British horses, as well as small Dutch mine horses, were brought to the US throughout the late 1800s.[10] These small horses continued the work of their British relatives, being employed in the coal mines of the eastern and central US until the mid-1900s.[2] In the 1960s, public appreciation for miniature horses began to grow, and they were increasingly used in a number of equestrian disciplines.[10]

The Falabella miniature horse was originally developed in Argentina in the mid-1800s by Patrick Newell. When Newell died, the herd and breeding methods were passed to Newell's son-in-law, Juan Falabella. Juan added additional bloodlines including the Welsh Pony, Shetland pony, and small Thoroughbreds. With considerable inbreeding he was able to gain consistently small size within the herd.[11]

The South African Miniature Horse was developed in South Africa and has a wide range of conformations represented in its population. Some resemble miniature Arabians, while others appear to be scaled-down versions of draft horses.[12] Wynand de Wet was the first breeder of miniature horses in South Africa, beginning his program in 1945 in Lindley, South Africa. Other breeders soon followed, with many using Arabian horses in their breeding programs. In 1984, a breed registry was begun, and the national livestock association recognized the South African Miniature Horse as an independent breed in 1989. There are approximately 700 miniature horses registered in South Africa


In the AMHR, Miniatures cannot exceed 34 inches at the withers (which the AMHR defines as located at the last hair of the mane). There are two divisions in AMHR - the "A" division for horses 34 inches (86 cm) and under, and the "B" division for horses 34 to 38 inches (86 to 97 cm).[6] The AMHA requires that horses stand under 34 inches. Horses of any eye or coat color, and any form of white markings, are allowed to be registered. The AMHA standard suggests that if a person were to see a photograph of a miniature horse, without any size reference, it would be identical in characteristics, conformation, and proportion to a full-sized horse.[1] According to the AMHR, a "Miniature should be a small, sound, well-balanced horse and should give the impression of strength, agility and alertness. A Miniature should be eager and friendly but not skittish in disposition."[4]

They are generally quite hardy, often living longer on average than some full-sized horse breeds; the average life span of miniature horses is from 25 to 35 years.[7] However, there are also some health issues that are more frequently found in miniature horses than their full-sized relatives. Overfeeding is a common problem in miniature horses, leading to obesity; this is especially true when owners are used to owning full-sized horses. Dental issues, including crowding, brachygnathism (overbites) and prognathism (underbites) are frequently seen, due to having the same number of teeth in a much smaller mouth. They can also experience retention of deciduous teeth (baby teeth) and sinus problems from overcrowding. The combination of a propensity for overeating and dental problems can lead to an increased occurrence of colic. A major metabolic problem seen more frequently in miniature horses is hyperlipemia, where an appetite-reducing stressor can cause the body to break down significant amounts of fat, overwhelming the liver and potentially leading to liver failure. Reproduction is also more difficult in miniature horses, with a higher incidence of difficult births and a greater potential for eclampsia. The majority of the health problems seen more frequently in miniature horses are easily rectified with proper feeding and maintenance.







I am hoping to bring the Miniature Horse to the game in a variety of colors!

[RedRaven]

I looked through your farm and found what is preventing you getting the miniatures that you want,you are using the wrong breed crosses. you have to have one of the parents as a Tb x Criollo and the other as a shetland, A part criollo x tb won't work and a tb x shetland pony put to a criollo won't work. it has to be the exact combination of shetland pony x [thouroghbred x criollo]

[Argent II]

Part Criollo x TB will work, but a TB x Shetland will not.

[RedRaven]

The breed directories didn't say Part Criollo but it will be interesting to see if it works (i am going on the assumption that you are trying to get a falabella as they are needed to create a mini)

[Argent II]

It works.

[Babson Arabian]

I started out using a TB X Criollo stallion to shetland mares. I kept getting half shetlands or shetland x criollos. I kept doing that getting the same result so i figured if i keep breeding the mixes ill get somewhere eventually. I know Kiger did (she is a friend of mine.) that's how she got her kigers. I feel like im fighting an uphill battle though -_-.

Here is the stud im useing

http://www.horseworldonline.net/horse/profile/69731


This is ones of his foals

http://www.horseworldonline.net/horse/profile/190302
i keep getting the same cross when i breed him to shetlands. sooo im breeding the part shetlands to my TB X Criollo crosses to see if it works.

[Kintara]

I don't know what the required stats are for miniatures but those horses are all very big! There was some mini sized TB's and part TB's up for stud at one stage to help with welsh mountain breeding. Are Criollo's small? Maybe too cross shetlands with a small Caspian to bring the body size down, and keep the size down until you can get a smaller bodied part shetland. And yes heaps smaller TB x Criollo's! Maybe cross back to Criollo's if they are smaller. Remember it just has to be Thoroughbred x Criollo, so Part and Mixed etc is all fine as long as Thoroughbred and Criollo are the only breeds mentioned

[Babson Arabian]

no both are full sized horses -_-'

an another note still no minis.

[Rhapsody]

Why can't we just buy Minis like in other games. This is the one thing that keeps me from really getting hooked on this game, not being able to get the breeds I want. It's a great game otherwise but way too much work.

[Kintara]

Why can't we just buy Minis like in other games. This is the one thing that keeps me from really getting hooked on this game, not being able to get the breeds I want. It's a great game otherwise but way too much work.

That's the part I love best Rhapsody!! The challenge of creating some breeds!! If you only want to show there are plenty of small ponies usually up for sale