That’s the part the Minis play; they’re the Rockettes! Little Rock Stars of Rockin’ Clip Clop Ranch.

I’ve always wanted to breed and raise horses, but dealing with the full-size animals seemed a little too overwhelming for my situation. After investigating blood lines and exploring the different size (height) classifications, I decided on Miniatures 32-inches and under. some very important points to consider when deciding to breed. The ultimate goal is to pair the stallion to a mare with hopes of producing the best possible genetic outcome. A miniature horse should have the same correct, well-balanced conformation seen in larger breeds. Mares should be refined and feminine; stallions should be bold (but not aggressive) and masculine. They can be the draft (refer to Boogie), moderate (refer to Splash), or Arabian types. Listed below are just some of the genetic markers and subjective markers that should be considered:

Dwarfism and other Genetic Limitations/Considerations. Four mutations in the ACAN gene have been found in Miniature Horses associated with a dwarf phenotype by John Eberth, MS, working in the lab of Dr. Ernie Bailey at the University of Kentucky. It is important to test breeding stock for these mutations because at least one of these mutations is lethal in combination with any of the other mutations causing early pregnancy loss. Care must also be taken in breeding two horses together that are carriers for Dwarf mutations, as the presence of two mutations in any combination will lead to early abortion or live foals with a range of physical ailments associated with the dwarf phenotype. Some of these physical ailments seriously affect the health of the horse and include breathing problems, malformed mouths which lead to eating difficulties, and abnormal bone growth leading to chronic soundness issues. Dwarfism results on each stallion can be found on their respective pages.

Lethal White. Frame Overo (Splash) is a highly desirable white pattern gene. All Frame Overo horses carry a single inherited copy of the Ile118Lys EDNRB mutation. This mutation causes pigment loss, producing white markings on certain areas of the horse. While the mutation produces visually desirable horses, it is also linked to a fatal condition known as Lethal White Overo or (LWO), whereby a foal is born almost pure white in appearance, and dies within its first few days of life. Correct breeding can avoid this occurrence.

LWO occurs when a horse inherits two copies of the mutated gene, one from both parents. Whereas horses with just one copy of the gene will live normally and exhibit the desirable pattern. A horse with two copies of the mutated gene will suffer intestinal abnormalities caused by undeveloped nerves of the foal’s digestive system. These animals die within the first 72 hours of being born and are typically euthanized sooner for humane reasons.

Frame Overo horses which carry just a single copy of the gene, will pass one copy of it to their foals approximately 50% of the time when bred. Therefore, when breeding an Overo horse to a solid non-Overo horse, the foal can only inherit one copy. However, if two Overo horses are bred together they could potentially BOTH pass the Overo gene to the foal, meaning it inherits two copies. Horses which inherit two copies of Frame Overo will suffer the Lethal White condition. Proper mating must be carried out to ensure that two frame Overo horses do not breed. This will prevent any risk of the foal inheriting two copies of the mutated gene.

…Conformation and Balance. This is probably one of the most critical areas to consider when purchasing/evaluating a horse. Conformation plays an incredibly large part in lameness. The walk should be a natural free-flowing, four-beat gait with length of stride proportional to the height and length of leg. A horse with correct confirmation will be balanced in its movements which will it allow it to be very athletic and capable in maneuvering abilities.

…Body. The body should be compact with a short back, close-coupling, broad loins, deep flank and well-sprung ribs and the barrel should be trim. The back should have a long, level, well-muscled croup which is smoothly rounding at the hip. The underline of the body should be long but not tucked up at the flank. At maturity, the highest point of the croup should be even with (but not higher than) the withers. The chest should be medium width with defined (but not exaggerated) muscular development.

…Legs and Hooves. Legs should be straight and parallel, the hooves should be round, well trimmed, and compact. Pay special attention to the quality of the hooves. The old adage “No hoof, no horse,” also applies to Minis. Some Minis that have flat or thin soles, worn heels, or thin, weak walls which can be susceptible to hoof injury. Miniature horses with upright pasterns (not enough angle from heel to hoof, contracted tendons, or knee deformities) are also prone to further damage. Both of my stallions have extremely hard, well-formed hooves. My farrier (who is a Certified Journeyman Farrier) has told me that both of my stallions have some of the best hooves, frogs, etc., of any Minis he has ever seen. Regular hoof care is essential for the overall well-being of Minis. This includes regular farrier visits and possibly the addition of hoof -support supplements to your Mini’s diet.

…Color. Minis are found in all horse colors, including sorrels, bays, roans, appaloosas, pintos, palominos, silvers gruellas, and cremelos to just name just a few. Eyes can be brown or blue. It is very important to understand that there is a major difference between the appearance of an animal (phenotype) versus its genetic makeup (genotype). Most discussions of miniature horse coat color are based on phenotype, because we can only describe the colors that appear visibly.

“Our eyes tell us what a horse appears to be. His Pedigree tells us what he ought to be, but his offspring tells us what he is.”

…Disposition/Trainability/Temperament. The American Miniature Horse is intelligent, curious, gentle, sensible, cooperative, and easy to train. They’re smart and have wonderful, calm personalities. Miniature horses are strong enough to easily pull an adult in a cart, and small children can ride them. They have a fondness for people, require less pasture and living space, and seldom need shoes. Even though each individual has its own personality, these traits should be clearly reflected in the animal.

…Traits. What types of traits make a horse pleasant to look at? There are many factors when evaluating a horse that makes then aesthetically pleasing. Some include:

…Head. The head should be beautiful, triangular in shape and comparatively small in proportion to the length of neck and body. The forehead is broad with large, prominent eyes. Round “soft” eyes give the horse an expression of kindness and intelligence. Eye placement (from each other) and on the headset is also very important. The eyes should be set well apart, approximately 1/3 the distance from the poll to muzzle.The distance between the muzzle and eyes is comparatively short. The profile may be straight or slightly dished below the eyes, blending into large nostrils on a small, refined muzzle.

…Ears. The medium-size, well-shaped ears should have pointed tips curving slightly inward. They should be set on top of the head and carried alertly.

…Length of neck and shoulder attachment. This is important as it governs how the horse carries their head and how smoothly (or rough) they move which affects Balance. The neck should be set on the top of a well-angulated shoulder, departing well above the point of the shoulder and blending into the withers, giving the impression of the neck sitting on top of the withers rather than in front of them. The slender neck is slightly arched forming a gentle curve from the poll to the back. Its length is in proportion to body with the top line being considerably longer than the bottom line. The throat latch should be clean and well defined, allowing flexion at the poll and normal respiration.The shoulders should be muscular, long, sloping, well angulated (45-50 degrees), allowing for a free-swinging stride and alert head/neck carriage.

…Thickness and length of mane, forelock, and tail. Tail Set: The tail should smoothly round off the rump.

…Quality and texture of coat.

…Lineage. Horse-keeping expenses are the same for all grades of animals. Whether your goal is to have a family partner for personal entertainment, or a show-quality champion, there are basic horse keeping expenses which are “constants.” I would highly advise to purchase animals that have a solid lineage from reputable breeders. Always try to seek out an equine partner that will have the potential to take you to the next level if you chose to do so. Remember, a lineage that produces quality, sound horses should not be taken lightly. It may help to avoid costly genetic-related problems down the road .

…Veterinarian. Regular vaccinations are an absolute must to guard against major equine diseases. Deworming is an issue that, in my opinion,has been grossly over-recommended. I believe that manure management is far more important than a regimented deworming schedule. Manure is picked up twice a day at my ranch; morning and evening. I also pick up manure in pastures, which helps to prevent a heavy build-up of parasites in the soil from which the horses receive their nutrients. I believe in using diatomaceous earth as a natural alternative (and supplement option) to a chemical-only regime. Researchers have found that parasites are becoming increasingly more resistant to conventional deworming methods and therefore rendering many of the current compounds ineffective. Poor animal husbandry practices will lead to more overall health-related problems than anything else.

…Miniature horses are hardy and adaptable, but they can experience a few health issues because of their small size. They are more likely to founder, develop colic, and suffer from toxic weed poisoning (including leaves from certain types of trees). The toxic effects range from symptoms as mild as excess salivation to those as serious as death. Recognition of poisonous plants is especially important in Miniature horses where, because of their small size, ingestion of even a small amount of toxin can be deadly. Also, Miniature horses are more likely to have access to their owner’s yards and gardens where these plants are common. More information can also be found on the Cornell University’s poisonous plants web pages (www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/alphalist.html). The best and safest approach is to remove all weeds from pastures and paddocks and to not allow Miniature horses access to backyards and gardens. Refer to the chart below: