Arabian "Type" Miniatures

[midnight star stables]

Over the last little while, I have talked with a number of mini horse owners who love the Arabian type of miniature over any other type. This comes as no surprise to me, however, what does surprise me is how each person interprets an Arabian miniature differently. I am not passing any judgment, but rather I am interested in what most feel an ideal miniature Arabian looks like.

I'd like to offer my three mares up for comparison. Each has been described as an Arabian type in the past, even though they are all very different in their traits. Which of the three is your ideal Arabian Miniature?

Horse #1:

Horse #2:

Horse #3:

Also, I would like to break this post into two parts. As I am limited to only post photos of my own horses, if you feel have a better Arabian miniature, would you mind sharing it? I know of one that comes to mind to me personally.

Edited to change two pictures.

 

[disneyhorse]

I would not classify the first or last horse as "Arabian type" really, I think they fall closer to "Quarter Horse type". The middle mare is closest to Arabian type in my book but being a baby, may grow out of that refinement as they usually get coarser as they age.

Andrea

 

[Relic]

Sorry for me not a one as to a mini Arab type...but they are all very nice

 

[midnight star stables]

Sorry for me not a one as to a mini Arab type...but they are all very nice

Well that is my point!

What IS an "Arabian miniature"?

Anyone care to share their ideal? I am only limited to my horses, so of course this post is a bit bias. Of all my horses, I have been told these three particular horses are an example of an "arab" type.

I don't breed or really look for an arabian type, so I know my gals aren't the most exact arabian miniatures out there. They are however, my beloved girls - I don't mind what "type" they are.

I find this post very interesting. The arabian miniature is the most popular type, and yet it is not really a "set in stone" type by any means.

 

[disneyhorse]

To me, the Arabian type miniature will have a very dishy head, a very long skinny neck, flat topline, and very refined legs.

Most minis have somewhat of a dishy head and flat topline, but not all are "extreme."

Basically, put a picture of the "real breeds" next to the mini and see how they stack up.

Andrea

 

[HGFarm]

Yes I myself kind of chuckle when folks advertise their horses as 'Arabians in Miniature'..... no not really. Some foals might be really refined with dishy heads as babies, but as disney said, do seem to outgrow some of that look that is extreme as they age. I have noticed also, some being photographed with a different clip to make the foals heads look dishier with extra 'hair' in places- part of the head is clipped and part is not, but if you look at the bone structure itself, they really arent any different than a lot of other Mini babies. The clip deceives the eye into thinking, at a glance, that they look like something else. (Not to say any of them were not pretty babies!)

Minis look like Minis to me, not like Arabians, QH's or other breeds they are compared to.

I think though, the terms used loosely, is stating one might be a more refined or narrow built one vs a draft type or heavier boned one. I dont know why they are compared to other breeds, except to perhaps differentiate between different builds on one so folks know the 'general' body type. Of course, other terms could be used- refined, petite or 'dainty', muscular, middle of the road athletic, drafty, heavy, etc....

I have yet to see one Mini that truly looks like any of the actual breeds they are compared to, though many of them are truly lovely Miniatures in their own right.

 

[Reble]

I always say minis are either fine boned

or big boned.

 

[MindyLee]

LOVE YOUR CAT!!!

I sent you 2 emails with sample pics of my minis that are close to araby looking.

ENJOY!

Also a coule of issues back of the AMHA world magazine, a farm was on the cover I believe that had a father/son pair of grey miniatures that I personally think truely look like miniature arabians. Quintessa Farms maybe???

YEP it was Quintessa Farms!!!

 

[JMS Miniatures]

For me personally I couldn't vote which one as I feel the 3 aren't arabian type.

Take a look at the AMHA mag. and you can usually find an arabian type in there. Mine view is alot like disneyhorse.

 

[kaykay]

I have never understood why we have to think our miniature horses look like an arab or any other breed. They are miniature horses. To this day I really have never seen one that looks like a true arab. Thats not a bad thing!

 

[wiccanz]

I have never understood why we have to think our miniature horses look like an arab or any other breed. They are miniature horses. To this day I really have never seen one that looks like a true arab. Thats not a bad thing!

Agreed ... these are arabs My link I have honestly never seen a miniature that even remotely resembles one of these magnificent creatures. These horses bring tears to my eyes, they are so beautiful. Unfortunately, some of the miniatures described as "arabian type" also bring tears to my eyes ...

With all due respect to the OP's horses

, they are pretty examples of the miniature horse ... why label them anything else?

 

[Annabellarose]

Agreed...these are arabs My link

+1 (Michael Byatt,

)

Shoot, it can be a lot to ask in the Arabian world for other Arabians to stack up to what Michael Byatt brings to the table. LOL

 

[wiccanz]

Shoot, it can be a lot to ask in the Arabian world for other Arabians to stack up to what Michael Byatt brings to the table. LOL

hehehehe

Well, I have to admit, I've never had the pleasure of owning arabs, and I don't know Mr Byatt from a bar of soap, the only reason I use his examples is because that's what I found while searching the internet. And those horses, to me, are the epitome of all things beautiful and equine

 

[Annabellarose]

What IS an "Arabian miniature"?
Anyone care to share their ideal?

As a former breeder of Arabian and Half-Arabian horses and someone who is still HEAVILY involved in the breed's community and with the breed's show scene (I also still own one 1/2 Arabian that I bred; she has done really, really well in SHIH in Ohio and West Virginia), I can honestly tell you that the Arabian people do not even agree on Arabian type. They regularly engage in epic battles on their internet message boards about "type".

 

[Annabellarose]

hehehehe

Well, I have to admit, I've never had the pleasure of owning arabs, and I don't know Mr Byatt from a bar of soap,

Ah, well, in my opinion, one may not be able to pick a better place to start! Mr. Byatt is a very nice man and definitely one of the, if not the, most influential people in the breed and shows Arabian horses successfully on the international level (which very few people acheive in the breed, as Poland has their type, Russia has their type, Spain has their type, France has their type, and so on and so on and so on).

 

[MiLo Minis]

hehehehe

Well, I have to admit, I've never had the pleasure of owning arabs, and I don't know Mr Byatt from a bar of soap, the only reason I use his examples is because that's what I found while searching the internet. And those horses, to me, are the epitome of all things beautiful and equine

And perhaps that is why some Miniature Horse owners equate their Minis to Arabs - they feel that their horses are the epitomy of all things beautiful and equine to them!

I once sent a photo of an Arab to Getitia because she had sent me a photo of one of her horses in almost the exact same pose. Both horses were the same colour and approximately the same age and it was difficult to tell them apart. Both were beautiful!

Isn't it always the Arabian that little girls draw when they are dreaming of horses? The dishy face, tiny muzzle, big eye, long archy neck and flat croup?

 

[ruffian]

I know of at least 3 different types of Arabians - Egyptian bred, which Mike's are, Polish bred, and Russian Bred. The Eqyptian bred is the most extreme and were originally desert bred. The polish and Russian are similar, as the Russians took many studs as they swept through Europe. The Polish and Russian are a little coarser, but NOT coarse!

So IMO most "Arabian Type" miniatures are closer to the Polish or Russian types, but of course not true Arabians. The "Arabian Type" in miniature was created as folks started going away from the short legged, big headed, heavy bodied little miniatures from 20+ years ago.

 

[MindyLee]

Mountain Meadows "Prince,"

his dam Shady sure looks araby to my too. I would say shes a pretty good example of a mini arab as well.

 

[mizbeth]

I have done some research on Arabs too, and found that there are "several" styles of Arabs depending on where they came from. Some in fact were heavy boned in appearance. I was just looking for that web site to post it here, but cannot find it just now. It had the names and countries where they came from. I will look some more later when I get home from work.

The Arabs you have shown are simply stunning!

 

[HGFarm]

Yes there are different types of Arabs- the Polish and Russian horses having a bit more body than the Egyptian ones, but are all clearly Arabians.

I also dont see why we have to compare our Miniatures to another breed. Can't we just set our own standards and be ourselves? Use our own descriptive words instead of comparing to another breed that Miniatures are NOT?

I admit that I think the Miniatures today are SO much better looking than they were 20 years or so ago and the breed is improving all the time. But I would not call a nice example of a Miniature as Arab type. I would say it is a well bred and nicely conformed Mini, with refinement and style. I have yet to see one that I would say is a duplicate, or even close, to an Arabian.

And thanks for the link to that Arabian site- I am wiping the drool off my desk here as we speak.

wiccanz, your comment about bringing you to tears made me laugh right out loud. I wholeheartedly agree.

Miniatures are Miniatures- be proud of it and let's find another way to describe our pretty horses without comparing them to something they are certainly not. JMO.