Does anyone show/breed for the more "built" miniature?

[KGminiaturehorses]

Just a thought I've been pondering for a while. In May, as some of you already know, I was lucky enough to WIN a gorgeous mare and her 2011 filly at an AMHA show through a raffle. While in my eyes I see two very nicely built, proportionate horses, I also see two horses that look absolutely nothing like the "arab" type minis bred for today, and in magazines, etc. I would really love to show my filly next year as a yearling, but part of me wonders if she would even be competitive with the very refined, light minis that are "in". My filly is very correct, and has (in my opinion) a VERY nice hip on her, with yet a somewhat hooky, defined neck, movement to boot, and straight legs. I have had my farrier tell me she looks like a "miniature quarter horse filly" and that she will "muscle up and mature nicely!"

Of course he is not educated on the miniatures when it comes to the showring and what judges look for, so it sort of was a slam in a way, since that's not what is desired, right?

I am really just wondering if anyone has any "quarter horse" type minis, and if they have had any success with them in the ring? Despite the trend in the "arab" typed minis? Im not saying im not a fan of the refined minis, heck, I think they are wonderfull too! I personally have respect for any miniature that is well built, correct, and represents a scaled down version of the large sized horse. I am a youth, and I show a ton and im always looking to hear others opinions on the breed, and types.

Here's my mare. LR Scouts Little Jeannie, and her 2011 filly. My "quarter" type girls.

Oh, and if any of you guys have any "heavier" typed minis that you have shown, or had success with, please post your pictures!

 

[JMS Miniatures]

If you don't want them I'll take them. I like them, but yet I like that type of built. I think locally you should do well. I don't show in AMHA so I really can't help but all I can say is I like them both.

 

[Eagle]

Yes I agree, they are far too well built. I will send a lorry over tomorrow to take them off your hands. Poor girl

I will send you hubby and the two kids instead

 

[chandab]

I don't show, so can't say how they'd do in the show ring, but both can come join my herd anytime.

 

[Lori W]

One of our mares is a quarter-horse type who never places very high in breed shows. I showed her in our county fair this year in the Open Horse Division. She won the open Miniature Horse Mares class and went on to win Grand Champion Miniature Horse. The division included draft horses, light horses, ponies and minis. I was thrilled that the judge liked her and said she was well balanced.

She's my first "potato chip" and I love her to pieces. I'm not planning to breed her since she's not the currently popular Arab-type. She had a few babies before I got her and they are handsome animals, but we have no breeding plans for her at this time.

Regardless, she's an awesome driving horse, gentle with children and the elderly, and patient with those in wheelchairs. Here's my first girl...

 

[kaykay]

The beauty of it (if you are a breeder) is that you can take these ladies and breed to a more fine boned stallion and probably get an excellent show miniature. Since you have the conformation you just want to refine it more.

There are still some judges who like the quarter type but they are getting few and far between. The filly may not mature as heavy as you think. I think she looks great and with a show clip etc next year she may surprise you.

If you like pinto shows the filly would do well in stock

 

[AnnaC]

Your girls are gorgeous!

I love the minis with more 'substance', and all my mares are on the 'heavier' side, mainly because I have had them for years, but I do use my lighter built boys on them to produce, hopefully, something in the 'middle range' weightwise.

We are lucky over here as most of our mini shows have classes for all the different weights, so there is plenty for the heavier types to take part in.

I love the look of the modern minis, but do have a fear that in a few years down the line, some of the substance that makes for a good foundation brood mare, may be lost.

 

[CharlesFamily]

I think they are gorgeous! I am not a breeder - just a buyer! But I also enjoy the more quarter horse or morgan style mini. While I can drool over the refined, araby types as well as anyone, when I go looking to buy that's just not what attracts me! As for doing well in the ring, we don't show much so I really can't say. I would say you would probably be at a disadvantge in halter, but I don't think halter should be the only thing you look at with these girls. They look like they would be great performance horses with nice substance for maybe driving or halter obstacle. I think those are the fun classes anyway! They look like they would have the substance and endurance to be versatile and go all day! Good luck with them!

Barbara

 

[Lindi-loo]

How lucky are you winning those 2 beautiful girls in a "raffle"..I would never be that lucky..I cant win an argument me

 

[JaniceZ]

I have a built mare that rarely does well in Halter at AMHR shows, but I always do the fair circuit with her and she cleans up! Maybe because the fairs around her are judged mostly by quarter horse judges. Summer usually does well in the performance classes though!

 

[Jill]

I think they're very pretty.

Many breeders have and win BIG with horses who are beautifully refined yet still built to DO things. That's the type of horse I prefer to own.

As for breeding, for sure look to use horses that compliment each other but the best rule of thumb is don't breed two horses if you would not be thrilled with a duplicate of the "least" of the two.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[supaspot]

two beautiful correct girls , you are very lucky , I like refined but correct is always top of my list

 

[maestoso]

Personally I don't consider either of those "heavy." The are definitely heavier than what is winning, but as someone stated, would probably make excellent crosses for a more refined stallion. I don't think many people who show would purposely breed for the heavier type. In our "breed" you get plenty of that by accident, just the nature of breeding.... You breed for the best and most of the time you get average with a few stand outs. Unfortunately, it doesn't work the other way around.

 

[mydaddysjag]

My minis are more of a "performance" build, but still fare well in halter. I would bet that you filly would do well in halter as a yearling, I haven't seen them get coarse until their two year old year. Try youth halter yearling mares!

 

[targetsmom]

I think both your minis are very nice! I'm with Jill - I like refinement but I also want my minis to be able to DO things and I think yours are the type that can. I think you would do extremely well with your pinto filly in Pinto shows, where everyone shows performance along with halter!

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I really dont consider either of your girls to be "heavy-boned", they are both along the lines of our preferred horse too. We raised QHs and Paint Horses before getting into the minis so prefer that look over the overly refined horses. I think the refined types are pretty but there is such a thing as too refined for me! Ours have been doing really well this year showing and I think that yours could too, especially in AMHA shows.

Here are some of ours that have been doing well showing in Halter, I dont consider any of them as refined as some out there but not coarse either:

Maple Hollows Little Bit Of Magic -- 32" --Multiple Reserve Jr Champion Stallion and Reserve Grand Champion Stallion and AMHA Amateur Reserve Champion Stallion

Maple Hollows Magical Mist -- 24"--Reserve Jr Champion Mare as a weanling at her only show this year.

Maple Hollows Magic Moment -- 29"--AMHA Grand Champion Amateur Mare

And an example of how they can excel at performance--Arions Magnium P I -- 32"-- 46 Country Pleasure Driving Points with 1 stakes win, 17 Roadster Points with 2 stakes, 36 Western Driving Points with 6 stakes wins, 6 Jumper, and 16 Liberty Points.

So even if some of the judges dont like them for halter (which I dont think should be a problem) at least you know that there are lots of other things (and more fun) to do with them!

 

[maestoso]

I am not sure that I like the implication that the finer, smaller, tinier minis aren't as capable of "doing" things as the minis bigger or slightly more course. I am thinking of a 29 inch mini who has won more world titles in Jumper than any horse I know of, a Res Grand Single Pleasure horse that I would consider very refined, A showmanship world title holder that is both tiny and refined, a world hunter futurity winner that is finer than any world grand halter horse I've ever seen.....etc etc etc.

In my opinion, it is the brain of a horse that allows it to "do" things, not it's refinement or size.

Just sayin

By the way, Mary, your minis do things because you work hard at it, not because they are "built" to do them. Hopefully we get to see you in the ring a little more next year!

 

[Sandy B]

Gorgeous mares!!!! Wow! Lucky you!

I wish that AMHA would divide their halter classes in to two types- saddle and stock type. I do not see why they don't.

 

[HGFarm]

You won them in a raffle??!! Oh you poor thing- I would recommend you get rid of them right away! Oh look, I have room for you to hide them at my house! LOL

I insist all my horses have 'substance', yet their legs, etc... are refined. A horse can be well built or have muscle and still be refined, or fine boned- not 'clunky' if you know what I mean.

I hope folks are not using the scrawny horses with weak rear ends, and no chest to speak of as 'Arab' types- to me those are just weak or poor conformation and not an example of good conformation. A horse can have muscle and be 'well built' and still be a nice moving pretty horse, without being heavy or drafty or dumpy looking.

Let me know when you ship my new mare to me, hee hee

 

[Genie]

Just wanted to add, very nice horses