The "Be a Better Beginner" article was excellent!
I was pleased by the minis pictured in the "Mighty, Valiant and Game" article but I have to admit she lost my approval when she said "...many of these minis were rescues, and
while a true mini show person might roll their eyes, these guys are valued, all business, and have found their rightful place." Most mini show people I know really admire CDE horses and couldn't care less that some aren't registered! Almost everyone knows of at least one good mini who couldn't be registered due to paperwork errors, going a hair over, or being sold without papers due to those unavoidable human situations. That is not the horse's fault and only a good-quality horse can stand up to the strenuous sport of combined driving. I know things are different in different parts of the country, but I'm sad that she felt the need to assume prejudice like that from within our own breed.
I also was disappointed that the otherwise positive article ended on the trite, dismissive note of "the minis jaunty contribution is Fun." Of course they're fun. Yes, that is one of their charms. But I shook my head over the statement that "it is not possible to celebrate the uniqueness of minis and insist that they are the same as other horses at the same time." Excuse me?? Every breed is unique, that is why they are bred, preserved down through the ages and yes, celebrated by their devotees. That does not mean they are LESS than each other.
The sentence would sound ridiculous if you said "it is not possible to celebrate the uniqueness of QH's and insist that they are the same as other horses at the same time." Of course you can.
Otherwise it was an excellent article though and I do want to thank the author for creating the Monster Mini CDE and giving the VSE's a place to shine in the East. I agree with her that minis give you a chance to experience the spirit of the horse in a scaled-down package.
She also had good points about caring for them as full-sized horses and not assuming every mini can drive. I just wish she hadn't fallen prey to the same prejudice she complains of and dismissed them as only capable of being fun little ambassadors.
Leia