here's our dwarf

[Relic]

l never would have thought dwarf about this guy just short because he is only 27 and a half inches tall and age 5 l would have prefered a smaller head on him his teeth are good legs a little off in the back he sure isn't perfect except in my mind of course. Time after time people that come here including ones we've shown with for years that see him say oh he looks dwarfy you shouldn't breed him...but l do. Tell me where the dwarf signs are on him l have no clue so at least l'll know seeing what others do who won't point a finger and say...l've also been told thats why foals have a dome or that bump which l posted about a while back that comes from breeding a dwarf..

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

Pulling our legs, right? He's beautiful and I would LOVE to have him in my barn.

Robin

 

[RJRMINIS]

Well I don't see anything dwarfy about him, I think he is gorgeous!!!!

:

 

[Ponygirl]

He is not a dwarf

 

[Relic]

No l am not pulling your leg this is what about 5 different people who breed up here have come right out and stated..

 

[Katiean]

LOL. get him in his winter woolies and show how short he is and "someone" will say he is a dwarf. He is beautiful. I wish I had a "dwarf" like that. LOL

 

[mininik]

His nostril placement looks as if it may be high, and coupled with his slightly domed forehead, faults and size that may explain the comments you have recieved. I, personally, would not choose to use him as a stallion, but NOT because I look at him and see a "dwarf." His front assembly and as you pointed out, his hind legs are both lacking. He does appear to have a solid hip, short back and good length of neck. He is tiny, and I'd like to say he is beautifully presented here.

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

I think he is beautiful, and dont see any dwarfism in him. Mininik, could we possible see some of your horses for comparison? ...

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I agree with Niki completely 100 percent with the addition that yes I would say this horse has a couple of characteristics that would concern me including his length of back make me very careful of the breeding choices I made with him.

that said I dont think every dwarf is very severe and twisted legs- and I dont think that every horse that shows characteristics should never be bred however if we are not willing to see the what is there then odds of breeding to another horse with other signs are pretty good.

No horse is perfect and to truly be successful in your breeding program you need to see what you have in order to learn how to cross it best

 

[Ashley]

I do agree, and remember thinking the same thing when he was used in the youth judging comp. While I wouldnt call him a dwarf, I do see somethings that would worry me about breeding with him.

 

[lvponies]

I don't see any dwarfy characteristics in this guy. I like him!

 

[mininik]

My Classic gelding is pictured below. I have been involved with and owned Miniatures for almost 10 years, but have no pictures of the others on this computer. I will tell you they weren't anything spectacular, or what I would consider breeding quality, though most had National Top Ten titles (including an AMHR National Reserve Grand in Halter). I have NOT bred a single foal, and honest critiques like these are why. I understand that no horse is perfect, but faults are faults. Ten years ago I would have looked at this horse and been so smitten I couldn't see the faults. Since then I have had the good fortune to be close to several breeders, giving me the opportunity to learn from their experience and mistakes. I may be wrong, but I do not feel that one must be a breeder to have an educated opinion on the horses they see.

 

[Relic]

Okay as l said l happen to like him key word l guess is...like. What l need is someone to point right at the things that make him a dwarf so that l CAN have a look past my feelings...l find a lot of faulty horses are well liked by there owners and don't know where others see the faults..point a finger for the barn blind so it hits home.

This is his 2007 foal out of a tall 33" mare. ls he showing any dwarf..

 

[nootka]

Personally, I don't see dwarfism, but I DO see the odd hind leg angle that some dwarfs also have.

Your horse has good bone for his height (in that it is not too heavy), so that proportion thing is there.

I don't see the nostril placement as too high, but I may be missing something, because if I look at my colt, Pyro, I think his nostril placement looks off, too, but nothing about my colt says dwarf to me.

Your stallion is probably one of the better in his height range, though as I mentioned to someone privately, the playing field is a lot tougher for those of you breeding tiny in that I truly believe there are FAR less well-conformed stallions and mares to choose from in the 28" and under height range that also DON'T show dwarf characteristics than there are say in the 34" and under range.

It is a huge job to choose breeding stock when you breed for a trait that is irrelevant to conformation (such as color or height, these things are always secondary, but an additional goal, further narrowing your choices of stock). I commend those of you doing it with honor and care, and with an open, learning mind.

Relic, I think you're wise to check your choice, and sometimes, only breeding is the way to learn. His colt is nothing I would say is outstanding, and I would probably geld the colt based on his conformation, but I don't see the colt as being a dwarf, either. It matters to me what the mare looked like, but I don't see his colt being as nice as himself. To me, a sire must at least equal himself in quality if not surpass himself, otherwise he is of no use to me in improving the breed towards a correct and aesthetically pleasing horse.

This is not judgment of your horse, because I DO like him, but do see fault in him as well. A lot less faults than his peers (other horses in his height range), but I don't see dwarf. I would hesitate to use him with a mare that showed any symptoms at all, though.

I am one, however, who maintains that height is a "symptom" in some cases (after all, dwarfism's main effect is to shorten the afflicted being's stature).

My best to you (this has been informative to me, as well as heartening that we are all looking at our horses so carefully).

Liz M.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Relic,

Seriously, this whole dwarf frenzy is going to make me crazy! wacko I must be blind because I just don't see it! I really don't! Someome, for me too, please point out the dwarf characteristics because I'm not seeing them!

PS: Since you only "like" him, feel free to send him to MO! I LOVE him! wub

I guess I'm just a dwarf-breedin' fool! wink

 

[mininik]

I really don't like critiquing foals, although there are definitely some who obviously won't be getting any better with maturity. Based upon the photo given, the above colt is not one I would choose to keep a stallion. He definitely has some issues that could be there to stay or could be a temporary part of growing up, but it's the odd foal who sheds ALL of it's ackwardness to mature into something spectacular. At this stage he looks a lot like his sire.

 

[Relic]

Not to worry Boxcar Willy was gelded already.

 

[Jill]

I noticed the nostril thing about him as well. Looks a little "odd" in the top picture, but not in the profile shot. There are things I can ding him on, and things I can praise him for as well.

The thing with the stallion you posted is, the things I like most about him revolves around his height. As in, he's pretty proportional for his height. He's got a good amount of bone for his height. He's got a nice neck for his height. For his height, I like him a lot more than I like most of his height. But, the biggest part of how I'm looking at him is that if he were 3" taller, would I consider him stallion material?

I will admit I am probably more than a little biased, because I so very rarely see any under 30" I personally "like". It's doubtful I'd ever choose to own one under 30", as I don't think they come in my type!

PS but to address the thread title -- NO, I don't think he's a dwarf at all.

 

[TMR]

It would help tremendously for those of us reading this to learn, if when you talk about the good and bad points of a horses conformation that you state exactly what you mean. For example, someone made comment about the front assembly and back end (I believe that's what was said), please state exactly what you mean by this. Is it how the neck ties in or is the gaskins weak, legs back, etc.? Many of us are reading this to learn, and to make sure we are not being barn blind. Pointing out the exacts will help.

These types of post can be very educational for the newbies and even though of us that have been in it for years. You can learn something new every day.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

I have been reading here since 2001 and have seen many many horses posted and one observation I would like to make. There are those who like the 30 and under horses and those who only like the taller and in my opinion more horselike minis just as there are those who love the horses that are winning in the showring at this time and those who like the more compact draft type minis. I just dont think that an under 30 horse would look like a horse with a 2 foot neck and for those who are breeding for that extreme neck the shorter horses look dwarfy. Its all preference. Regarding the OP horse he looks very balanced for an under 30 horse not as balanced as a 34 to 38 inch one perhaps and he may have some back leg issues but we all know all horses are not perfect. I also believe that those who come from larger horse backgrounds have a harder time seeing an under 30 horse as competitive but we know that in AMHA they are. I tried to go to the two posters websites to see their horses and only one has a website and her stallion is ASPC/AMHR her stallion is beautiful but I am sure hes much taller than the OP's horse . Perhaps if All dwarf characteristics are eliminated so will our smaller horses be gone and that would be a travesty.