Is my foal a dwarf?

[Aine]

My 30inch mare foaled last week. This is her new filly foal but she is so different to the kind of foals we usually have. She hasn't grown anything either, I know she's still young but I don't know much about dwarf foals. Help and advice appreciated!

 

[Matt73]

Hard to say from the angles you've presented. She looks like she may have something "dwarfy" going on...but I can't say for sure; I'll leave that to people more experienced with dwarves.... She's cute as a button, though

 

[mdegner]

Agree with Matt, can't really tell from the angles. What is her mouth like? Can't really see her feet but they appear to be OK. Is she bow legged looking from the front? She is adorable though for sure!

We had one last year that when I saw him, I said, "is that a dwarf"? But, he was just chunky and little and fuzzy and looked weird. He most definitely was not a dwarf and as he matured, he slimmed down and turned into a really nice little guy. But, he didn't look like any others we had ever had and I was a little nervous......

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I too have some suspiciions, based on those pictures, but not enough evidence to say for sure. Her head, although cute, is a bit wide, her neck short and her joints on her front legs look a tad enlarged in the first photo, but that could just be the angle of the shot. Maybe she's just a chunky little fuzz ball??? She certainly looks tiny (short) for sure!

She's adorable either way.

 

[Riverrose28]

I have to say does it matter? Shes really cute and looks really lovable, are you planning on keeping her, or do you run a breedding business, if you are not running a business, just love her. It's hard to tell from the picture posted, but we have a dwarf and she is the love of our life. Enjoy.

 

[Genie]

She's really a little sweetie and I agree with Riverrose..

I have seen some foals with what I call "dwarf characteristics". . . . . Short neck, off bite, leg problems, etc.

From the pictures she just looks tiny. How tall was she at birth?

 

[Aine]

I'll try and get better pictures for ye! She was around 17inches. When she walks she seems to be walking on her heels on her back legs. She was a few days early too. Somebody saw her and said she could have been a half twin but the other one didn't survive in the womb and thats why she's so small. Is that possible. Yes we breed miniature shetlands and this is our first part bred American. We love her to bits I just thought she wax very "butty" and out of sorts a bit.

 

[Jill]

Better pictures would help, but at this point, based on the angles of the camera -- I do not think you have a dwarf foal. I know that I've had pictures of our own non-dwarf foals from those angles and seen similar results and none of them has been "dwarfy" at all... So better pics, but if I had to take a guess now, I'd say "not a dwarf". The angle of the shot with her facing the camera is one that makes the part of the horse closest to the camera seem disporportionally large. The first shot shows the head is short, not over sized... Legs do not look densely boned to me.

And, I do not mean to be "mean" but yes, if she was a dwarf, it WOULD matter to me and my breeding program if she were one of ours. But, again, I don't see a dwarf from those pictures.

 

[Mareish Mom]

Agree 100% with Jill. Of course it matters, if she turns out to be a dwarf you would have to take a good long look at the breeding that produced her, to find out where it came from so as not to repeat it. You'd also want to make sure she is never bred as well. Of course it won't change whether you love her or not! But I'd sure not do a breed-back until I knew for sure. But from those pics I don't see dwarf either. Time will tell.

 

[Riverrose28]

Sorry, seems some are not understanding what I was trying to say, should have worded it differently. Yes it matters if the mare is to be bred back to the stallion, and yes it matters if you planned on breeding this little one. It doesn't matter to her and it shouldn't matter to you if you just want a foal to love and care for. She looks really lovable and just as cute as a button. To find out if she really is you would need to check her bite, and maybe wait awhile for more characteristics to show, we knew right off ours was a dwarf, but it is hard to tell for certain from your pictures.

 

[Jill]

I hope as your foal grows, you will post updated pictures. I'm interested to see how she develops

 

[mshasta88]

I agree with most everyone, but I’m not so sure there is something called borderline dwarfs, I think they are or they aren’t. Maybe it is just a question in conformation? I have seen several horses that people called borderline dwarfs and to me they just looked like very small minis (under 28”) and where horses that I personal wouldn’t feel comfortable breeding anyways.

 

[disneyhorse]

It should become more apparent as the foal ages. Sometimes, minis with poor conformation are labeled as "dwarf" when genetically they may not be, either.

I also hope you keep us updated on your little one!

Andrea

 

[TPs flat rock acres]

any new photos

 

[HGFarm]

A friend had a foal one year that looked normal to me at birth but as the days went on it became apparent she was a dwarf. I agree more pics are needed- her body shape looks 'odd' to me and makes me suspicious but wouldnt want to make an opinion for sure quite yet.

 

[Aine]

Thanks guys! I will get some new photos over the weekend. Its very wet here at the moment so I will wait until she's able to go outside

Thanks a mill!!