Miniature Horse or Miniature Arab?

[Marsha Cassada]

I was reading the thread about American and European miniatures, and found it very interesting that the comment was made that the Van't Huttenest line is no longer desireable in the showring. I know the fashion is for the daintier types, but it seems to me the breed is heading toward miniature arab, and not miniature horse. There are all kinds of big horses. So, why can't the miniatures come just as varied? Couldn't judging be done like a dog show, where a dog is judged against its breed? A certain type could be judged for its superlative, and not all the miniatures would have to be clones of each other, like a bunch of teenagers who have to dress and act exactly alike. I am partial to my Van't Huttenest gelding, of course! He has personality with a capital P, big brown eyes, is willing to go, and sound. So, is he chopped liver because he doesn't look like an arab? If there could be an "improvement" in the breed, how about breeders doing something about all that hair??

Marsha

 

[_minihorses4ever_]

I was reading the thread about American and European miniatures, and found it very interesting that the comment was made that the Van't Huttenest line is no longer desireable in the showring.  I know the fashion is for the daintier types, but it seems to me the breed is heading toward miniature arab, and not miniature horse.  There are all kinds of big horses.  So, why can't the miniatures come just as varied?  Couldn't judging be done like a dog show, where a dog is judged against its breed?  A certain type  could be judged for its superlative, and not all the miniatures would have to be clones of each other, like a bunch of teenagers who have to dress and act exactly alike.  I am partial to my Van't Huttenest gelding, of course!  He has personality with a capital P, big brown eyes, is willing to go, and sound.  So, is he chopped liver because he doesn't look like an arab?  If there could be an "improvement" in the breed, how about breeders doing something about all that hair??

Marsha

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Agreed!

I love my Vant Huttenest grandson. Yes, he may not be the prettiest horse, or the most refined, but he truley is amazing. VERY WILLING, also a WONDERFUL personality, and ATHLETIC.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Not at all, a good horse is a good horse. My point was not that the Van't Huttenest ponies were not good- I saw them long before Miniature "horses" had been "discovered" over here and they were still called Shetland Ponies. I was making the point that the majority of them were, in fact, Native Shetland Ponies!!!

Not what I wish to breed for, but well conformed and, in the case of the Van't Huttenest ponies at least, very pretty!!

I do actually wish to breed Miniature Arabs, but whatever you wish to breed, at the end of the day, it should be the best horses, the soundest horses and the horse with the best conformation, that wins, not "fashion"

 

[Jill]

Well, I can appreciate a good horse is a good horse, and they come in many types. Good conformation is good conformation. I have some that I think (and others may disagree) are of the "arab mini type", and others that are more of a quarter horse type, including one who has had mutliple national championships and is a qh in miniature through my eyes.

However, I think that the trend in the ring today is for more the "arab type". Doesn't mean that's what you need to have a good horse, though. It just means that's what's currently in favor in the show ring. I think people just need to step back and try to honestly evaluate what types they have and not try to turn an apple into an orange. That's when people become disappointed.

I love refined horses, but I also like them to have a build to do something. I don't like the ones with no chest or too slightly built. If I had to choose between a horse that was only pretty enough to do well at halter, but not tough enough to drive, I'd have to pick the one I could really use. But, luckily, there are horses that are built for both halter and performance.

 

[*minis*]

I love the refined Arab type, but if you look into the show ring today, my opinion is honestly that were slowly moving away from that type to the "Modern type" that is IMO a little heavier.

BTW, in the AMHA rulebook it says that a judge must be aware of the different types and mustn't place one horse over the other, just because the type to the judge seems more desireable. Correctness is what counts (at least it should count). Plus, in the rulebook aswell as in the standard of perfection, there is no word about refinement or Arab type. Therefore I think that you can breed or show whatever type you want, it shouldn't matter.

What makes the Arab type popular in my opinion is the big difference between the ancient Shetland type and the Miniature Horse of today - it's such a huge accomplishment to breed the Miniature Horses we know and love today down from that type.

 

[kaykay]

i cant speak for amha shows as i havent been to one yet but i will say at amhr shows there are a lot of quarter type minis that place so i dont understand why people say only the more refined araby ones place. just not true in amhr. at least not the shows i have been too. I really feel at almost every show i have been in (which is not that many) the best horse placed wether it was more refined and araby or quarter style etc

 

[USMCshamusmom]

in the beginnings of the miniature horse movement, establishing registries and show rules, the minis were classified as 3 types, draft, thoroughbred, and arab.

You can still see examples of those types, but they are not classifed anymore. I guess there were not enough participants to justify 3 separate classifications of halter, etc etc.... so now they seem to be moving to one type, miniaturized versions of todays greyhound type quarter horse. just my perceptions, you might see it some other way.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

i cant speak for amha shows as i havent been to one yet but i will say at amhr shows there are a lot of quarter type minis that place so i dont understand why people say only the more refined araby ones place.  just not true in amhr.  at least not the shows i have been too.  I really feel at almost every show i have been in (which is not that many) the best horse placed wether it was more refined and araby or quarter style etc

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I agree kay and just have to say.. I dont find many of the refined types araby either in fact I have seen a handfull a small handfull of horses that truly appear to be araby so that is a term I just dont get

but at most shows I have been to it isnt just the willowy horses that are placing it is nice horses of all types

 

[Jill]

I hope you all don't mind but I wanted to post this picture of Sunny (Tibb's Sundowner), a gelding whom I recently purchased from Erica. He is an A division gelding and is 3x National Champion and 6x Reserve National Champion in halter or model classes. I really love this boy so much, for what's on the inside as well as the outside, but I think you'd have to agree, he is not araby! But very correct, nice and successful just the same. Reminds me of a little quarter horse!