"Sausage Pony"

[Littleum]

I'm still scratching my head over this one.

I've called this type of dwarf a "sausage" before but....

A cross between a Shetland and a New Forest? Stuck in the mud? And the backend on that poor thing- apparently the owner was consulted for the article but has no idea it's a DWARF?

Anyone in the UK want to set the so-called expert and maybe the owner (although heck, reporters botch stuff and get stuff out of context all the time) on the right track?

(And if it really IS a Shetland x New Forest cross, that might be really interesting for dwarf research!)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england...ire/7939187.stm

The mind boggles.

 

[midnight star stables]

Dwarf or Really bad breeding?

 

[Allure Ranch]

[SIZE=12pt]Achondroplasia[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Literally "shortened extremities", some types of equine achondroplastic dwarfism have specific physical characteristics such as short limbs and small ears with a normal head, neck and torso. These deformities do not adversely affect the intelligence or lifespan of the horse.[/SIZE]

 

[Miniv]

Definitely a dwarf. Not sure WHAT the rescue person was talking about. What a sad but sort of funny story.

 

[Margo_C-T]

The 'sausage pony' exhibits CLASSIC symptoms of what is generally called an Achondoplastic dwarf. Some of the most evident signs are the 'overbent' and crooked rear limbs, making the horse look almost as if it's buttocks are 'sitting' on its hocks. This also gives a severe 'uphill' build. Short upper limbs all around are also a characteristic, and the front legs often nearly face east and west while the horse faces north, similar to the hind legs. All this accompanies the long body and disproportionately short legs. I'd guess that the 'animal rescue' person quoted knows little to nothing about horses/ponies....

What I find very interesting about this story is that this pony looks as if it is almost certainly an 'original', British Isles, Shetland...of course, since it is now understood that today's miniature horses are descended mostly from the British Isles Shetland, this should not be a surprise. I personally think it is unlikely that the kinds of dwarfism that are most common within miniature horses just 'popped up'. Not that this can't happen...just that I don't believe it was the case with the most frequently-seen types of dwarfism in miniature horses.

Not an indictment, just an observation.

Margo

 

[Tenltraining]

I once saw a miniature mare at a dispersal sale about 15 years ago that looked like that, except her head looked decent, just her legs were short just like the sausage horse photo. It was the strangest horse Id ever seen. She seemed to be n good shape and they had taken good care of her though.

 

[Katiean]

Poor thing. It makes me sad to see horses that even look like that. I know you never know when you will get a dwarf but, it is sad when you get them.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Achondroplasia is the most prolific sort of dwarfism seen over here, and as far as I know it is seen only in Shetlands, this animal is a Shetland BTW.

I have seen various degrees of dwarfism, sometimes it affects only the legs, for example, and obviously JE is the one to comment on whether or not that is another form altogether, I had always assumed it was just a degree of achondroplasia.

I saw my first Brachiocephalic dwarf over here (out of an American mare) although I do stress that this is unlikely to be the first, merely the first I have seen.

Unfortunately achondroplasic dwarfs are often fertile.......

 

[wwminis]

Sandy,

Your right, he's a little dwarf! We have a gelding here in the "Brat Pack" named Scooter that looks just like that little guy! And a friend of mine has a dwarf rescue that is just like that little guy, color and all!

Here's a good pic of Scooter!

 

[justjinx]

I agree that this looks like an Achondroplasia dwarf. we adopted one from an ill friend and the body type is very similar. jennifer