Speech on Minis

[Lisa]

I am going to do a speech on minis for my communications class for Monday. I need some suggestions for things to include. Right now I have a preliminary outline which includes:

• Events: driving, showing, national shows, family horses, visiting elderly
• History: Buckeroo, Rowdy, other historical stallions (suggestions??), where and how the breed developed, unique colours (silver, any others??)
• Health Issues: Dwarfs, the silver x silver eye problem (what's it called??), any others??
• The Miniature Horse Community: Lil Beginnings (yes, the forum will be included , Breeders, Local Miniature Horse clubs

I will also be including visual aids, such as, photos of Buckeroo and Rowdy, DVD of minis driving, jumping and playing with kids, a photo of a silver horse and, if anyone might be able to help me with this, I would like to include a pic of a mini with a big horse (like a draft or something) to show the height difference.

If you CAN help me with this, please either post here, or Email me at [email protected], I don't always log in to check my PMs. I need the information by tomorrow at the latest so I can prepare the speech and start practicing. I will be presenting on Monday.

Thanks!!!!

 

[crponies]

A couple things:

Another great historical stallion is Orion Light Van't Huttenest.

The most unique thing color-wise is that pretty much any and all colors exist (there are a few rare/newly discovered ones that don't I think like the Barlink dilution) along with patterns which can be mixed and matched at will (not many recognized pintaloosa big horses out there).

The eye disorder is Anterior Segment Disgenesis.

 

[nootka]

I would also mention the stifle lock problem as it appears to be fairly rampant within the breed as well as off bites, though I only ever owned two big horses, and worked/played around hundreds of others, I still did not experience a third of them having the bite issues that minis have. Not trying to make it sound like it's a "messy" breed, but in many ways, we are cleaning up after the fact when the majority of the breeders were originally working for smaller height/loud colors, and not looking so much at the overall conformation.

Now I would say that the majority are realizing that in order to be a "horse in miniature" we have to follow suit with expectations of soundness beginning with a sound conformation. I am quite proud of how far the "breed" has come, given what I know about the attitudes and understandings of twenty years previous.

Not that we don't have a long ways to go, but that is part of the fun.

Positive things to mention are that the breed is, as a rule, generally wonderfully temperamented, and they range from sweet, loving little pocket pets to spirited and gloriously fiery show horses, with any mix in between. One thing I make sure to mention is that they are quite capable of pulling twice their weight in harness, properly conditioned, probably more, depending on their build and balance of the cart.

Also don't forget CDEs!!

If I think of anything else, I'll lyk.

L.

 

[MountainViewMiniatures]

Go to the breeders connect for Missouri and check out Briar Patch's website - she has a pic of a draft team with a mini team - I'm sure if you ask Carleen she will let you use it