What do you do with under 28" horses?

[equanox]

I have two that have matured under 28". One is a going to be a 5year old stallion and other older full sister. The mare we showed for three years in AMHA/AMHR shows. I have not been breeding our horses, and have them in their own pastures as they are low on the pecking order. The stallion already does public events/homes to keep him busy. He is so small that he has no other horses in his halter class for the AMHA show. Should I still show him?

We are starting driving and want one horse that can be in all classes. I know have to go over the jumps not under!

Here is a winter wooly picture of him:Our stallion

 

[mylilgirls]

Well ours are pets, I have a mare that is 28 inches & another that 30 inches and then my rescue pony 11 hands. I enjoy them as pets, I have room for another tooooooo. But I am in Tn.

 

[targetsmom]

I don't have any under 28" minis but I do show against one. She is very competitive in hunter and obstacle driving and has done well in jumper at Pinto shows where the jumps only go up to 30". I am just so impressed with her jumping, as she could easily go under some of the jumps but never does!! She beat the pants off of all of us in halter, and did well enough in the other classes to be in the competition at each show for High Point Mini. I also know she did VERY well in performance classes at local AMHA shows last year. I think it depends on the individual and also what your own goals are. Other small minis have done well at our Pinto Shows too.

 

[Cavallini Farms]

My yearling colt is 26", a total powerhouse too. I anticipate he will be able to jump, drive and compete in halter without an issue. I don't jump him now(yearling!), but we have a stream and logs in his pasture that he just flies over without a second thought. I love his determination!

I expect him to top out at 28" max, he has pretty much stopped growing already.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I strive to produce the under 30" minis! That is the whole purpose of the miniature breed, to make the smallest perfect horse. They can jump and drive just as well as the rest of them they just require a smaller cart and harness and very good fitness. We have plenty of under 30" horses competing around here so you may just need to go to some different shows that are maybe a little farther away.

 

[goodie]

My daughter (5yo) was lucky enough to have the use of my friends tiny pinto mare to show. "Bubby" can also jump the moon, and is VERY competitive in her mare classes ( we do not split heights here she shows against mares up to 34"). There was a 27" mare at a recent show here that placed in dressage, hunter, showjumping and trail

 

[Katiean]

I have seen plenty of 28" and under at halter. just show in the Sr. mare and Sr Stallion classes. Also, there is halter obstical, hunter, jumper and Liberty. Then too, I have seen a 25" stallion in harness. He should have had the shafts shortened but He was a real go getter.

 

[Riverdance]

I only have one horse that I am keeping under 30".

The boys, if conformational correct, can make awesome breeding stallions, but the mares. I just do not like breeding them under 30".. The one that I have kept, she is 291/2" tall. She has had 2 live foals, one was never registered as he was sold as a pet, one was born dead,and a pretty colt last year that I sold at the Worlds. The mare is a Whittmaack Mickey Mouse Granddaughter and full sister to two AMHA World Grand Champions. She is a beautiful mare, but is makes me nervous every time she foals. She pregnant for this year to Desperado, so I am hoping for something spectacular. (would love a cremello or perlino colts. yeah, you read it right, about one of the only mares I would like a colt by)

 

[equanox]

Daughter has been showing all under 30" horses. Last one was only 29.75" pictured with her at her last AMHA show. We have started a 30.50" buckskin pinto mare in driving/jumping. Even then I was told to small at the past two clinics I was at with her.

29.75" youth mare

video clip of 27.50" stallion