What Do You Think Is A Pet Quality Mini??

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BeckyG

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I have recently begun to wonder…… what criteria is used to designate a mini as “Pet Quality”?

Is it registered -vs- unregistered?

Is it show horses -vs- non-show horses?

Is it conformation?

And if so…… what are the attributes associated with Pet Quality?

Other qualities???

I am guessing there may be different ideas, but I would really like to know what you guys think….. because it occurs to me, that I really do not know (LOL)

Thanks for you thoughts!!!

-Becky
 
In my opinion, It all depends on the person that wants the "pet quality" horse. Usually if a person wants a pet quality horse they want to get it the cheapest price possible. So that would most likely mean unregistered, non-show horse, with not the best conformation, but a good disposition. But thats just my opinion, I look forward to seeing other peoples opinions. ~Bailey
 
Almost all my minis are double registered but I consider the ones that are pet quality to have conformational faults that would prevent them from doing well in the show ring. These things might range from off bites or crooked legs to just being too heavily built to do well in the show ring. Faults like those do not prevent them from being wonderful pets or even doing classes that do not require halter show type. I have a gorgeous young mare right now who would do well at shows if she did not have an off bite so after waiting to see if the bite would return to normal I am now planning on selling her as a pet or non breeding performance horse.
 
First off, I never met a mini that was too nice to be a pet. They can all have happy and good lives as pets, even ones who could show very well.

Usually, if someone says a horse is pet quality, I figure it has a significant conformation flaw. But, to me, pet quality could mean any of these things:

* Not registered (because w/o papers, it cannot show at registry shows)

* Faults such as crooked legs or an off bite

* "Type" flaws such as a very heavy build (can't / won't show and not very flexible to drive most likely), low set neck, large / coarse head, etc.

* Temperment -- some horses do not have the "spark" to turn it on in the ring, but may be very beautiful at home
 
I look at pet quality as to how well they are competing in the show ring. Can they compete against the others in halter??? If not, how well are they going to do in performance??? If they can't compete very good anywhere in the show ring, then they should be placed in a home that maybe does open shows or 4-H. They are judged a lot more on disapline and don't need to have a huge step in performance.

I also look at pet quality as family quality. If they have faults, can they be placed in a family atmosphere and do well?? Do they have a friendly personality???
 
"Pet Quality" is different for everyone, I believe.......

Registered or unregistered isn't a part of it. I could find an awesome colt or filly/ stallion or mare, out in a field somewhere that was amazing conformationally and not one paper on it........ A horse like that, would be worth hardshipping.

To me, "pet quality" means the animal has flaws that I would never want to pass on to the next generation. And obviously it would not (or SHOULD not) pass muster in a show ring. We personally do not register a horse like that. And if a breeder is honest with their program, they will admit that at some point they will produce "pet quality", no matter how wonderful their stallion(s) and mare(s) are.
 
Registered or unregistered isn't a part of it. I could find an awesome colt or filly/ stallion or mare, out in a field somewhere that was amazing conformationally and not one paper on it........ A horse like that, would be worth hardshipping.
That is how I felt but now with the registries closed (AMHR) or soon closing (AMHA) it changed my opinion... And it's a shame imo because there are some very nice horses that are worthy of hardshipping, and that will continue to be the case as time goes by.
 
Jill, Margot and Miniv said it just as I see it/feel.
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When I read this topic first thing came to mind (I think Jill said it as well) they are all pet quality! Some are show quality, and that is the part I am still learning........what makes one show quality. They are the unique ones and in my learning I feel there is a bit of a curve, sometimes personally perference but certainly certain standards that they have to have.

After typing this I am thinking about my horse family.....and maybe I should rethink my comment. I do have some broodmares I love dearly...but wouldn't sell to a family as a pet....can be a little cranky and in that mood of just let me be.
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So never mind.......
 
Everyone is going to have a different answer for that!

Pet quality - if we're all realistic the majority of the horses we sell will go into a 'pet' home. That does not necessarily equate with pet-quality. I have had people spend quite a bit for a 'pet' as that was the horse they found pleasing to the eye and were willing to spend the money to buy it. I do work with buyers especially for ideal pet homes, but sometimes you can only bend so much!

I think people have used the term pet quality from the dog breeding industry and it doesn't translate quite so easily. The majority of dogs from a litter are spayed/neutered and sold as pets - regardless of quality. As we can't spay/neuter - well spay at least as easily it already sets up that pet quality differently. Many of the 'pet quality' mares never get classes into the pet group as people often are more forgiving of a mares faults unfortunately. And unfortunately I've seen many breeders sell of the mares that they won't breed that are seriously flawed as breeding animals to other - generally new to minis and new to breeding people.

Registration should not be the issue though.

As to what makes it pet quality to me in particular - it is a horse that for whatever reason - conformation, attitude, genetic issues (suspected or proven), etc., that I personally will not breed and do not want to see brought into the breeding pool. With colts/stallions we geld those, mares though it's much harder getting them into a true 'pet' home. I have one mare here that - again to me - is conformational off - to long backed to leg length for my tastes (straight legs/bite, everything else is okay and has been checked by an 'authority' that she's not a dwarf just heavy boned!), but I didn't register her and would love to place her in true pet home. Unfortunately too many people will overlook her conformation in favor of her size, pretty head/neck, pedigree, and would breed her so she'll likely be a lifer here!
 
hmm...Reader's Digest used to run a regular feature called "conjugating the irregular verb," as in: I am wearing a heavenly new perfume; YOU overdo it just a tad, my dear; SHE stinks.

In this case, MY horse is a show quality stallion; YOURS would make a fantastic show gelding, especially in performance; HERS is pet quality.

Just kidding!
 
Over the years our "pet" quality horse has changed quite a bit. The overall quality of the horses we produce has in our opinion improved with the success of our breeding program. So consequently the bottom of the foal production is what we consider pet quality. I have had folks ask "why in the world did you geld that colt, he would have done well in the show ring many times". The standard answer is that he was not going to be competitive against the tuffest competition, so we gelded him. There are enough good studs in the industry in our opinion and if a colt or filly is not going to add some redeeming quality to the breed then they are sold as pet quality without papers. I wish there was some way to sterilize at a reasonable price the fillies that fall into that category.
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The competition gets tuffer every year also and if you are into showing as we are then your horses have to constantly be getting better. :DOH!
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That is not to say though that we deviate from trying to find a place and a purpose for every horse we produce. Not being competitive in the show ring does not to us mean that it is a worthless colt or filly. With a little work they all can lead happy, productive meaningful lives that are a plus to them and the new owners.
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That is our approach anyway.
 
Just to chime in again, remember that "show quality" is every bit as subjective as pet quality... Especially when a horse can be show quality for performance classes or color classes but maybe not the type for halter classes (or maybe so, too...). Or could even be the best costume class show horse ever
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It may clean up at local open shows and if that's what the person enjoys, then that IS show quality and a good match for them. It wouldn't be the horse I'd pick to show and breed, but people need to know that one person's show quality can be a lot different than another's. It's all about finding what works for you, the type of horse you enjoy, etc.
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I come from the dog show world and pet quality means just that. They will make a really nice pet, but should not be used for show or breeding.

Anyone in the dog show world who thinks that their whole litter is pet quality, is very inexperienced. Usually when breeding a litter, we will get a few show quality puppies, the rest are pets. Sometimes it is only 1 or perhaps none.

Pet qulaity is a horse with enough flaws that it will not be able to do well in the show ring, let alone in the breeding shed. I am one who feels that if they can only do partially well in the local show ring, they are not show quality. They have to be able to hold their own at the National level ( I never sold a dog as show quality if I felt it would only do well locally. It had to be National quality to be considered show quality)

There is more to a show horse than straight legs, good bite and not being heavy boned. Unfortunatly, most people feel that is all you need to make a "good horse".

It takes years to learn to see a good shoulder layback, shoulder tie in, or a deep hip. If the shoulder is not laid back correctly, then the horse can not be up headed. The neck needs to be tied in correctly, not come out of the lower chest, but out of the shoulder. The throatlatch needs to be refined and not thick. The neck should also be as long and refined as possible. The head should be pleasing to the eye with large eyes. The topline should be level and straight with a high tail set and a large deep hip. Many of the horses today have almost no hip with a drop off and a low tailset. There should be some anguation to the back legs and some substance between the legs. Not too much, but too little gives us a "slab sidded" animal. (too narrow between the legs) This is not considered refined, but slab sidded and poor conformation. Refineness comes from the bone structure. You want to see a very refined bone structure in a weanling. If it is heavier, the foal is going to grow up to be coarse.

Pet quality horses should NEVER be bred as they will continue to throw their faults on to their get and continue to perpetuate the excess amount of unwanted, poor quality horses out there. It costs as much to feed a pet quality horse as it does to feed a good one. With this said, EVERY horse has faults. There is not a perfect one out there; and too, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But while breeding to improve the breed, one should educate themselves to what is considered a good quality horse and strive to produce it, or not breed at all.

Even the best of breeders are going to produce the pet quality horse out of top winning horses. Just because you breed a World Champion to a World Champion, does not mean you are going to have all World Champion foals.

Also, too many people go flocking to the lastest World Champion stallion to purchase its get. I guess they figure if the sire is a World Champion then its get must be fantastic. Again, if you do not know what you are looking at, you could end up with another pet quality foal (that cost you a lot of money too!!). It takes two to tango, and the mare is 65% to 75% of the foal. So, if the stallion is bred to an inferior mare, the resulting foal will not be show or even breeding qulaity.

Yes all horses can be pets,(show or pet quality). But why breed for pet quality? What are you doing to improve the breed that you"love" if you are continuing to produce only Pet quality foals?

Not all are going to find loving homes. Then we end up with the same problem we have with cats and dogs. Only with horses, there are no shelters to take them in, so they starve and suffer. Everyone does not need to "make a baby"!! And the worst part is, it is the animals that suffer for the overbreeding.
 
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I consider any horse that is not up to the mark conformationally to be less than show quality
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, which would put it in the catagory of pet quality.
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To me pet quality is any horse that for any reason I would not breed but I would not use the term personally. Pet quality is not to say that they could not be shown. They may not be knockouts for halter but they could definitely be shown in performance - I have seen thousands of, in my opinion, pet quality horses do very well in performance and even halter depending on the venue. Top dollar will be asked for one of my horses that in my opinion is worthy of breeding and less will be asked for of one that I wouldn't consider worthy. The worse the flaws the lower the price. I don't consider it necessary to advertise "pet quality" - the price should speak for itself. Anyone coming to my farm looking for a breeding horse will not leave with "pet quality". Anyone looking for a $200. horse has come to the wrong place!
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I come from the "big horse" world, as I would bet a lot of mini owners do, and you don't hear of "pet quality" big horses. But most big horses are probably pets, if they aren't being raced, or used as breeding stock. I know my big gelding is. Something to think about...

Now, to me, pet quality - if you use the term at all - is in the eye of the beholder. My pet quality mini (or big horse) can be very competitive in performance, bring pleasure to nursing home residents, and also be a back yard pet, but is not something I would want to breed. But our own minis that I consider "breeding quality" can also do all those things! The one mini I consider "pet quality" was NOT inexpensive, has a pedigree to die for, is very refined, does all kinds of performance, and is almost everyones' favorite on the farm. But (as others have said) she has qualities that I personally, would not want to perpetuate, so she won't be bred. Someone else might think she would make a great broodmare - which is why she will stay right here.
 
I come from the "big horse" world, as I would bet a lot of mini owners do, and you don't hear of "pet quality" big horses. But most big horses are probably pets, if they aren't being raced, or used as breeding stock. I know my big gelding is. Something to think about...

Now, to me, pet quality - if you use the term at all - is in the eye of the beholder. My pet quality mini (or big horse) can be very competitive in performance, bring pleasure to nursing home residents, and also be a back yard pet, but is not something I would want to breed. But our own minis that I consider "breeding quality" can also do all those things! The one mini I consider "pet quality" was NOT inexpensive, has a pedigree to die for, is very refined, does all kinds of performance, and is almost everyones' favorite on the farm. But (as others have said) she has qualities that I personally, would not want to perpetuate, so she won't be bred. Someone else might think she would make a great broodmare - which is why she will stay right here.
That is EXACTLY what I was trying to say only you said it SO MUCH BETTER!!!
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Thanks Everyone!

Great Discussion!!!

I have been debating with myself on this topic ( LOL
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)

I really appreciate your sharing your thoughts and insights.
 

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