| When most of us start out learning about horses, | | | | 10 hands). "Minis" come in all color types, including |
| we are told that a horse is a member of Equus " | | | | the more exotic types like pinto and palomino as |
| caballus that is over 14 hands high (a hand, we | | | | well as the more mundane bays, greys and |
| quickly learned, is 10 cm). A pony, on the other | | | | chestnuts. Whatever size of color they are, |
| hand, was defined as a member of the same | | | | miniature horses have been in the world for a |
| species that was less than 14 hands. Now, | | | | surprisingly long time. |
| miniature horses are always much smaller than 14 | | | | In the Renaissance and Restoration periods, they |
| hands, so why are they called miniature horses | | | | were occasionally found in private menageries as |
| rather than ponies? | | | | curiosities. At the other end of the economic |
| The answer lies in the proportions. Most ponies | | | | spectrum, miniature horses also had their uses as |
| are cobby in build (rounded and stocky - think of | | | | pit ponies hauling coal in the mines. |
| drawings by the cartoonist Thelwell), while many | | | | There are also some who hold the view that |
| breeders of miniature horses (often affectionately | | | | some of the fossilized horse remains classified as |
| referred to as "minis") prefer to breed for | | | | ancestors of Equus caballus are actually the |
| proportions that are more like that of a "regular" | | | | fossilized remains of "minis." There may be some |
| horse. The American Miniature Horse Registry | | | | uncertainty about the dating, but the fossils |
| (AMHR) suggests that a "mini" is ideally "a small, | | | | certainly have the right size and skeleton |
| sound well-balanced horsethat, if photographed | | | | structure. |
| without anything to give a sense of size, should | | | | Since the 20th century, miniature horses have |
| look identical to a full-sized horse. | | | | been developed as a breed and refined to the |
| As expected, size matters. The AMHR recognizes | | | | animals that they are today, and this work is |
| two categories of miniature horses: those in the | | | | ongoing. The most widely known breed of |
| "A" division are less than 82 cm (34 inches) at the | | | | miniature horse is the Falabella, which originated in |
| withers, which is defined as being the last hair of | | | | Argentina. |
| the mane, while the "B" category covers horses | | | | "Minis" are still kept as curiosities in petting zoos |
| 34-38 inches at the withers. The American | | | | and farm parks, but they also have a wider range |
| Miniature Horse Association, however, does not | | | | of roles. They are, of course, unsuited as riding |
| recognize horses over 34 inches. A miniature | | | | animals, because of their size, but are often |
| horse is always measured in centimeters or | | | | shown competitively and can be used for light |
| inches, but never in hands. | | | | harness work. Their most noteworthy work is |
| If they were measured in hands, the largest | | | | therapeutic, as they are often used to provide |
| "minis" would be around 8 or 9 hands (by way of | | | | interaction and comfort to the elderly, and in |
| comparison, an average Shetland pony measures | | | | working with autistic children. |