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The History
of the American Miniature Horse
The
American Miniature Horse is a unique breed, the limiting characteristic of
which is size. It must not measure in excess of 34 inches in height, which
is measured at the withers, at the last hairs of the mane. It must be a
sound, well-balanced horse, possessing the proper conformation
characteristics which are common to most of the larger breeds. In fact, if
there were no size reference, the miniature horse might give the illusion
of being a full-sized horse. The American Miniature Horse gives the
impression of strength, agility, and alert intelligence and is available
in all possible colors.
The American Miniature Horse extracted from many
sources 
in the creation of the breed. The first
mention of a small horse being imported into the United States was in 1888;
and research shows little public awareness of true Miniatures until 1960.
Popular belief is that American Miniature Horses utilized the blood of
English and Dutch mine horses brought into this country in the 19th century
and used in some Appalachian coal mines as late as 1950.
It also drew upon the
blood of the Shetland pony, several of which appear in the pedigrees of some
miniatures today. In the past decade, several breeders have imported
miniature horses from England, Holland, Belgium, and West Germany, while
others have selectively bred miniatures from the larger breeds of
horses. Throughout its colorful past, the Miniature Horse breed has been
bred for pets, novelty, research, monetary gain, mining work, exhibition and
royal gifts.
In 1978, The American Miniature Horse Association
(AMHA) was formed. It is now the only registry in existence that deals
exclusively with true Miniatures, 34 inches and under. Ponies over 34
inches are not considered Miniatures; they were not in the beginning, and
they are not today (excluding the AMHR miniatures that measure 38 inches
and under).
The American Miniature Horse as a breed is
currently being
standardized. The American Miniature Horse Association was
organized and incorporated in July of 1978 to maintain a registry and
stud-book. A Standard of Perfection was adopted in 1978 and that two basic
body types, a "draft" type and a fine-boned "refined"
type, were present in the existing foundation stock, the Standard called
for a blending of types into an elegant little horse. |
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