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I swore as I drove to my first encounter with Miniature Horses several years ago that the word "precious" would not cross my lips. That resolution lasted just until I saw my first newborn foal.

Miniature Horses are true horses in miniature, beautifully balanced and poised, looking for all the world like creatures out of legend. The mares with their newborn foals walked gracefully over to investigate their visitors, sniffing and kissing the humans before letting the youngsters come trotting over. "Why not call them precious?" Mini breeder BJ Kaliski asked. "That's just what they are."

Winners' Circle Farm in Petaluma is the home of some of the top Minis in the country. Winners' Circle Adonis, the only National Champion Junior and Senior Stallion in the history of the American Miniature Horse Association, is the jewel in the crown of a breeding program that began over twenty-five years ago.

Kaliski, who passed away in 2000, always loved full-sized horses, but the first Minis she saw stole her heart, an experience not unfamiliar to many Mini owners. "I had a pinto mare in a boarding stable, but I wasn't happy with that set up at all. So we bought a ranch, and were going to open our own boarding stable. We had a trainer, blueprints, a builder, everything. Then I saw my first Mini in Oakland, and went to a guy named Ray Ely to see his Minis. I loved them. That was it"

It was cold and raining, and another National Champion Stallion, Boone's Little Buckaroo 2nd, was staying dry in an apartment-sized stall in the main barn. He trotted up to Kaliski and nuzzled her hand, happily pawing the floor in front of him, hoping for a treat. "Not just now," she laughed, rubbing his head.

Although not all of Kaliski's horses are housed in quite as much splendor as Buckaroo, every last one of them, down to the old, rescued horses and the 14-year-old Lulu, a genetic dwarf, are bedded in large stalls on clean shavings, with plenty of company from both humans and other horses. Normally kept in the pastures during the day, all had been brought in to shelter from a late spring rainstorm. Most of the stalled horses ran to her hand for a cuddle, some for a kiss. A couple of jacketed newcomers were shivering in a corner, and Kaliski murmured a few soft words to reassure them. "Hey, it's all right, boy, no one here is going to hurt you," she said. The young horses looked at her, unsure.

History and Myth

As in many breeds, the origins of the Miniature Horse are obscure. Said to have been bred as the playmates and companions of royal children in Europe, Minis came to the Americas as ore cart horses, working in the coalmines of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Their introduction to this country was not a kind one, as the small horses were worked long and hard. Kaliski said, "I hope it's not true, but I've been told that the horses were blind from living always in the dark."

"The horses were bred down from Shetland ponies, the Pony of the Americas, small Morgans, and Arabs," said Kaliski. "As for their royal origins, legend or not, we'll never know."

The horses later became the hobby of wealthy fanciers, who kept the breed alive, but rare, until recent years. In the early eighties, there were only about four thousand Minis in the US. Today, there are around ninety thousand horses registered with the American Miniature Horse Association.

Minis are strictly a height breed; horses must not exceed 34 inches at the last hairs of the mane to be permanently registered with the AMHA. Another registry, the American Miniature Horse Registry, also offers a Class B registration for horses up to 38 inches.

But What Do They Do?

You can do just about anything with a Mini that you can do with a full-sized horse except ride it. Minis are shown, raced, trained, and used for carriage driving. They are even used for riding for the smallest of children; they can carry about forty pounds on their back. Minis are used as therapy horses, and are a wonderful way for someone who is physically challenged or frail to have a horse in their life after caring for a full-sized horse becomes impossible.

For more information on showing, driving, training, or competing with your Miniature Horse, contact the AMHA at 817-783-5600, or visit their website at http://www.minihorses.com/amha/.

The Horse for Everyone?

Some fanciers have expressed concern over the marketing of the Mini as "the horse for everyone." The horses are gentle and responsive, and appeal to people who don't have the physical strength or space to keep a full-sized horse. However, Minis require every bit as much attention and care as a full-sized horse, and have some special challenges as well.

According to Kaliski, Minis cannot eat hay as it causes them to become obstructed; other experts on Minis disagree. Kaliski felt this also means they cannot be bedded on straw. (She used shavings.) The AMHA recommends one pound of grain per 100 pound of weight be fed in two daily rations.

Many Mini mares have placentas that are up to three times as thick as those of full-sized horses, and someone must be present during birth to ensure the foal doesn't drown in the placental sac. They also need to be kept sheltered from bad weather, although in general they are as hardy as a larger horse. "Miniatures, though small, are hardy animals," reads the AMHA handbook. "They thrive on pasture, sunshine, and room to run and play."

Kaliski said some people jog or bike with their Minis to make sure they get enough exercise. "You can keep a Miniature horse in a back yard," she said, "but it takes a real commitment to giving them the exercise and companionship they need."

Minis can live up to forty years, and Kaliski cautioned that it is a lifelong responsibility. Unfortunately, some Minis do end up at auctions, including slaughter auctions, the fate of many unwanted horses of all sizes. A quick phone survey of shelters in rural parts of the Bay Area did not reveal any information on Miniature Horses in need, and in fact, none of the shelters has ever received a Mini. However, as one Internet correspondent said, "Who will bother to take them to the shelter when you can just auction them off?"

Some Minis who end up on the auction block are lucky enough to find good second homes. Kaliski has horses obtained at auction, including a lovely brown mare who was nursing her hours-old foal in a large, private stall. Why did this mare end up at auction? "Nothing's wrong with her. She's lovely," said Kaliski. "I guess they just didn't want her."

"Most respectable breeders try to screen," she said. "I am sure there are those who just want the money, and don't give a damn. But that's not how it is here. We take responsibility for our horses."

One such "responsibility" is Lulu, a dwarf mare who is now fourteen years old. "People say to put these guys down, but we kept her and loved her and took care of her, because she is our responsibility," Kaliski said. Lulu is clearly one of Kaliski's favorites, and has a place of honor in the barn. She all but purred when Kaliski scratched her head.

Obtaining a Miniature Horse

While some older geldings might be available for as little as $500, and people report seeing them at auctions for as little as $250, a registered American Miniature Horse can cost several thousand dollars. Kaliski was offered $100,000 for Adonis, which she turned down. Prices of $2-3000 are not uncommon, and show horses can cost much more. Minis come in most of the "styles" that full-sized horses come in, from graceful Arabians to a heavier-boned Quarter Horse type.

Copyright 2002 by Christie Keith. Used with permission. All rights reserved.