How to Identify Miniature Horse Breeds

There's a lot more to miniature horses than just their size. Miniatures fall into two distinct groups - horses that have pony characteristics, and those that resemble miniature horses. The "pony" group is thought to have descended from horses in Europe that were bred for their small stature. These were crossed with pony breeds such as Welsh and Shetland, and used as work horses in coal mines. The second group is comparatively recent and consists of horses bred for pleasure rather than work. These latter horses are carefully bred to retain their horse characteristics.

Things You'll Need

  • Level surface
  • Tape measure
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Stand the horse up squarely on level ground, and measure the height from the ground to the withers. If the horse stands 38 inches or less at the withers, it is a miniature breed.

    • 2

      Look at the horse's appearance, starting with the head. If the horse has a thick jowl tapering to a small muzzle, with short ears and a broad forehead, it is likely to be a Shetland or a horse with a proportion of Shetland or other pony blood. The legs of such a horse will be relatively short in proportion to its body, and the horse may have a slightly pot-bellied appearance.

    • 3

      Continue to examine the horse's mane, tail and legs. A horse with thick, bushy hair will have a lot of pony ancestry. Horses with finer, silkier hair will have Arabian or thoroughbred in their pedigree. If the horse's legs are in proportion to its body, and it resembles a miniature horse in its conformation and appearance, it is likely to be an American miniature horse.

    • 4

      Check the horse's coloring. If it is a pinto or appaloosa, there is a chance it is a rare breed of miniature horse, the Falabella. These horse also come in solid colors, but broken colors predominate. They also tend to be smaller than American miniatures, often standing only 32 inches high. There are only 1,500 Falabellas registered worldwide. All purebred Falabellas are registered with their breed society, so the ancestry of individual horses can be traced.