The American Miniature Horse (also known as the Mini), is a descent of a breed of small-sized horses that have been around for centuries. First appearing in large number on the social scene of the mid-1700s, the miniature horse breed was man-made and bred to be used as pets for European royalty; however it became the most popularly associate with England when Lady Estella Hope worked to progress the breed. There are very specific proportions that a horse must meet in order to be able to be considered a true American Miniature as the breed is known for its excellent proportions and an almost exact resemblance to the larger horses it is derived from. In order to be considered a true miniature horse, each animal must be assessed and can measure no more than a certain height – 34 inches at the wither, or the last hair of the mane.

    The American Miniatures were designed as pets, however, they were also often used as work horses in industrial fields, such as coal mines. This unfortunate misuse of the breed did not last long, however. The docile, friendly nature of the American Miniature make it a good horse for children, as they seek companionship and human contact. There is not specific color that an American Miniature horse must be in order to be identified with the breed, as it is the height that sets them apart, so it is not unusual to see miniature horses in every possible color and pattern.



    American Miniatures are used in certain competitions, however, they will
compete in their own, size-specific events and are never placed in a
competition against a traditionally sized horse. Most of the events that
American Miniature horses compete in are the same as those in a competition for standard breeds. Each category usually covers an area that most American Miniatures are competent in such as jumping, driving, obstacles and trails. There may even be racing events or feats of strength for the American Miniatures to compete in, although they are not a typically aggressive horse by nature and training them to go against their calm, sedate nature would be counterproductive to the purpose of the breed.

    The two national registries for the American Miniature breed – The American Miniature Horse Association and the American Miniature Horse Registry, are the two organizations that monitor the breed and keep records of bloodlines and other pertinent information. The former, the American Miniature Horse Association has been a vocal in both preserving and promoting the breed, had has helped to develop a standard by which all the American Miniature horses must fall into in order to be considered pure bred. These guidelines are what will help the world identify the breed and help keep the purity of the bloodlines safe for the future.

    Most American Miniature horses do not live past a general life span of about 30 years. This does not differ much from the life span of a standard sized horse and is based on the good health and care of the animal.

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