Standards of Excellence

 

MINIATURE & SMALL/LITTLE HORSE (OPEN)

General appearance:

The miniature horse should be a square, well balanced, scaled down version of a full sized horse. The overall impression should be of a well-bred, free moving, elegant horse in miniature.

Height:

• Miniature Horse Not exceeding 34"
• Small Horse (A) Over 34" but not exceeding 38"
• Small Horse (B) Over 38" but not exceeding 42"

Head & Neck: The head should present a clean cut, finely chiseled outline with thin skin closely adhered to the underlying parts. The head should be free from coarse connective tissue, with wide spacious nostrils and fine mobile lips. The ears should be well set and in proportion.
A large kind eye is desirable; all eye colours are equally acceptable. The head should attach onto, not into the neck, neither too closely attached nor too loosely coupled. The neck should be long and supple with a finely modeled throatlatch.

Teeth: An even bite is desired.

Body: The body should be well balanced with well-defined, elevated withers, a strong back, long, muscled hip and short loins. The croup should be the same height as the highest point of the wither, neither set too high or too low.

Legs: Straight, true and squarely set with a strong forearm and well developed knee. Cannons not overly long. A good slope to the pasterns, neither upright nor over-sloping. Strong hocks, pointing neither in nor out. Well-shaped hooves pointing straight ahead.

Coat: Fine, glossy hair. All colours, patterns and markings are equally acceptable.

Action: Natural floating action. Light and agile.

MINIATURE & SMALL/LITTLE HORSE(STOCK)

GENERAL IMPRESSION – An attractive horse where everything is proportionate and all parts tie in smoothly. All gaits are smooth and purposeful exhibiting natural athleticism. Horses are judged on balance, structural correctness and sex characteristics. Of these, balance is the most important.

STANCE - The horse normally stands at ease with his legs perpendicular to the ground and parallel with each other. The horse should exhibit a balanced stance and stand on the corners of his body, as opposed to being spread too far apart or crowded too close together, or parked out.

• Head alert and intelligent with broad forehead, full, well-set eyes, wide nostrils. A fine, clean gullet, allowing plenty of breathing room. A domed forehead is a fault
• A good length of rein, well set into the shoulder.
• Sloping shoulder, not too heavily muscled, a well-defined wither
• Deep chest, not too wide in proportion, but showing plenty of heart room.
• Ribs well sprung and back strong and of medium length in proportion.
• Forelegs, forearms well developed, cannon bones slightly flat, pasterns short and slightly sloping.
• Hindquarters strong, rounded and well muscled, nicely sloping to give a full line from croup to hock. Hocks broad, flat and clean, the cannon relatively short with well-defined tendons. The point of the croup should be no higher than the top of the withers. The tail is set off a long, rounded croup.
• Hooves hard and in proportion to the size of the horse, with a wide heel and feet straight.
• Muscling adequate to function, overly heavy muscling is a fault.
• Movement tracking straight and true with ground covering motion giving the appearance of athletic confidence and balance. Excessive knee and/or hock action is a fault.

MINIATURE & SMALL PONY

General appearance:

The miniature pony should be well proportioned, square and balanced whilst displaying typical pony characteristics. The impression should be of strength and hardiness without coarseness.

Height:

• Miniature Pony Not exceeding 34.26" or 87cm
• Small Pony (A) Over 34" but not exceeding 38"
• Small Pony (B) Over 38" but not exceeding 42"

Head & Neck: The head should display a wide forehead, small well-placed ears, large open nostrils, and large expressive eyes with a relatively small muzzle. All eye colours are equally acceptable. A comparatively short distance between the eye and muzzle is desirable. The head should be attached well onto the neck. Mares may have a slight crest and stallions a moderate crest. The neck should be well set and rise of well-laid shoulders.

Teeth: An even bite is desired.

Body: Well balanced with moderate wither, shoulders sloping well back, strong well sprung ribs, deep barrel, powerful loins and broad, well rounded quarters.

Legs: Straight, true and squarely set with well-muscled forearm, short cannons and a good slope to the pasterns, neither upright nor over-sloping. Strong and muscular thighs with broad, strong hocks turning neither in nor out. Well shaped, round hooves pointing straight ahead.

Coat: Thick and woolly in the winter and short and shiny in the summer. All colours, patterns and markings are equally acceptable.

Action: Free and straight not exaggerated or stilted.