82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 27, 1993
Family Finds Miniature Horses Are Ideal Pets
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
LEOLA (Lancaster Co.)
When passersby see Cliff and Sue
Martin taking their pet for a walk,
they slow down for a second look.
It’s not a dog on the leash
although it’s about the same size,
and it’s too small for a pony or a
colt.
“What is it?” people ask.
It’s a miniature horse. In fact, the
Martins have eight miniature
horses, which have all the charac
teristics of standard-size horses but
not the height.
The dainty animals are gaining
in popularity in the area, although
the breed has been around since the
16th century. Through selective
breeding and inbreeding, European
royalty bred the miniatures as pets
for young princes and princesses.
Wars and the decline of Europe
during the 18th century caused the
breed to almost disappear and the
miniature horses were mostly dele
gated to circuses until the 19305,
when miniature horses were intro
duced to the U.S. The horses were
not used as pets but to pull coal cars
from the the depths of coal mines
where the tunnels were too small
for mules and horses.
Miniature horses were regarded
as novelties until the 1970 s when
several breeders imported the fin
est thoroughbred and Arab-type
miniatures from Europe.
Several miniature horse associa
tions register the horses, but the
horses must be five years old
before registration. This is to guar
anteed that growth is completed.
To be officially registered in the
American Miniature Horse Asso
ciation, the miniature horses must
not exceed 34 inches when mea
sured from the ground to the last
hairs on the mane.
The horses come in all colors.
The Martins prefer Pintos, which
they breed to sell the offspring.
According to Sue, black and white
Pintos and Appaloosas are the most
desired type, but color preferences
go in cycles.
“There’s a smell about horses
that is wonderful,” Sue said.
She grew up on a dairy farm and
always had a riding horse. After
she had a scary riding accident, her
husband said, “That’s enough of
that.”
Sue sold her horse and Cliff sold
his 1934 Chevy Street Rod and
used the money to invest in
miniatures.
“It was a good move,” Sue said.
“Miniatures are very gentle and are
*** \
V v- **
V
Audrey admires Andy’s tall as Kim scratches his ears. An old wife’s tale claims that
the horse stops growing when Its tall reaches the ground. The Martins believe the tale
holds some truth.
something the whole family can
enjoy.”
The Martins have three daught
ers, Amy, 9; Kim, 7; and Audrey,
5; who often play with the horses in
the yard or use them for cart rides.
Walking the horses prepare them
for showing and keep them in
shape.
‘The horses are so playful and
become very attached to the people
they are around,” Sue said. “They
actually act very much like puppies
by following you around.” She told
of one horse jumping in their laps
when they were seated on the lawn
watching its antics.
At birth, the horses average 18-
to 22-inches. Within three years,
the horse almost reaches its maxi
mun height, but may grow 10 per
cent more. For this reason, the
horse cannot be registered to make
sure that all growth has occurred.
The Martins show their stock at
the Mid-Atlantic Horse Show,
where most of the classes found at
full-size horse competitions are
available. Riding classes are not
available, but halter and driving
classes are held.
According to Sue, miniature
horses seem to be more common in
Maryland, New Jersey, and Virgi
nia than in Pennsylvania. But
popularity is growing as many peo
ple find that miniatures are much
easier to keep than standard size
horses.
“A horse can be kept in a back
yard. I even know one woman who
keeps hers in a doghouse,” Sue
said.
The breed doesn’t require much
feed. According to Sue, a miniature
horse eats one cup of grain and
one-half flake hay a day. One bale
of hay lasts a whole month.
The horses are fed in the morn
ing and let out to pasture at noon.
At 4 p.m., the horses are brought in
and fed again.
“You must be careful not to let
them eat too much,” Sue said.
The breed needs the same shots
and care as other horses. Feed must
be clean and kept in airtight con
tainers.
During birthing, a person must
be there to keep the foal from suf
focating. Because of breeding, the
horses have become smaller ones
but the birth sac has remained as
tough as for larger animals. The
animal cannot break the sac.
The Martins installed a camera
over each stall. Each horse wears a
special halter with a mercury
switch so that birth contractions
may be monitored while the Mar-
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TO
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Cliff and Sue Martin with Amy, 9; Kim, 7; and Audrey, 5; find that raising miniature
horses Is a hobby the whole family enjoys.
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Dakota takes Amy, Kim, and Audrey for a cart ride.
tins are in the house.
“I wear a warm-up suit to bed
during the birthing season,” Sue
said. “By the time I get to the bam
after the monitor goes off, the sac is
coming out
‘The horse should come out like
a little diver, but often its legs are
twisted and need to be untangled.”
Other than the problem with the
sac, birthing is generally unevent
ful and the foals are hardy. It is a
stressful time for foals during
weaning, and yearlings must be
watched for respiratory infections.
. Witts*
Because the Martins have this
Vtomesiead
d/oies
sophisticated birthing set up,
offer boarding and foaling ser
vices. They use all their own breed
ing stock and contract services to
others. The average foal costs
$2,500, and a mare, $3,000 to
$7,000.
Gestation period is 11 months.
The foals are bom in April and
weaned at three months.
If more information is desired,
contact the Martins at Pinto Park
Miniature Horses, 184 Newport
Rd., Leola, PA 17540 (717)
656-7635.