Mini Horses Are Small Wonders

Miniature horses have earned a big place in the horse world these days. Last weekend’s Orange County Miniature Horse Jamboree at the Orange County Fairground Equestrian Center drew hundreds of tiny-hooved horses and their owners from as far as Arizona and Nevada.

What is the allure of a horse so small you can’t ride it?

“They’re adorable, they have a wonderful temperament, they’re easy to handle. And if you get kicked, you get a bruise--not a broken leg,” says Jackie Ferguson, who owns 18 of the mini-critters at her Les Petites ranch in Vista in north San Diego County.

Minis, which came to the United States in the late 1950s from Europe, have been traced to the 18th Century, when they pulled ore carts in northern European coal mines and were bred as pets for the royal families.

A breed unto itself--and not a pony--the miniature is a scaled-down model of a full-size horse. Most are about 18 inches tall at birth; an adult can measure no more than 34 inches at the last hair on the mane.

Despite their petlike appearance, miniature horses do more than just look cute. They can pull up to 10 times their weight in a cart, have the stamina to trot for hours and can compete in jumping classes (led by their handlers, who jump alongside them).

George Shutt has raised miniatures for three years on his aptly named Mini Whinny Ranch in Glendora. He owns 22 minis and says he prefers them to the “big horses” his daughter used to own.

“Minis are so much more fun,” Shutt says. “I hitch mine to a cart and go riding all over town for hours. “People just love to see them. My daughter used to jog our horses out at her high school track, and people used to go running them to watch them.”

This fall, Shutt’s horses will compete at the National Miniature Horse Show in Reno and for the third year will trot their stuff on New Year’s Day in the Rose Parade. This year they will be making a local appearance at The Times Orange County Holiday Parade, along with minis from some other California ranches, pulling carriages.

“These horses have no idea they’re little,” Shutt says with a laugh as he picks up a 6-week-old foal in his arms and holds him like a baby. “Sometimes big horses spook from them.”

Although he has a customized miniature trailer that can transport seven minis, Shutt often plops one of his horses in the back seat of his car and takes it for “show and tell” to a classroom or a convalescent home. “It’s hilarious to see the reaction when a mini sticks his seat out the back window and whinnies at another car passing by,” he says. “People aren’t used to seeing a horse go down the freeway in a car.”

Alyce Goolsbee, owner of the Solid Gold Miniatures ranch in Temecula, used to ride quarter horses until she “saw a mini on a calendar and fell in love” with the tiny breed. “Minis are just like big horses, but they’re easier to handle,” she says. “They can be so sweet--but still, they are horses. I have one stallion at home who would just as soon bite you as look at you.”

The eight horses Goolsbee brought to last weekend’s show went home with dozens of championship ribbons and trophies, but the star was her flashy black-and-white pinto miniature stallion, Love Me Tender--and yes, Elvis Presley once owned his sire.

Although minis were at one time a limited-interest collector’s item, they have grown in popularity in recent years. With an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 registered minis in the world, the demand still exceeds the supply, says Ginny Schreyer, one of the organizers of last weekend’s show.

“That makes them an attractive investment,” says Schreyer, who has about 40 minis at her Little Guy’s Ranch in Temecula. She says registered minis sell from $1,500 for a weanling colt to between $15,000 and $100,000 for a show prospect.

Because of their size, less land is needed to maintain miniatures than full-size horses--a boon to horse enthusiasts in such “shrinking land” areas as Southern California.

They are also economical to feed. Schreyer says a mini will eat a bale of hay a month, instead of several bales a week. “It costs me less to feed one of my minis than it does to feed my German shepherd,” she says.

“A lot of people are intimidated by large horses. Minis can be a nice choice for a disabled or elderly person who wants to be around horses but doesn’t have the strength to deal with a large animal. And minis are easier to get along with temperament-wise than a horse or a pony.”

For more information on miniature horses, write: Miniature Horse Club of Southern California, 3519 Center St., Norco, Calif., 91760, or call (714) 371-6427.

Darlene Sordillo, an author of two books on horse training and competition, covers equestrian events for The Times. Her column appears every Saturday. Readers may send horse-related news to her at: Orange County Life, The Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626.