| The following are photos and
information from 2001 through 2004. I stopped showing Miniature Horses in 2004, but still
own four and love them dearly.
Miniature Horses
SOLD! Congratulations to Ellen Aigner, MN
Avantes Quichotte
Sir Holland and I won Champion Amateur Jr. Gelding - Level 2 and then Grand Champion
Amateur Gelding at the 2003 AMHA Western Championship Show in Reno, NV. "Chip"
was Champion or Reserve every time shown and won Supreme at the Can Am Classic.
In 2003, he also placed Top Ten at the AMHA Nationals in Youth and the Two Year Old
Gelding Futurity. Special thanks to Multi-National and World Champion,Tiffany Porter, of
Avante Training Center (WA). Chip was broke to drive by National and World Champion,
Austin VanWyck, of Victory Lane Training Center (AZ). Chip continues to be shown AMHA and
AMHR by his new owner.
2004 High Point AMHA Honor Roll Am. Jr.
Gelding - Level 2
2004 High Point AMHA Honor Roll Open Two Year Old Geldings - 3rd Place
 
Lucky Four
Ridin Rainbows was Reserve Champion Sr. Gelding and Reserve Champion Gelding at the
2003 AMHR Area VII National Show. Special thanks to Jim Curry of the Jim CUrry
Training Center (CA) for making so many accomplishments with "Merlin" happen.
Jim is a very talented trainer and good friend. He defines what customer service in the
horse industry should be about! See more about "Merlin" on his
page now.
"Merlin" and his friend, Hanna Kirkland,
after the Youth Halter Sr. Geldings class at Reno, NV (2003).
"Imagination
Farm's Spoiled Rich Kidd" hopes you'll visit his page now!
2002 AMHA Nationals
Lucky Four Ridin Rainbows Avantes Quichotte
Sir Holland
Leah
Struzzieri
Jennifer Hoey
Can Am Classic, Monroe, WA - Hosted by
Northwest Miniature Horse Club: I showed "Chip" in the
Amateur Jr. Geldings for 2 seconds and a First Place ribbon. He also earned 2 Reserve
Championship Amateur Gelding titles with me at the lead. Lisa showed him the 3 First Place
ribbons in the Youth 13 & Older Jr. Geldings and Tiffany Porter showed him to a
Champion & Reserve Champion Jr. Gelding title. (June)
AMHA Equestrian Center of Walnut Creek-
Hosted by NorCal: As usual, a really great Halter Obstacle pattern! Merlin was a
little frazzled since it was his first show of the season, but he earned 2nd and 3rd
in the Amateur and Open classes. (June)
AMHA Western Championship Show
("Regionals") - Merlin earned Top Ten Placings in Amateur Sr. Geldings, Open
Sr. Geldings 32"-34", Amateur Showmanship and the humungous Amateur Country
Pleasure Driving Class. Merlin placed 3rd with my nephew, Darren Cea, in Youth 13-18
Hunter. Chip's placings are highlighted below. (July)
 
Avantes Quichotte Sir Holland
2002 AMHA Western Championship Show, Reno, NV
Grand Champion Jr. Gelding with Tiffany Porter
Grand Champion Amateur Gelding - Reserve with Jennifer Hoey
Champion Weanling or Yearling Gelding with Jennifer Hoey
Champion Amateur Jr. Gelding - Level 1 with Jennifer Hoey
Central Point Classic, Central Point, OR -
Hosted by Northwest Miniature Horse Club: This show was all about
Merlin. We won Amateur Halter Obstacle under all three judges and we earned a blue and two
reds in Amateur Hunter. We also won the Amateur Showmanship on 2 cards and were second on
the last. Merlin won Amateur Sr. Geldings under Judge Oderguard (2nd & 3rd on the
other cards). We also won the Amateur Country Pleasure Driving - Level 1 under this judge,
placing 5th on Hepner-Hart's card. Showing back in the Country Championship Class was a
blast. Special thanks to Michelle Meacham and Patty Cloke for loaning me carts at this
show.
The Miniature Horses
of Imagination Farm are registered with AMHA
and AMHR.
What is a miniature horse?
The Miniature Horse is a height
breed. The American Miniature Horse Association, based in Texas, recognizes 'A' horses
only -- horses that measure 34 inches or less from the last hairs on the mane. The
American Miniature Horse Registry, based in Illinois, recognizes 'A' horses as well as 'B'
horses, which are over 34 inches, up to and including 38 inches.
What kind of temperament do they
have? Are they OK for little kids?
Just as no two people have the same
personality, each horse is different. But the vast majority of them have great
dispositions--more like lap dogs. If handled correctly from the time they are born, they
thrive on attention and are great around little kids. And just like their larger cousins,
they need to know what the boundaries are: that they aren't allowed to nip, etc. They are
bright and quick learners, very eager to please.
So what can you do with
them?
Just about anything! First of all,
they make great companions or pets. They make great little cart horses and are
surprisingly powerful. On a flat solid surface, they can easily pull a cart with a couple
of adults. They can be ridden by children -- up to 50 pounds (remember, they are about 1/4
the size of a regular riding horse). Often people will take them to visit nursing home
residents (just picture their surprise when a Mini walks into their room!!).
What kind of care do they
require?
Exactly the same as a full-size horse. They need
regular hoof trimming. They need to be vaccinated annually. They need to be wormed on a
regular basis. They can catch the same illnesses as large horses, and treatment is the
same.
They eat the same kinds of foods as a full-size horse, only less.
The amount you feed depends on its size and how much exercise the Mini gets. If you have
good quality hay and you are not driving your Mini on a regular basis, approximately one
cup of grain and half of a slab of hay morning and night, plus fresh water, are enough.
But in the winter--be sure to take off your gloves and check those
ribs. These little guys get so woolly, it's hard to tell if it's hair or fat, so dig
through the hair and check.
Do I need to have a barn?
Though they are very hardy, they
need shelter, just like a full-size horse. They need something to protect them from
driving sleet, hail and snow storms. They need a place where they can go to get out of the
blazing sun. Many different types of shelters will work - don't hesitate to ask some of
our members what types of shelter they use.
How much does a Mini cost?
That depends on a lot of factors
and what you plan on using your Mini for. If you want it just for a pet, you can find
nice, quality bred geldings for a very reasonable price ($350 to $800 or so). If looking
for breeding stock, a lot of factors will affect price. Things like: how deep the pedigree
is; how good its conformation; its size, whether it is trained, if it is double-registered
(AMHA/AMHR) or with just one registry, etc. The world record is a stallion that recently
sold for $122,000, but most are in the $1,000 to $5,000 range.
I want one. What should I look
for?
Your best bet is to go to a breeder, someone who
knows the horse's background and will stand behind the horse they sell you. If you go to a
breeder, chances are you will be able to see the sire and dam, or at least see pictures of
them. If looking at a young horse, this will give you some idea of how it will mature.
First, look for a horse that is "sound" - which means
that it doesn't have any illnesses or injuries such as Founder or the "heaves"
(difficulty breathing). Then look for a horse with a good disposition. You want the same
things in a Mini as a large horse. A good, square build on correct, refined, straight legs
and good hooves. A level top line and strong hind quarters. A good bite where the teeth
meet evenly is essential. A wide, bright eye, small, well shaped ears, good head set on a
clean neck. A well-defined shoulder.
Welcome to the World of Minis!
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