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Horses, Minature Version
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by Tammy Lipke
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| Conditioned by a lifetime of experience around horses that were much bigger than me, I was delighted by my first experience with miniature horses several years ago. Far from the large, intimidating horses I was used to, these little guys only came up to my hip! My chance to be up close and personal with these amazing little animals was nil, until I met Marnie and Ryk VanDonselaar a few years ago. |
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"Whopper", a yearling, poses with Marnie
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Marnie raises miniature horses, the breed known as American Miniatures. She has 18 adult miniature horses on her farm, RyMar Miniatures, on Old Babine Road, east of Smithers, . The most astonishing thing to me is their height and weight. Even though I have now spent more time around them, I am constantly astonished by their size. To be a "true" miniature, the horse must be under 34" in height. Their average weight at adulthood is approximately 130 pounds, which means that most people outweigh them. They are therefore easier to lead and to handle than most full-sized horses. For myself, a frustrated horse lover cowed by the stature of larger animals, these little ones afford the perfect opportunity to spend time petting, playing, and completely at ease with horses.
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"Ruske", the stallion, with his winter coat.
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Miniatures are by nature gentle, docile animals. They seldom "spook", unlike their bigger counterparts, and will often follow people around like dogs. Marnie did say, though, that they need to be treated like a horse! For example, if one of them attempts to kick (rarely) or bite, it must be disciplined, just as any other horse. They must be taught to respect their masters.
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