Famous Miniature Horses

Tags: Miniature Horse, Behavior, Training, Therapy Horses

 

Miniature horses are becoming more desirable as pets, show animals, and service animals. Many minis live within the home, just as a pet dog would. Some live in special made barns built to scale just for them, and some are allowed to come into the home through an opening similar to a doggie door. Most miniature horses are petted and pampered; they are enrolled in horse shows, and some minis have become quite famous.

Two Spot is a little mini that specializes in Pet Assisted Therapy (PAT). She goes to work in a nursing home quite often, and she loves to put smiles on the faces of the residents who live there. The residents light up when Two Spot comes to see them. As the residents hug her, and stroke her, they forget about their aches and pains; instead, they smile and laugh a while. Pet Assisted Therapy is so useful because the interaction between the horse and the patient brings the vital signs into balance. Elderly folks, especially, experience marked improvement in blood pressure, and range of motion in their limbs just because petting the horse makes them feel happy. They forget a while about their aches and pains. They forget about their depression. Horses like Two Spot have very important jobs.

Vicki Gabereau of Vancouver B.C. owns a sweet little miniature horse named Button. Button is a bit of a ham in front of the TV cameras; she is the star of a commercial where she performs a dance routine. She enjoys her work, and works hard; she even keeps up her act after her work is done. The famous Button is known by her fans as the "Rock on Pony."

In 1996, Black Beauty was born. She is believed to be the smallest horse that has ever survived; at birth she weighted under 10 pounds. She is small enough to sit on her owner's lap. Black beauty is a very friendly horse who loves to meet and greet people.

In 1991 she held the world's record of being the smallest horse in the world. She is about a foot and a half tall, and held the world's record until Thumbelina was recorded at 17 inches tall in 2007.

Thumbelina was born in 2002 and she was so small her owners, Mr. and Mrs. Goessling, thought she might not survive; she weighed 8 pounds at birth. She now holds the world's record of being the smallest horse in history. She is only 17 inches high. Thumbelina is a dwarf, so she is smaller than a miniature horse. In spite of her tiny size, she thinks she is the boss of all the big horses in the corral.

Many miniature horses have been trained for starring in commercials and movies by Janet Burleson, a professional horse trainer, who also has pioneered in the training of guide horses for the mentally, physically, and vision impaired. She has trained horses to be house broken so that they can live within the confines of a home, if this is what an owner requires. Mini horses can be trained to remove juice boxes or canned drinks out of a refrigerator, and to assist in many other ways. Mini horses are highly intelligent, and remain calm under the stress and chaos of any situation that may arise. Janet Burleson also trains mini horses to be ready to star in commercials, television series, and movies.

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