Look at how chubby she is! She is absolutely adorable!

look at that snuggly wugglesons! That horse needs kisses from me right now

I actually have a horse not much bigger than that.

oh my lord…I want that tiny horse!

MaliceAlice,

There definitely are no miniature horses in the wild. Most animals that are domesticated of course wouldn’t survive well in the wild, traits that would suit them there are often the ones people don’t want (aggression, fear, etc.). Domesticated horses though can (not miniature ones of course); wild horses in America aren’t really wild but come from domestic horses that escaped or were otherwise let loose.

I’m not an expert on miniature horses (or any horses), I just have ridden and read about regular horses. but as far as I know miniature horses aren’t necessarily especially unhealthy. Thumbelina however isn’t just a miniature horse but a dwarf one, that’s why she appears chubby and her body is out of proportion. Normal ones look like regular horses just much smaller.

Thumbelina has her own Web site!

http://www.worldssmallesthorse.com/

If you click the photos link and go to “Visiting Children,” you will see a picture of Thumbelina that will KILL YOU DEAD. (No children are in the shot.)

I’m so excited to FINALLY see Thumbelina on her!!! I submitted her pic months ago….but then James gets the credit! Oh well. Yay Thumbelina!

Dwarf horses are one thing, but the miniatures I thought were bred for pulling carts in the coal mines.

I’m very glad to read that the owners are responsible people, who weren’t breeding for dwarfism. According to the article linked by Sadie, they never bred Thumbelina’s parents to each other again because they produced a dwarf.

I don’t think *trying* to breed dwarf horses with health problems would be cute at all (and I’m glad they weren’t trying)… if that makes me a nuff then I’m glad to be one.

Marsheeeee,

Sure. I certainly am!