Dutch Miniature

The Dutch Miniature or Nederlands Minipaard is a Dutch breed of small or miniature horse. It has been selectively bred to display in miniature the physical characteristics of a full-sized horse, and may stand no taller than 106 cm.^[3]: 463

Dutch Miniature

At Agriflanders in 2009
Conservation status	FAO (2007): not listed[1]: 83  DAD-IS (2022): at risk/endangered[2]
Other names	Nederlands Minipaard
Country of origin	Netherlands
Standard	Nederlandse Mini Paarden Registratie Stamboek (in Dutch)
Traits
Height	not over 106 cm (42 in)
Colour	any
Colour	any
Equus ferus caballus

At Agriflanders in 2007

History

The Nederlandse Mini Paarden Registratie Stamboek, the stud-book for the Dutch Miniature, was begun in 1993.^{[3]: 463 [2]} At first it registered horses in two sections, one for miniature horses no taller than 86 cm, and another for small horses standing up to 106 cm.^[3]: 463 The upper section was later divided into two, "small" for horses standing 87–95 cm and "large" for those 96–106 cm.

According to the association, the stud-book listed over 34000 horses in 2023.^[4] The population reported to DAD-IS for 2022 was 4500; this figure included 2078 breeding mares and 1891 stallions.^[2] The conservation status of the breed was listed as "at risk/endangered".^[2]

Characteristics

The Minipaard is expected to display in miniature the physical appearance and proportions of a full-sized riding horse, not those of a pony.^[3]: 463 The coat may be of any colour. Horses may be of any bloodline or provenance; no horse over 106 cm in height is eligible for registration.^[5]

Use

Miniature horses are kept only as pets^[6]: 34 or for showing.