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Miniature horses are becoming more popular and it seems once you have one more are sure to follow. Miniature horses are a combination of breeds and can be any color. Their popularity is soaring because of their gentle and friendly nature towards humans. They may become part of a family just like a dog or cat because of their friendly trait.

Ron Henry of Pine Island is a strong believer in miniature horses and loves to train and show them. Henry started out with two miniature horses and now has 10. He also convinced a friend who raised quarter horses to start raising miniatures just a few years ago and he owns 14 miniature horses today.

“I have eight grandkids and I wanted to be their favorite grandpa,” said Henry with a big smile on his face. “It does help.”

Miniature horses are designated as such because of their height. Henry’s horses are double papered which means they are registered in the American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA) and the American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR). The horse has to be 34 inches or under to be registered with the AMHA and to be registered with the AMHR and they have to be 38 inches or less. To determine the size of the horse, it is measured from the last hairs on the mane. The horses DNA is also tested to be registered. Because of their pleasant nature and size, the miniature horse is very popular for starting kids out in raising horses. This is one reason why they have become part of school 4-H programs.

Henry started training horses at the age of 60 even though his kids were involved with raising horses many years ago when they were in school. For his first show he didn’t want to embarrass himself at a show near home, so he traveled to Colfax, Iowa. The trip was well worth it because he met two of the top trainers in the country and they took him under their wing. Scott Lunde of Iowa and Nebraska’s Don Mass are National Trainers of the Year and were very helpful in Henry’s quest to train and show his horses. The two are still friends of his today and they talk frequently.

“Every horse is unique based on how their mother raised them,” said Henry. “If the mother was protective and sheltered them they don’t know how to react.” So you have to work with them to get the response you want. Henry must be doing something right because he has taken first place at the Iowa State Fair and the Minnesota State Fair. He also loves to participate in parades and he has done a special show at the Minnesota State Fair with a miniature horse and a chariot spewing fire out the back.

Henry says he is also an, “Artistic Educator who brings artistic education to life.” This is in association with his other endeavor as a “semiretired” hair stylist and hair color expert for Kararle hair color. With his hair clients he says he needs to know their needs and wants. The same is true with horses according to Henry, “You have to know what the horse wants and needs and do it.”

According to Henry, Purina’s sponsorship of the local equine clubs has been very instrumental in helping them participate in parades around the area. “Their sponsorship has helped cover the expense of participating,” Henry said. There are many local and state clubs and associations to get involved with that offer the opportunity to be a part of a supportive group that enjoys miniature horse ownership.

The 30th Annual Minnesota Horse Expo, Minnesota’s largest equine trade show, is scheduled for April 27-28-29 at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds. The expo offers free miniature horse rides along with speakers and exhibitors sharing information on horses of all sizes.