The standard of perfection

This is the American Miniature Horse Standard of Perfection as published in the "Official Rule Book" of the American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA)   The following Standard of Perfection was adopted by the American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR) to apply to AMHR registered miniature horses

AMHA:

 

AMHR:

General impression

A small, sound, well-balanced horse, possessing the correct conformation characteristics required of most breeds - refinement and femininity in the mare, boldness and masculinity in the stallion. The general impression should be one of symmetry, strength, agility and alertness. Since the breed objective is the smallest possible perfect horse, preference in judging shall be given the smaller horse, other characteristics being approximately equal.

Size

Must measure not more than 34 inches at the base of the last hairs of the mane.

Head

In proportion to length of neck and body. Broad forehead with large prominent eyes, set wide apart. Comparatively short distance between eyes and muzzle. Profile straight or slightly concave below the eyes. Large nostrils. Clean, refined muzzle. Even bite.

Ears

Medium in size. Pointed. Carried alertly, with tips curving slightly inward.

Throat-latch

Clean and well defined, allowing ample flexation at the poll.

Neck

Flexible, lengthy, in proportion to body and type and blending smoothly into the withers.

Shoulders

Long, sloping and well-angulated, allowing a free swinging stride and alert head/neck carriage. Well muscled forearm.

Body

Well muscled, with ample bone and substance. Balanced and well proportioned. Short back and loins in relation to length of underline. Smooth and generally level topline. Deep girth and flank. Trim barrel.

Hindquarters

Long, well-muscled hip, thigh and gaskin. Highest point of croup to be same height as withers. Tail set neither excessively high or low, but smoothly rounding at the rump.

Legs

Set straight and parallel when viewed from front or back. Straight, true and squarely set, when viewed from side with hooves pointing directly ahead. Pasterns sloping about 45 degrees and blending smoothly, with no change of angle, from the hooves to the ground. Hooves to be round and compact, trimmed as short as practical for an unshod horse. Smooth, fluid gait in motion.

Color

Any color or marking pattern, and any eye color, is equally acceptable. The hair should be lustrous and silky.

 

General impression

A small, sound, well-balanced horse which gives the impression of strength, agility and alertness. The disposition should be eager and friendly, not skittish.

Size

The American Miniature Horse must measure not more than 34 inches at the base of the last hair on the mane for Under Division , and not more than 38 inches for Over Division. Since the breed objective is the smallest possible perfect horse preference in judging shall be given to the smallest, all other factors being equal. In no case shall a smaller horse be placed over a larger horse with better conformation. Priority in judging shall be in this order :

  1. Soundness
  2. Balance, and conformity to the standard of perfection
  3. Size

Head

In proportion to the body; neither excessively long nor short. The eyes should be large, alert, and prominent with no discrimination in color. The ears, open toward the front and carried erect. The teeth should show no signs of parrot mouth or undershot jaw.

Neck

Strong and muscular, proportionate to body and the type of horse represented.

Body

Well-muscled with good bone and substance, well sprung ribs, level topline, as nearly as possible of equal height in withers and rump, fore and hind quarters well angulated, so that the horse in movement shows a smooth gait.

Legs

Straight, clean and sound.

Hooves

Round and compact, trimmed as short as practical for an unshod horse, and in good condition.

Color

Any color, eye color and/or marking pattern is equally acceptable.

Throat-latch

Clean and well defined, allowing ample flexion at the poll.

Shoulder

Long, sloping and well-angulated, allowing a free swinging stride and alert head/neck carriage. Well muscled forearm.

Hindquarters

Long, well-muscled hip, thigh and gaskin. Highest point of croup to be same height as withers. Tail-set neither excessively high nor low, but smoothly rounding off rump.

Diaqualifications

Height in excess of 34 inches for Under Division and 38 inches for Over Division miniatures. Dwarfism, complete loss of sight in either eye, unsoundness; cryptorchidism in aged stallions.

Further

Horse shall show with full mane and tail (no full roach). Mane and tail length shall be left to the decision and discretion of the exhibitor. Thinning, pulling, shortening, etc., of a mane and tail is permissible.