Miniature Horses Can Help People with Socializing and Healing

Miniature horses and their devotees are on the upswing. They can be found all over the world, including Mackinac Island. In the 1990s, several of them lived on Market Street, behind the Alford's drugstore complex. They were owned by the Kigsma family, and always had lots of attention from visitors, especially when they were walked through town. Miniature horses have paraded down Main Street in our recent Lilac Day parades, making the ferry trip just to be here. British Landing resident Lin Sheppard recently became involved with these minis, by an interesting turn of events.

Mrs. Sheppard, whose background is in sociology, has been a professional facilitator with grief management, especially in children. She also has been an avid horse lover and owner on Mackinac since she was a child. During the off-season, she and her husband, Dave, live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This past winter, by a turn of events, Lin was introduced to the "Tomorrow's Rainbow-Personal Ponies" organization in Coconut Creek, Florida. The group has more than 17 miniature horses, and their purpose is to help individuals, especially children, by using the socializing and healing aspects of equines. The director of the organization found her own emotional healing through these little horses, after surviving a tragic and devastating accident.

Jane Manikoff greets her daughter, Lin Sheppard, and miniature horse Boo.

Mrs. Sheppard has since become a volunteer with the organization, and has passed training classes with the minis to become a specialist. A few weeks ago, Lin and another volunteer took one of these miniature horses, a four-yearold gelding named Boo, to visit Lin's mother, Jane Manikoff, former longtime summer resident of the Island. Jane, who has been living in a care facility in Pompano Beach, Florida, was absolutely astounded, and ever so pleased. Miniature horses have a way of bringing out special things in people.

These little animals are friendly, and interact with humans quite well. Boo is particularly engaging, and he is the survivor of equine colic surgery. This little one has had an immense amount of human care and interaction in his four years.

Miniatures have been developed from many pony sources. Most minis contain Shetland and Dartmoor pony in their lineage. There has also been infusion from bloodlines of certain full-sized equine breeds. Their primary purpose is to serve as companion and service animals, akin to helping people with disabilities. These animals can be trained to live indoors, but they still are livestock, and they do best with fresh air, pasture, and room to run.

Records and paintings of the 17th century note the presence of these tiny horses. They were in the zoo of King Louis XIV of France, in 1650. Hapsburg nobility bred them, as did Lady Estella Hope of England. Lady Hope's family continued to breed minis into the mid 1900s. These were noted to be the pampered pets of kings and queens. Miniatures often accompanied royals with velvet halters and lead lines. Some of these little fellows didn't fare as highly, and they ended up as pit ponies for the coal mines of northern Europe. Generally, they're quite hardy beasts, and can live to 30-plus years, be it in posh or poor conditions.

In South America, the Falabella pony developed in the 1860s by Patrick Newell, in Argentina. He passed his stock to his son-in-law, Juan Falabella, who also crossed Welsh Shetland and small Thoroughbreds. The very small pony was also developed in the 1940s in South Africa, making these tiny animals worldwide.

Miniature horses come in all kinds of colors and markings. The designation of miniature horse status is determined by height, usually no more than 34 to 38 inches, and measured at the withers. For these small animals, the standard "hand" measurement is invalid.

There is an ongoing debate over size, and "horse" versus "pony" in characteristics and classifications. In fact, there are more than 30 separate registries for these little pets. Dwarfism is a concern in miniature breeds and breeding circles. As you may have gathered, there are many people who breed these creatures only to show.

The American Miniature Horse Registry is a division of the American Shetland Pony Club, and was established in 1972. The Miniature Horse Club of Great Britain last year alone set a record membership. According to the experts, a "miniature should be a small, sound, well-balanced horse, and should give the impression of strength, agility, and alertness. A miniature should be eager and friendly, but not skittish in disposition."

The activities director at Jane Manikoff's nursing home is keen on arranging more visits with these little horses this spring for patients. The group, Personal Ponies, has been used in Florida to interact with physically challenged children and adults. They've had positive affects on people who have suffered grief, abuse, or who are patients in short-term, longterm, and hospice care. People want to pet, touch, and brush these creatures, as well as talk to them.

Mrs. Manikoff perhaps said it best that day in Florida. When asked how she liked the visit from Boo that her daughter had arranged for her, she replied, "I love horses. I have always loved horses. This reminds me of Mackinac."

Candice Dunnigan is an active member of the American Equestrian Association, the Waterloo Hunt, and the Mackinac Horsemen's Association. Seasonally she resides at Easterly Cottage.