The Falabella miniature horse is one of the smallest breeds of horse in the world, seldom taller than eight hands (78 cm/32 inches) in height at the withers. The Falabella is a rare breed, with only a few thousand individuals existing worldwide. The Falabella, despite its size, is not considered a pony, but rather is a miniature horse.
Characteristics
Average breed heights for a fully-grown Falabella today are between 28 and 34 inches. The breed is proportioned similarly to horses, other than in size. They are similar to Thoroughbreds or Arabs in their conformation, with a sleek coat and a slim frame. The Falabella?s body is small and compact. The breed also inherited some cob-like features from pony bloodlines, including sturdy bone, and a thicker hair coat, particularly the mane, tail and around the fetlocks. The head may be slightly larger and the neck is often stouter by comparison with a normal-sized horse, but overall, the animal is not unusually or abnormally proportioned.
Bay (or a variant of bay, called "brown") and black are the most common colors, but there are also pintos, palominos and other spotting patterns found. Black or red leopard-spotted Falabellas (resembling, but not the same as the Appaloosa horse breed) also exist, but are not common.
Falabella foals are very small, standing eight inches tall at birth, and mature to their adult height by the age of two. They are considered very hardy and consistently pass on size, conformation and temperament.
Uses
Most Falabellas are considered intelligent, easily trainable. Due to their size, Falabella horses can only be ridden by very small children, and thus are generally shown in-hand at horse shows. They can be taught to drive, and cart driving is a favorite pastime of Falabella owners. They also are able to jump obstacles up to three feet, though only in-hand, without a rider.
As they are a show and companion breed, their "useful" lifespan is not limited. While young horses may fetch steep prices and are even sold as a long-term investment, old horses are more readily available.
