Sharon Morrison is generally a do-it-yourself and get-it done kind of person. She's handy with a hammer and can out-build, out-mow and out-work most men twice her size. However, when arthritis began to take its toll on Sharon four years ago, simple daily chores became challenging and increasingly difficult. Caring for her full-size horses was a problem, but Sharon did not want to give up her favorite past-time. Her solution? Falabella horses.Small Wonders
Small Wonders Farm is a haven for--Falabella horses....On any given day, Sharon excitedly shares stories about all the animal residents, including the fascinating Falabella horses.
"I just love horses," she says. "I was watching them run across the pasture after the storm with their heads in the air, tails flying in the wind. Just magnificent!. I had tears in my eyes."
Fala What?
Falabella horses, a breed of miniature horses, were developed more than 140 years ago by the Falabella family in Argentina.
"Falabella horses are unique because the Falabella family was the only people in Argentina breeding the small horses," says Laurie Stevens, president of the Falabella Miniature Horse Association. "They are a separate breed of miniature horses because of their pure bloodline," Laurie explains.
The Falabella Ranch still produces pure Falabella horses in Buenos Aires, Argentina. However, you do not have to travel south of the equator to find this rare horse. Today, Falabella horses can be found world-wide. "There are only 500-600 Falabellas in the United States and only about 2,000 world-wide," Laurie says, illustrating their rarity and uniqueness.
Color Is My Thing
Even though these pint-sized horses are small, they pack a punch with sheer elegance, superb conformation, friendly disposition and striking color. The features of the Falabella are harmonious and in the same proportion as a bigger horse. "Falabellas are the cream of miniature horses," Sharon says.
In addition to her affinity for miniature horses, Sharon also has an eye and a fondness for color. Many of the breed's descendents come in a variety of colors including bays, buckskins, palominos, pintos and appaloosas.
"Color is my thing," Sharon explains. "Quality and conformation are important, but I love paints and appaloosas."
According to Laurie, Julio Falabella, the great grandson of the Falabella Ranch, loved flashy-colored horses, and he bred spotted and painted horses into the bloodline. Furthermore, Laurie explains Julio Falabella perfected the miniature Falabella during the 1940s and 1950s by refining the shape and size of the breed.
Miniature Activities
Even though the Falabellas are too small for adults to ride, they are trained and shown just like their bigger counterparts in halter, driving, jumping and costume. Some Falabellas are purchased for pets while others entertain crowds with their tricks. Small Wonders' most accomplished stallion, Rapid Fire, is trained to pull carts, ride for the grandchildren and perform tricks.
Because Falabella Horses have proven their ability to be safe, reliable and intelligent guide horses. Cincha, a 24-year-old mare owned by Small Wonders, is the dam of Panda, a black and white pinto mare, who has been trained to be a seeing-eye horse in Pennsylvania.
Quality and Conformation
"The quality and conformation of a Falabella is very refined," Sharon says. She first saw Rapid Fire 15 years ago, and she thought he was the most gorgeous horse she had ever seen. According to his Falabella Miniature Horse Association registration papers, the 24-year-old stallion was imported in 1983 from the Falabella Ranch in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Rapid Fire was given to Sharon as a gift from a friend, and she has used the stallion as the cornerstone in her breeding program.
If I can't breed the best quality horses, then I don't need [to breed] them," Sharon explains. She admires the breed's magnificent disposition, gorgeous gait and overall elegance. She strives to produce top-quality miniature horses with sound-minds, excellent dispositions and superb conformation.