The Falabella is the smallest breed of horse in the world, typically standing between 28 to 34 inches tall at the withers. Despite their diminutive size, they possess all the features and proportions of a typical horse.
Falabella horses are incredibly rare and make up a tiny portion of miniature horses registered annually. Only purebred minis that can trace their bloodlines to foundation stock in Argentina are considered Falabellas.
Despite the high demand for Falabellas in North America, the small breeding population contributes to a risk of health problems associated with inbreeding. Like all miniature breeds, Falabellas need nutrition and management programs tailored to their unique size.
This breed profile will discuss the history, characteristics, health problems, and nutritional needs of the Falabella breed. Keep reading to learn more about feeding and caring for Falabella horses.
Falabella Horse History
The Falabella breed originated from a breeding program in Argentina in the 1800s. Since then, Falabellas have spread worldwide and significantly influenced the development of other miniature horse breeds.
Origin
Like other South American horse breeds, Falabellas descend from horses brought to the Western Hemisphere alongside settlers and explorers. Many of these horses had Iberian bloodlines.
Geographically isolated populations of horses in the southern part of the continent developed without outside influence for decades. By the mid-19th century, a significant population of smaller, inbred equines roamed the Pampas plains of Argentina.
Patrick Newtall bred local Criollo horses descending from these animals to create a herd of small but perfectly proportioned miniature horses. By 1879, Newtall transferred his breeding program to his son-in-law, Juan Falabella. [1]
The Falabella ranch continued developing the breed and maintained careful records of these miniature horses for generations before creating a formal breed registry in 1940.
Historic Use
The Falabella family initially developed the breed to achieve a consistent height of under 100 cm (40 inches). Today, most Falabellas are even shorter.
Other small horse breeds were developed to fulfill jobs that required a diminutive stature, such as working as pit ponies. But many of these pony breeding programs compromised conformation quality for size. [2]
Early Falabella breeding programs prioritized maintaining the proportions of full-sized horses. Selection for horses with elegant conformations and small statures made them popular pets and status symbols in their native country.
The first Falabella horses arrived in North America in 1962. Some of these horses crossed with other minis to develop the American Miniature horse. While the breed is found worldwide today, purebred Falabellas are increasingly rare.
Breed Registry
The Falabella Miniature Horses Association (FMHA) is the official breed registry and organization for Falabella horses in North America. Established in 1973, the FMHA maintains purebred Falabella and Falabella blend registries.
Falabellas are also eligible for registration with the American Miniature Horse Association and the American Miniature Horse Registry.
Breed Characteristics
Through selective breeding, the average height of Falabella horses has decreased over time. But despite their small size, Falabellas maintain conformation similar to full-sized horse breeds.
However, different breeders may produce slightly different types of these mini horses.
Conformation
Most Falabellas measure under 8 hands (32 inches) at their withers. While smaller sizes are more desirable in the breed, a short stature should never come at the cost of correct conformation.
Falabella miniature horses can resemble the type of any full-size horse. Arabian, Quarter Horse, and Thoroughbred type Falabellas are most common in North America. Recent breeding trends have increased refinement for all breed types.
Their bodies are small and compact. While most horse breeds have eighteen vertebrae in their spine, skeletal studies reveal Falabellas have seventeen vertebrae. These horses also have narrow, oval-shaped hooves. [1]
Colours
Bay and black are the most common coat colours in the Falabella breed.
The Falabella family favoured horses with appaloosa colouring, but pinto patterns and diluted colours also occur in Falabellas.
Temperament
Falabellas have good dispositions and friendly personalities. Many owners find these horses are gentle with children. They are also intelligent and have excellent work ethics, making the breed easy to train.
Owners shouldn’t assume miniature horses are safer to handle simply because they are smaller than full-size horses. All breeds need proper training to encourage desirable behaviour.
Disciplines
Some owners enjoy teaching their Falabellas tricks. Other Falabella horses excel as show horses competing in halter classes. The breed is too small for most riders, including children, but they are strong enough to pull adults in driving disciplines.
Some miniature horse shows include jumping classes for Falabellas. Handlers run alongside their horses while they jump over obstacles. But not all Falabella owners show their horses, and many of these horses find homes as pets.
Their small stature also makes Falabellas suitable as guide animals and therapy horses. These miniature horses can access buildings that larger horses can’t and are more approachable to people scared of large animals.
Falabella Health Profile
Carefully controlling the Falabella breeding population allowed breeders to produce smaller horses, but inbreeding has also contributed to an increased risk of genetic disease. These horses are also vulnerable to health problems commonly found in miniature breeds. But with proper care, Falabellas can live exceptionally long lives.
Genetic Diseases
The Falabella’s diminutive size is a result of over a century of selective inbreeding. However, such extensive inbreeding can reduce genetic diversity and heighten the risk of congenital diseases in the population.
A smaller gene pool contributes to inbreeding depression, resulting in diminished health, fertility, and increased disease susceptibility in affected breeds.
A particular concern for miniature horse breeders is equine dwarfism, a genetic disorder marked by abnormal bone growth, resulting in serious physical complications for affected horses.
To mitigate this risk, responsible breeding practices and genetic testing are essential. [3]
Health Problems
Skeletal disorders are more prevalent in miniature breeds, including angular limb deformities, luxated patellas, and upward fixation of the patella. One study also found several cases of scapulohumeral osteo