Falabella Pony
The Falabella developed during the 19th century in Argentina. The breed takes its name from the Falabella family, who spent years establishing the breed at their ranch outside Buenos Aires. Although the Falabella family developed the breed, the initial idea of producing a miniature horse came from an Irish man living in Argentina, Patrick Newtall. He spent years forming a herd of small 'horses' that stand under 9 hh, and he passed his knowledge and expertise to his son-in-law, Jaun Falabella, in 1879.
The origin of the Falabella horse can be linked to the origins of a horse in
Latin America called the Andalusian horse that the Spaniards brought with them
to accomplish the enormous task of the conquest--chosen for their rusticity and
resistance. They were later left to survive on their own due to unsuccessful
attempts to conquer the area's human inhabitants.
Wandering without destination over the vast plains ("pampas"), the surviving
horses underwent by necessity a series of biological processes and structural
changes in order to adapt to the new conditions that were incredibly different
from those of their native land.
The horses were forced to move great distances to find water and pasture due to
the strong sun, cold southwestern winds ("El Pampero"), fierce storms and
aridity of the land. This gave them incomparable resistance. Their keen
instincts and ability to sense danger were sharpened by the persecution from
humans and four legged predators.
These factors, in addition to continuous inbreeding and isolation, probably
caused genetic mutations in successive generations, resulting in the kind of
horse that the ancestors of the Falabella family are said to have seen for the
first time before the mid-nineteenth century in the herds of Mapuche Indians of
southern Buenos Aires province in Argentina.
The Falabella family achieved a herd of well-structured horses after many years
of experimenting and selective breeding. The family was able to maintain the
same proportions in their features as those of the horses Falabella had first
acquired. This breed is also extremely long-lived, often reaching 40-45 years
old.
The Falabella is a horse that possesses all the features and attributes of its
taller relatives. The fixed nature of the genetic characteristics of the
Falabella allows for their natural reproduction. Offspring are bred with the
same temperament.
The original intentions were to produce a tiny, miniature horse and not a small
pony. It is hard to tell quite what the perceived function for developing this
breed was, when considering how tiny and inbred they are. However, the Falabella
is extremely strong for its size and has been used in light harness capacity,
and has been ridden by small children. The conformation of the breed, with its
straight shoulder and tiny size, does not put it among the great ranks of
children's ponies. They do have very good temperaments, are intelligent and
friendly, and perhaps their best role is as an ornamental and unique pet.
The Falabella has fine, silky hair and skin that is thin and supple. The hooves
are narrow with an oval shape. The manes are short and straight while others are
long and falling on both sides of the neck. The gait is spontaneous and very
energetic. The most common colors for the horse are black or brown but may vary
from pinto, bay and chestnut.