Falabella Blend Registry
33222 N. Fairfield Road
Round Lake, Illinois 60073
www.falabellafmha.com
A Falabella Blend Miniature Horse is a blend of pure Falabella ancestry combined with the bloodlines of an American Miniature Horse or another Miniature. It was created through breeding pure Falabellas with American Miniature Horses starting in the 1960s, when the first Falabellas were imported from Argentina to the United States. As more continued to be imported over succeeding years, the breeding of Falabellas to American Miniatures continued and the Falabella Blends gained in popularity.
In the 1980s, a longtime Falabella breeder from Illinois named Laurie Stevens, bred her Falabella stallions to American Miniature mares and advertised the offspring as Falabella Blends. Over the years, Falabella Blends became popular as the name caught on, and by the 1990s the Falabella Blends were well known. Breeders liked the idea that the petite little horses carried the historic Falabella bloodline. Today, Falabella Blends are in many parts of the world.
They come in a variety of sizes and colors and are versatile in many ways. Falabella Blends can be easily trained for children to ride or to pull a cart or small wagon. They are quick to learn tricks and can be shown by both children and adults to win ribbons and awards at the shows. Foals are adorable and can add herd value if kept, or can generate income from foal sales. Falabella Blends are an excellent choice to breed for fun and for profit.
Registry
Since there was no specific registry for the Falabella Blends in earlier years, they were registered and shown by the American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA), American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR), or other Miniature registries. This still continues today, since the Falabella Blends will always be an integral part of both the Falabella and the American Miniature Horse breed.
Falabella Blend bay appaloosa mare. Falabella Miniature Horse Association
As the Falabella Blend became more popular, there was a need for a registry to authenticate its ancestry, and in 2001 the Falabella Blend Registry (FBR) was founded by Laurie Stevens as a separate associate registry to the Falabella Miniature Horse Association (FMHA), which was established in 1973. Since that time, the Falabella Blend has become a popular specialty breed, and the FBR became an international registry for all Falabella Blends in the world.
Any Miniature Horse that is out of an FMHA sire or dam, or has one or more ancestors that have Falabella Blend or pure Falabella ancestry can be registered. This is verified through a pedigree search in FMHA and FBR studbook records. Any Miniature Horse from any other association or registry that is verified to have an ancestral combination of pure Falabella and Miniature Horse ancestry is accepted for registration. A true Falabella Blend Miniature has the prestige and honor of carrying the unique Falabella bloodlines. There are many AMHA and AMHR Falabella Blends that are not yet registered in FBR. If the ancestry is from the Falabella Farms in Argentina, that is acceptable as well.
To stay within FBR breeding guidelines, it is recommended breeding toward the ideal blend of 25 to 75 percent Falabella ancestry whenever possible. If a Falabella Blend is less than 25 percent Falabella, it is recommended to increase the Falabella ancestry. Using a pure Falabella stallion or breeding two Falabella Blends together produces the best and most valued foals. Most breeders start with a pure Falabella colt or stallion to maintain the best lineage in their Falabella Blend breeding program. It takes only one pure Falabella stallion to produce Falabella Blends.
The difference between the Falabella Blend and other Miniature Horses is the former is a separate breed that combines pure Falabella ancestry with Miniature Horse ancestry within their pedigree. The breed is strictly an ancestral breed, and everyone must maintain a combined blend of the pure Argentine Falabella and American bloodlines in order to be accepted for registration. The American Miniature is strictly a size breed that must maintain a specific height, but may have a variety of all Miniature bloodlines from any Miniature Horse in the United States or from other parts of the world. These differences separate the Falabella Blend from the American Miniature.
An increasing number of Miniature Horse farms in the United States and all over the world are creating some lovely show quality Falabella Blends and finding it much to their liking. The Falabella name is well known worldwide, giving added appeal to foals with Falabella Blend registration certificates.
Specializing in Blends
The American Miniature Horse is extremely popular and can be found throughout the United States and the rest of the world. In comparison, there are less than one thousand Falabella Blends registered in the FBR that can only be found through certain breeders who have them. This puts Falabella Blends in their own unique and separate category and allows breeders to promote and specialize with them. They are popular, beautiful, and are perfect for the breeder who wants something different.
Since they are a true Miniature breed in size, AMHA and/or AMHR certificates add value and desirability for American breeders. FMHA or FBR registration certificates bring additional value.
Pure Falabellas and Falabella Blends are but a small part of AMHA and AMHR registered American Miniatures. Their uniqueness makes them popular with breeders looking for a distinct kind of miniature.
Since they can be registered in all Miniature Horse registries, they can also be bred to American or other Miniatures to produce foals that are also Falabella Blends. They can compete for regional and national wins like other Miniatures registered in any other Miniature association, registry, or society. A number of Falabellas and Falabella Blends have taken winner’s ribbons and special regional and national wins in the United States and internationally.
As a specialty breed, the Falabella and Falabella Blend breed names are known worldwide, giving added appeal and value to foals with Falabella Blend registration. Using the Falabella Blend name attracts other Miniature breeders, as the breed has been popular among breeders since the first pure Falabellas were imported in the 1960s. A number of them started with Falabella Blends by acquiring a pure Falabella colt or stallion to breed with their Miniature mares, while others have Falabella Blends because they like the combined American and Falabella lines. Having both American Miniatures and Falabella Blends in one breeding program is to offer something for everyone.
Although most Falabella Blends are acquired for breeding, they can also be enjoyed by families in a variety of ways. It is fun having Blend foals, as they are especially petite and adorable and make great family pets. They can be shown by adults and children in a variety of Miniature Horse classes or in parades. They can be ridden by small children under seventy pounds, and most can be driven in a small cart. Like the Falabellas, they are strong for their size and driving them is popular. Falabella Blends come in all sizes, colors, and personalities, providing a variety of uses to please everyone.
Falabella Blend foals are especially adorable. Falabella Miniature Horse Association
Standard of Perfection
The first and most important breed standard for any Falabella Blend Miniature Horse is to have its heritage verified with a registration certificate from the FBR.
Breed type: All equine breed types are acceptable, but the Arabian, Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, Pinto, and Appaloosa are some of the most popular. The most important factors are always the Falabella part of the horse’s ancestry and good conformation with a pleasing look. Over the last twenty years, emphasis has gradually been on breeding for more refinement in all Miniature breed types. This trend is gaining in popularity worldwide among breeders and at the shows.
Color: The Falabella Blend comes in every known color of every breed of equine. They come in all solid colors and a wide array of beautiful pinto and appaloosa patterns. Unusual “pintaloosa” patterns can also occur, showing both pinto and appaloosa markings. There is no limit to their endless variety of colors.
Size: A variety of sizes are accepted for FBR registration. The most popular Falabella Blend size ranges from 30 to 34 inches. They reproduce well and can throw toy-sized foals that mature at 30 inches and under if they carry toy-size ancestry. Emphasis is put on breeding for a small size while maintaining a true horse look. The smallest and most perfect in conformation are the most desirable.
Birth heights can be as petite as 12 inches or up to 22 inches or more. Toy-sized Falabella Blends can mature under 27 inches or up to 29.75 inches. They are highly prized for their tiny size, but are limited in number and can be hard to find. The smallest and most perfect can have very high value.
Some Falabella Blends mature over 34 inches, but since they naturally inherit their size as well as their pure Falabella and Miniature Horse ancestry, they are accepted for registration in FBR. No matter what size they are, it does not take away their ancestry or their value as Falabella Blends. They are still a unique and special breed. Once a Falabella Blend is accepted for registration in FBR, they remain registered for life.
Disposition: The Falabella Blend has a naturally good disposition inherited from both the Falabella and the Miniature Horse breeds. They can be a wonderful farm friend for anyone. They are generally sweet natured, easy to handle, and enjoy being with people of all ages.
Credit: Falabella Blend Registry