Miniature Horses

Children's Literature - Debra Lampert-Rudman

Upon opening this title, the reader is amazed to find that miniature horses are only as tall as the average goose. This book is filled with many amusing and surprising facts and photographs. Beginning with a chapter entitled "Where Miniature Horses Came From," the book examines topics from the small horse's development 55 million years ago to today's specially bred horse, while dealing with discussions about history and science. A remarkable photograph of an infant miniature horse standing on a man's forearms opens the chapter entitled "What Miniature Horses Look Like." This chapter includes details about the breed's height and weight, as well as standards for showing and breeding. The chapter entitled `What Makes Miniature Horses Special" contains a surprising photograph of a great dane beside a smaller miniature horse and elaborates on the breed's history and development. Chapters about color, care, and feeding are filled with interesting grooming, health, and exercise facts and photographs of children with horses. In the chapter entitled "Things Miniature Horses Need," readers will enjoy a photograph of a miniature horse driving a cart. Information explaining how they grow and photos of a miniature horse and its even smaller foal are irresistible. The "Training" chapter has a photograph of a miniature horse working as a guide horse and explains the breed's special talent as a therapy animal and in programs with the elderly and disabled. Also included in this chapter is a discussion of "jobs," as well as exploring differences and similarities between miniature horses and other animals. Large type and short sentences help even below-level readers gain confidence. A small glossaryrounds out this volume. The subchapter on Web sites provides links to further study on miniature horses by directing readers to www.abdopub.com. Miniature Horses is part of the "ABDO Checkerboard Animal Library—Horses Set II" breed-specific books supporting national science standards related to life science.