Little America Miniature Horses

Horse husbandry runs in the Greaves family. Tony's parents bred Shetland ponies when he was growing up in Lamesa, south of Lubbock. His first mini, Big Un, stood 31 inches tall at the highest part of the back. Tony said he has always loved the horses' little size, but he is also fond of their personalities.

"They're sort of a cross between a horse and a dog because they get so friendly they become huge pets," he said. "They're very easy to train and very easy to handle. A lot of times people will buy one for a pet, and they'll come back and get another one."

He doesn't suggest saddling up a miniature horse and hitting the trail, though.

"They're very strong," Tony said. "They could pull you and me in a two-wheeled buggy, and small children certainly do ride them, but I wouldn't want them to carry over a 2- or 3-year-old."

Tony said the diminutive pets are perfect for elderly people and others who don't have the space or the disposable income to care for a full-sized horse. He said he spends about a dollar a day for each horse, including veterinary care and feed, and though he gives them lots of room to roam, a pair of ponies would also thrive in a large residential backyard.

"I don't recommend this, but I had a customer in Houston who kept two horses in her house," he said. "She built two plywood stalls in a spare room. She said when she would go out, she would put them in the stalls, but when she was home they had free run of the house, and they never, ever had an accident."

Little America sells its horses for as little as $500, but some of them cost many times that. Tony said he has sold horses to customers from Scotland, Thailand and Russia. He also sells them to organizations such as Hearts & Hooves in Austin, which uses the miniature horses for therapy at hospitals and nursing homes.

All told, Tony has registered more than 800 minis with the American Miniature Horse Association, which requires its horses to stand 34 inches and shorter. Tony and his daughter Lauren have also won numerous awards at the association's annual World Championship Show in Fort Worth, where they will compete again Sept. 26–Oct. 5.

Tony said he doesn't expect to ever retire from the family business.

"I've always told my friends, 'If you see that I'm selling out, you'll know that I'm dying," he said. "My dad had horses till he died, and his daddy had horses too. It's just something that we do."

Thursday Kids

Little America runs an after-school program to teach children and teenagers about miniature horses. The club was founded by the owners' daughter Lauren in 2005.

Activities: Grooming and training horses, cleaning stalls and working with foals

Cost: Free, but participants must pay entry fees if they wish to show the horses at contests

How to join: Owner Tony Greaves expects to add new club members in the fall. For information, visit the Little America website, www.littleamericaminis.com.

Little America Miniature Horses, 2460 FM 2001, Buda, 512-295-4575, www.littleamericaminis.com