Northeast Miniature Horse Club is a dedicated group of Miniature Horse owners, breeders and enthusiasts who promote the enjoyment and humane treatment of all Miniature Horses.
Formed in June of 2005 by a like-minded group of friends, we are an officially sanctioned club of the American Miniature Horse Association, but we welcome members with an interest in Minis from all registries, or no registration at all.
We have a core membership of 30 – 40 families plus an ever growing email list of interested affiliates currently numbering more than 900, from all over New England, New York, and many other parts of the country.
We formed not for the usual reasons, but because we wanted to be an official entity in a year long courtroom battle to save more than 50 minis who were being starved and abused on a farm in Massachusetts. This case was extreme - heart wrenching and stomach turning – and pointed out to us the need to stay involved in Miniature Horse rescue activities. See our Rescue Page for more information on this case.
As far as we know, the Northeast Miniature Horse Club is the only AMHA club dedicated to Miniature Horse rescue and re-homing, and the only Miniature Horse rescue organization to also take in Minis for re-homing. As a group, we are continuously saddened by the Minis that are tossed away like trash, and we do our best, one horse at a time, to advocate and provide for the welfare of little horses that are here on earth only because we humans have planned (or NOT planned) their very existence.
Our membership has evolved to consist of people from all walks of life with a wide variety of equine experience, but with a common interest in Miniatures. Some breed and compete on a national level, others show just for fun, and some simply want to share their love of this wonderful breed with the public through activities like nursing home visits and parades. Most recently we have seen a huge interest in driving Minis, both for pleasure and in ADS (American Driving Society) competition. There is also a growing number of people using their minis for equine therapy. We welcome everyone.
Over the years, the club has hosted a variety of annual events, including AMHA-sanctioned multi-judge Miniature horse shows, amateur clinics with leading Miniature horse trainers, our Winter Celebration Annual Dinner Meetings, and the not-to-be missed Bonnie Fogg Animal Communicator Day, held annually since 2008. As a membership that is deeply committed to the humane care of Miniatures, we dedicate all our event proceeds to the benefit of our Miniature Horse rescue efforts.
We have been on a mission to become the “go to” group in New England whenever another rescue organization or local animal control, or private individual comes across a Mini in need or in danger. We have worked on several large rescue cases over the years, but most of our work is horse by horse. This is an ongoing challenge, as we do not have a central facility, but have instead cultivated a network of foster homes, some of which can handle special needs horses, or pregnant mares (they are almost ALWAYS pregnant) or stallions (and they are ALWAYS stallions, not geldings!). But good people always step up and donate dollars and time and transportation and supplies when called upon. The ‘calling upon’ part is becoming a full time job. Since the 2008 economic crash, we have seen more and more Minis being given away, literally, and then ending up in bad situations. But it is very gratifying, and never ceases to amaze how many caring people step up whenever needed to offer assistance and dollars. This is what enables us to do the work that we do, and we are deeply grateful. Because of our supporters’ generosity, we have also had the pleasure of being able to be on the giving end of this by helping equine causes and Miniature Horse farm owners during natural disasters.