Falabella horses are one of the smallest breeds in the world. They fall under the miniature family, and their size is so small that they are not even considered ponies.
Although smaller in size (stands taller than 8 hands), Falabella horses can have numerous uses. Their compact and miniature size make them amazing domestic animals, well suited at home, and used for various household purposes. These horses have versatile uses for horse lovers.
One of the main characteristics of Falabellas is that they can be well trained, and they tend to focus on the task they are given. So, how can you make use of your Falabella horse? Let us see the below sections to learn more.
Can Falabella Horses be used for driving carts?
Horses are used for a variety of tasks, including pulling carts. Standard size horses like thoroughbreds, Friesians, American Standardbreds, among others, are most suitable for driving carts. But what about miniature breeds like Falabellas?
Falabellas can be used to pull or drive carts. Usually, warm-blooded horses make the best cart puller, and Falabellas have hot-blooded features. This feature makes them a fairly good option to drive buggies. These horses can pull small carriages or dogcarts with one or two riders. As per the rule, Falabellas can carry things 20% of their weight.
In other words, it can be stated that Falabella Horses are cart horses, and if appropriately trained, they can be used to pull lightweight carriages.
Can Falabella be ridden?
Riding horses remains one of the basic horse usages over the centuries. Unfortunately, however, not all horses can be ridden. And when it comes to miniature horses, the question of riding them gets even more glaring.
Falabella horses are miniature horses and mostly cannot be ridden because of their size. However, you can ride a Falabella if you are less than 50-60 pounds. That being said, these horses are suited to be ridden by small children. In fact, Falabella horses can be excellent options for toddlers who want to learn horse riding.
So, in a nutshell, it is a general rule that Falabella Horses are too small to carry any load on their backs. Therefore, although toddlers and smaller grown ups can get on their backs, these horses must not be used as regular riding horses.
Falabella Horse as a guide horse for disabled people
We usually see dogs as guide animals for people with disabilities. However, in some cases, horses can also be used as guide animals, especially miniature ones.
Falabella Horses belong to the group of those miniature horse breeds that can be used as guide horses. Their small size and level of intelligence make it easy to train them as excellent guide animals. In addition, these horses can adapt to different disabilities, especially visual impairment, and help offer protection, assistance, and insight.
Often young Falabella Horses remain in high demand as guide animals, as they can be trained easily than the older ones. There are specific standards that a Falabella horse needs to pass in order to become a guide animal. Falabellas
- Must stand less than 26 inches at the withers, and
- Must not suffer from any physical or genetic disorders that could affect their health
Can you keep Falabella Horses as pets?
Although horses are mostly kept as livestock, they have emerged as great companion animals. Along with being used for farm purposes, you can also keep horses as pets. But how far Falabella Horses can be used or kept as pets?
Like other horses, Falabella Horses can also be kept as pets. Along with being excellent guides and therapy animals, this horse breed can be companion animals as well. Falabella Horses are suited for indoors but need proper training. You must remember that although miniature in size, Falabellas are still strong horses.
However, to keep Falabellas as pets, you must invest time in their care, which includes:
- Shelter
- Teeth care
- Hoof care
- Vaccination
- Grooming
Conclusion
In the verdict, we can say that Falabella Horses are like horses of standard size but in a shrunken form. They can be used for several purposes, as pets, service animals, cart pulling, etc. These horses look cute and can be trained efficiently to be kept indoors.
So, if you are looking for a compact-sized horse who is easy to work with and can be there with your children, a Falabella Horse could be the right choice.
