The aim of breeding miniature horses is to produce the “ideal horse, in miniature". All the conformational rules applying to full size horses can be applied to the Miniature Horse. The objective is to have a small, sound horse that is strong, agile and with a good disposition and above all, excellent conformation.

Minis can be found in all colours, even some not seen in their larger counterparts. They come in all pinto genetics, all appaloosa genetics, all solid colours; they can exhibit the dilute genes such as the creme gene, the silver gene, the greying gene, the dun gene,and the champagne gene. They can also have all eye colours. You will certainly find one in your favourite colour! They come in so many colours that often, even colour specialists can't figure out what they are!

As with any breed, there are trends which are followed in the show ring, according to which horses the judges place. For example, there has been a recent upsurge in the interest in "Arabian Type" miniatures. Some miniature horses closely resemble the breeds of larger horses, and because Arabs are valued for their beauty, many mini breeders are aiming for horses that exhibit similar "type" such as a highest tail, long slender curving neck and a dished head. This does not mean that the Miniature Horse must look like an Arab; it simply means that some people are breeding for those characteristics. Some minis look like little draught horse, others like scaled-down Quarter Horses. This does not mean that those breeds were bred down smaller; only that the minis happen to look like the larger breed either due to coincidence or a breeding program designed in accentuate these traits.

There isn’t currently a strict breed standard, other than the horse must be pleasing to the eye, move straight and with balance, and have excellent conformation in general. One important thing to examine are the hooves. Many minis do not have the best feet. Club or boxy feet should be frowned upon. It should be noted that minis are not allowed to be shod on show grounds.

One of the appealing things about the Miniature Horse is that there is an emphasis on a natural horse.
Horses are shown as natural as possible with no glitter, braids, etc. allowed. The mane and tail must be full (no hogged manes or docked tails) but they may be shortened and pulled and a bridle path is allowed. When looking at a miniature horses with regard to the breed standard, remember this is a breed based on height only. Any horse, regardless of its background, can be registered as long as they are small enough. Where conformation and soundness are equal, judges will give preference to the smallest horse.

You may wonder what you can do with a miniature horse and the answer is, practically anything you can do with a large horse (with the exception of riding) including training, driving, showing, breeding and having fun. Miniature horses are shown in halter, in-hand hunter/jumper, obstacle, showmanship and driving classes. Because of their size, relatively inexpensive upkeep, gentleness and affectionate natures they also make wonderful equine companions.

It should be noted that dwarfism can occur when breeding miniature horses. In the opinion of many veterinarians, all miniature horses possess some of the genetic markers for dwarfism. Equine dwarfism is a relatively rare occurrence in large horses, but it is far more common in miniature horses that have been bred exclusively for small size.

There are many "types" of dwarfs, some are more affected than others. Usually dwarfism expresses itself in one or more the following characteristic. The horse may be abnormally small and not follow a typical growth rate. They can be more long than tall. The horse's jaw is often malformed with an underbite. The legs may not straight and often one or more legs may be severely twisted. The horse's head may be domed. They may have large heads and very short necks. They may have pot bellies. Some dwarfs may only exhibit one of these characteristics, and in a mild form. Most registries refuse to register a dwarf, but some "minimal dwarfs" are offered papers anyway. Dwarfs are more expensive to keep because they need veterinary and farrier care above and beyond the average horse, and they rarely live as long as the average miniature. Under no circumstances should horses showing any of these dwarf characteristics, be bred from.