Showing a Mini
Champion

Kari Ginther of Raymond, Wash., lives and breathes miniature horses. For 13 years, Ginther, 24, has worked at Mountcastle Miniature Horses, a farm owned by her parents that’s devoted to breeding, selling and showing mini horses.

“Our goal is to breed horses that truly look like horses in miniature,” says Ginther, who has Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) and uses a power wheelchair. Mountcastle’s horses all are 31- 34 inches tall.

Ginther, who was in 4-H as a child, makes all the farm’s buying, selling and breeding decisions, and has shown her mare, Mountcastles Reality Check (aka Tigger) in more than 30 shows, many of them halter classes, in which she walks and trots Tigger on a halter to show off the horse’s body conditioning and natural movements. The team used to do driving shows, but Ginther’s FA has progressed to where the driving cart doesn’t offer ePnrooujgehcts1upp3/o2r0t./07 3: 21 PM Page 1

”My favorite class is the Liberty

Run, where the horse is brought into the arena and turned loose,” she says. “The horse works at liberty for a minute and a half, while music plays (Tigger’s song is the Monkees’ ‘I’m A Believer’). The handler then has a minute and a half to catch the horse!”

This year, Ginther and Tigger have taken home a variety of awards, including being named Grand

Champion Amateur Mare three times.

“Minis are perfect-sized horses for someone with a disability,” says Ginther. “Many times, a large horse is too much to handle. I’d love to talk to anyone interested in owning, showing or breeding miniatures.” q

 

For more information, visit www.mountcastleminis.com.

Ginther and Tigger show off their Grand Championship.

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