Falabella features
A Falabella horse cannot always be identified on first sight. A small pony for example is not a Farabella. Only horses that possess the Falabella DNA along with the required documents and an official registration in the Falabella register Europe are recognised as Falabella horses. The original register in Argentina (ACCF) allowed the Falabella register Europe to adopt its breed standards. The long term goal is to prevent inbreeding, as it is the major cause of deviation from breed standards, reduced fertility, as well as a shorter life span. Since 2012 the Falabella register Europe owns an additional software to calculate the inbreeding coefficient.
Even the slightest form of inbreeding should be prevented. Mares may not breed before their 3rd year of life. Stallions may not breed before their 3rd year of life either.
The (physical) characteristics of a correct Falabella horse are:
– small and gentle, compliant, docile, healthy and high endurance,
– harmonic physique, slim stomach, petite bone structure,
– shoulder height from their 3rd year of life between 70 and 86 cm, this is an important breeding goal to preserve their characteristic height
– the head has distinguished noble features, expressive eyes, straight or slightly bend small forehead
– small ears, that are slightly sharp and bend toward each other,
– slim muscular neck, not too low to the chest,
– adequately long shoulders with a well developed rump,
– adequately long legs, well developed joints, well formed oval hoof,
– muscular loins,
– Croup and tail are long,
– thin and soft skin,
– many color variations: often black or brown, other variations are colorful, palomino, pinto, grey, appaloosa.
Special hidden characteristics:
In comparison to other horse breeds, Falabella horses only have 17 instead of 18 vertebra and a few ribs less.
The heart of a Falabella is rather big compared to its corpus and resembles the heart of taller horses.
Since the discovery of the Falabella in the middle of the last century, the following celebrities owned Falabella horses:
King Juan Carlos of Spain, King Hoessein of Jordan, the sultan of Brunei, Sheikh Mohammed en Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai, Paul McCartney of The Beatles and the former U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
