SALEM, Ore. — Joanne Ross adopted her first miniature horse 40 years ago, a 2-month-old orphaned filly she named Baby Jane.

“They’re so cute,” Joanne said. “How can you not say yes?”

She soon started her own herd of miniatures, none to exceed 34 inches in height, as required for membership in the American Miniature Horse Association.

She and her husband, Larry Ross, started Scott Creek Miniature Horse Farm in 1982 on property near Salem, Ore.

It was hard finding horses that small, plus she wanted to refine their look from pony-like to that of a horse, done primarily through selective breeding with other small horses, including Arabians.

Shetland ponies came to the U.S. during the 1800s from Belgium, England and Holland to work in the coal mines. Those not big enough to pull carts went to local farmers as pets.

The Rosses helped further the industry, shaping standards, raising the bar and sharing what they learned, especially in the foaling arena.

Because of their size, miniature horses have a higher risk of dystocia (obstructed labor), which can have dire consequences.

“Due to a lack of genetic purity, predicting the size of a foal was illusive, often resulting in difficult births,” Ross said.

Their first farm was in a remote area near Siletz, making emergency vet service a near impossibility, so the pair, with limited foaling experience, dove in and learned to manage such incidences to the point where they could help other owners with breeding problems and complicated births.

They have traveled across the nation giving seminars. Joan recently gave an international Zoom foaling seminar to the United Kingdom.

Every other year they host the Oregon State University animal science reproductive class.

They also paid $50,000 for a two-time world champion stallion. The progeny of that stallion, now 27 and retired, routinely sold for $10,000 to $15,000 and for as high as $35,000, she said.

They have also amassed countless awards in driving and performance categories.

Joanne’s brisk trade in miniature horses has taken her all over the world.

The cost of miniature horses varies widely, from $1,000 for a bona fide miniature to as high as $100,000 for horses with proven bloodlines and performance.

While Scott Creek’s focus is producing elite show horses, they sell some as pets and therapy animals. One works in a psychologist’s office and the City of Las Vegas recognized another filly for her work in their hospitals.

“They’re sweet and loving, learn fast and are extremely smart compared to big horses,” Joanne said, likening their temperament to that of a draft horse.

“A lot of people are intimidated by full-size horses, and if they happen to step on your foot you can end up with an amputation,” Larry said. “Minis are mellower and don’t shy as easily.”

Among the Scott Creek herd, ranging from 40 to 60 head, are 11 gentle foals that were born this year, each one healthy and handsome.