Everyone Enjoyed the Miniature Horses
In the late 1980's, Dumas had an attraction just south of town that had cars and even buses stopping to watch.
Barney and Patricia Schmidt were watching a Dallas Cowboy and Denver Bronco football game and noticed the miniature horse the Broncos had as a mascot. Barney suggested they boy one when their much-loved dog died.
When the time came, the Schmidts began looking for a little horse and finally found a breeder in Georgia. Bond's Miniature Horses was the oldest miniature breeder in the country and he sent the couple pictures of several horses and the price lists. Barney chose the one he liked best and Patricia chose her favorite. They could not compromise, so they bought both horses.
The two 18-month old fillies were flown to Amarillo airport. According to Barney, "It was love at first sight." They were named Petit Point and Dun and they lived in the Schmidt's backyard in Dumas, with the okay of their neighbors.
Barney and Patricia Schmidt were watching a Dallas Cowboy and Denver Bronco football game and noticed the miniature horse the Broncos had as a mascot. Barney suggested they boy one when their much-loved dog died.
When the time came, the Schmidts began looking for a little horse and finally found a breeder in Georgia. Bond's Miniature Horses was the oldest miniature breeder in the country and he sent the couple pictures of several horses and the price lists. Barney chose the one he liked best and Patricia chose her favorite. They could not compromise, so they bought both horses.
The two 18-month old fillies were flown to Amarillo airport. According to Barney, "It was love at first sight." They were named Petit Point and Dun and they lived in the Schmidt's backyard in Dumas, with the okay of their neighbors.
In a story in the Amarillo Daily News, the couple remarked, "Soon we were taking the little horses for walks around the block, rocking them to sleep at night, comforting their stomach ailments by rubbing their bellies and feeding them Nutter Butter cookies." Patricia said she got some strange looks while she was taking one of the tiny trotters for a walk around town.
In the story, Barney said the horses are very loving and docile and can be handled by children when properly trained. They are tougher and hardier than their full-sized counterparts and cost less than a large dog to feed.
The couple decided they wanted to breed and raise some miniatures. "We got a stallion from the breeder in Georgia." But, they didn't stop there. Barney sold his stunt airplane and they bought four more. Within two years, they had seven miniature horses living in their backyard.
Breeding the tiny horses was not successful in the Schmidt's backyard, so the couple bought 45 acres just south of Dumas in 1986 and built a house, barn and fenced pastures for their little horses. The acreage was on Highway 287 and motorists could see the horses from the highway.
At one time, the Schmidt herd grew to 26 horses and they began to sell some of the horses. Most of the horses were not for sale; the Schmidts considered them pets. Barney said that hardest thing about owning the horses is selling them.
Even though he weighed 150 pounds, one of the horses became something of house pet. He could open the sliding glass door to come in for a cookie. "We kept a jar full of peanut butter cookies on the counter and he knew they were for him," Barney told a reporter from the Amarillo Daily News in a December 24, 1988 story. "He'd stand on his back legs and beg for one."
In the story, Barney said the horses are very loving and docile and can be handled by children when properly trained. They are tougher and hardier than their full-sized counterparts and cost less than a large dog to feed.
The couple decided they wanted to breed and raise some miniatures. "We got a stallion from the breeder in Georgia." But, they didn't stop there. Barney sold his stunt airplane and they bought four more. Within two years, they had seven miniature horses living in their backyard.
Breeding the tiny horses was not successful in the Schmidt's backyard, so the couple bought 45 acres just south of Dumas in 1986 and built a house, barn and fenced pastures for their little horses. The acreage was on Highway 287 and motorists could see the horses from the highway.
At one time, the Schmidt herd grew to 26 horses and they began to sell some of the horses. Most of the horses were not for sale; the Schmidts considered them pets. Barney said that hardest thing about owning the horses is selling them.
Even though he weighed 150 pounds, one of the horses became something of house pet. He could open the sliding glass door to come in for a cookie. "We kept a jar full of peanut butter cookies on the counter and he knew they were for him," Barney told a reporter from the Amarillo Daily News in a December 24, 1988 story. "He'd stand on his back legs and beg for one."
The Schmidts became members of the American Miniature Horses Association and began attending shows. According to the 1988 Amarillo Daily News story, "the Schmidt horses never took less than fifth place in a show and two of his stallions won reserve champion honors at the Amarillo Tri-State Fair and the Colorado State Fair."
In the same story, Patricia said, "We invited 4-H clubs, grade school children and other groups to see the horses. We just turn them all loose in the pasture. Little horses and little people go well together."
Barney died in an airplane accident in August of 1992 and Patricia began finding new homes for the little horses. She died in 2010.
The couple decided they wanted to breed and raise some miniatures. "We got a stallion from the breeder in Georgia." But, they didn't stop there. Barney sold his stunt airplane and they bought four more. Within two years, they had seven miniature horses living in their backyard.
Breeding the tiny horses was not successful in the Schmidt's backyard, so the couple bought 45 acres just south of Dumas in 1986 and built a house, barn and fenced pastures for their little horses. The acreage was on Highway 287 and motorists could see the horses from the highway.
At one time, the Schmidt herd grew to 26 horses and they began to sell some of the horses. Most of the horses were not for sale; the Schmidts considered them pets. Barney said that hardest thing about owning the horses is selling them.
Even though he weighed 150 pounds, one of the horses became something of house pet. He could open the sliding glass door to come in for a cookie. "We kept a jar full of peanut butter cookies on the counter and he knew they were for him," Barney told a reporter from the Amarillo Daily News in a December 24, 1988 story. "He'd stand on his back legs and beg for one."
The Schmidts became members of the American Miniature Horses Association and began attending shows. According to the 1988 Amarillo Daily News story, "the Schmidt horses never took less than fifth place in a show and two of his stallions won reserve champion honors at the Amarillo Tri-State Fair and the Colorado State Fair."
In the same story, Patricia said, "We invited 4-H clubs, grade school children and other groups to see the horses. We just turn them all loose in the pasture. Little horses and little people go well together."
Barney died in an airplane accident in August of 1992 and Patricia began finding new homes for the little horses. She died in 2010.
In the same story, Patricia said, "We invited 4-H clubs, grade school children and other groups to see the horses. We just turn them all loose in the pasture. Little horses and little people go well together."
Barney died in an airplane accident in August of 1992 and Patricia began finding new homes for the little horses. She died in 2010.
The couple decided they wanted to breed and raise some miniatures. "We got a stallion from the breeder in Georgia." But, they didn't stop there. Barney sold his stunt airplane and they bought four more. Within two years, they had seven miniature horses living in their backyard.
Breeding the tiny horses was not successful in the Schmidt's backyard, so the couple bought 45 acres just south of Dumas in 1986 and built a house, barn and fenced pastures for their little horses. The acreage was on Highway 287 and motorists could see the horses from the highway.
At one time, the Schmidt herd grew to 26 horses and they began to sell some of the horses. Most of the horses were not for sale; the Schmidts considered them pets. Barney said that hardest thing about owning the horses is selling them.
Even though he weighed 150 pounds, one of the horses became something of house pet. He could open the sliding glass door to come in for a cookie. "We kept a jar full of peanut butter cookies on the counter and he knew they were for him," Barney told a reporter from the Amarillo Daily News in a December 24, 1988 story. "He'd stand on his back legs and beg for one."
The Schmidts became members of the American Miniature Horses Association and began attending shows. According to the 1988 Amarillo Daily News story, "the Schmidt horses never took less than fifth place in a show and two of his stallions won reserve champion honors at the Amarillo Tri-State Fair and the Colorado State Fair."
In the same story, Patricia said, "We invited 4-H clubs, grade school children and other groups to see the horses. We just turn them all loose in the pasture. Little horses and little people go well together."
Barney died in an airplane accident in August of 1992 and Patricia began finding new homes for the little horses. She died in 2010.