Our american minihorses are registered at the AMHA , what this registry means will be explained in the following part:

There are two major registries of Miniature Horses, the largest being The American Miniature Horse Association, (AMHA) in Texas and the oldest being The American Miniature Horse Registry, (AMHR) in Illinois.
There are very distinct differences in these two registries, with the one similarity is that they are both height registries. The AMHA will only register horses that will mature at 34" or under at 5 years of age. The foal must be the result of two AMHA registered parents for it to be eligible to be registered.

The AMHR has two separate height divisions; Division A - for those horses that mature at or under 34" at three years of age. Division B - for those horses that mature over 34" and up to and including 38", also at three years of age. AMHA registered Miniatures are accepted into AMHR and can be registered with them for a fee. Horses registered with both AMHA and AMHR are double registered.

AMHA does not recognize AMHR registered Miniatures. Mature horses including AMHR registered Minis that measure 34" and under can be hardshipped into AMHA. This requires a hardship fee and inspection by an AMHA Director. The expenses involved with hardshipping are fairly expensive and must be paid for in advance of approval. There are no refunds if the horse is refused.
Foals that are the result of an AMHA parent and a AMHR parent cannot be registered with AMHA. The resulting foal can be registered with AMHR provided that the AMHA parent is also registered with AMHR. In both registries foals and immature horses are issued temporary registration certificates.

The AMHA requires DNA testing of young breeding stock. Foals from DNA tested parents will be Parentage Qualified by DNA, meaning that their parents were proven to really be their parents. Pictures are required of the horse in order for them to be registered. These pictures appear on the back of the registration certificate. Pictures are also required when a transfer of ownership is made and when the horse is taken permanent at 5 years of age. A new certificate is then issued and the photos are updated.
AMHR does not require photos or DNA testing in order for the horse to be registered or when transferring to a new owner. The looks of the registration certificate does not change when the horse goes permanent. The only difference on the certificate is that the letter T after the registration number changes to either A or B depending on which division your horse is in. When AMHA was formed some horses that were registered with AMHR came into the AMHA, along with horses from several other registries. Today you will find many of the pedigrees in AMHA tracing back to the AMHR. Other than the differences of each registry the horses are basically the same, one is no better than the other one.

It is a matter of individual preference which registry is best for you. maybe you like both of them. Some breeders prefer the AMHA because of the stricter policies regarding registering. Other breeders prefer the AMHR for the ease of registering.
When deciding what is best for you...write down your goals so that you have a starting point. Then ask yourself...What do you want to do with the horses? Breeding, driving, showing, racing, just for fun or everything? Do you like the little ones or the taller ones? If you have decided to become a breeder, what horses sell in your area? Do you plan on selling horses out of your Province or into the States? What horses sell in those places? Do you plan to show? What type of shows are in your area? Some shows are strictly AMHA or AMHR, others are open. It wouldn't be much fun if you bought an AMHA registered horse and the shows in your area are for AMHR registered horses. Your decision of which registry/s your horse/s should be registered with will become more clear once you answer these questions.