Located in beautiful East Texas, we strive to breed elegant horses of various breeds that are bold and animated...in conformation, movement, and temperament.  I have a background with many breeds including Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Paint Horses, Palomino Horses, Paso Finos, among others...and therefore breed for an all-around athlete with gorgeous conformation.  My parents taught me early on that a horse is only as good as what you put into him.  Therefore, my horses get the best of everything possible and I believe that pays off in the show ring or producing top quality show prospects.  We have a beautiful facility here with our own breeding lab as well as a swimming facility for conditioning our show horses.

As for myself, I have literally grown up with horses from birth...from some of the top Thoroughbred and Quarter Racehorses in the Nation to World Champion Halter and Western Pleasure Horses.  I truly grew up with the best of both worlds.  I have shown many horses to numerous World and National Championships as well as National High-Point Titles...many while I was still competing in the Youth Division as well as the Open Division.  I was still a teenager when my mother became involved in the Miniature Horse Industry and acquired what would soon become the Winningest Miniature Halter Stallion in the history of AMHA, Bond Snippet.  That started a passion for the miniature horse, but we wanted to breed a taller, more fined horse, that resembled what we had bred and raised in the various big horse breeds we had.  Bond Snippet was the key to our success in that endeavor.  My mother, Kay Pate, taught me everything I know about showing and fitting a show horse.  Her eye for spying a "diamond in the rough" is well known in the industry and something I hope I have acquired over the years as well.  She has also been a classic example of doing it all yourself and not cutting any corners to get a horse to be his best.  My father was a World-Class racehorse trainer who had an innate ability to get inside a horse's mind and help him become the fastest thing on the track.  He was also the best "vet" I've ever known.  His gift for taking a broken horse that nobody wanted and turning him into something legendary was a common occurrence.  Both of my parents were phenomenal in their respective industries.  I am very grateful for them and all the horses that have come into my life since I was a small child.  They have each paved the way to what I do today with my own horses. 

In 2006, I was blessed with my own little filly, Aspen, who from birth has been completely horse crazy.  She was riding long before she could walk and she lives to be in the barn with her buddies.  At 3 years of age now, she is ready to start showing her own horses and so this new chapter begins for us.  So watch for us out on the road in 2010 with a trailer full of horses and one happy little girl.  I hope you enjoy our website and I appreciate your visit.  The barn doors are always open...

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Modern Miniature Shetlands


Modern Miniature Shetlands (formerly known as Modern Miniatures/Roy's Toy Ranch) is owned by Kay Pate and is located on Highway 80 East just outside of Longview, Texas. 

I have been involved in the horse business since graduating high school when I purchased my first registered Quarter Horse and began to show.  Along the way to the miniatures,  I was fortunate to be very successful with my "big" horses including a World Champion AQHA Halter Horse as well as many top Quarter Racehorses.

In 1984, my husband and I became interested in the miniature horses when we saw them at a state fair where we were showing Quarter Horses.  After purchasing a filly and a colt, we called Mr. Moody Bond of Lavonia, GA and that was the beginning of a lovely friendship with the entire Bond family.  Bond Snippet was my first miniature stallion and we acquired him in early 1985.  I owe my success in the Miniature Horse Industry to Bond Snippet and the Bond bloodlines.

Bond Snippet was soon to be named the Winningest Miniature Halter Horse Stallion in the history of AMHA in less than 2 years of showing.  He helped to redefine the type of horse being shown at that time and opened the door for some of the taller, leggy horses to be welcomed into the show arena.  I had Snippet for the rest of his life and in that time, I never stood him at stud and only chose the best quality mares I could afford to buy for him.  He sired many World Champions and he was with me until the age of 24.  When Snippet passed, a chapter ended for me but a new one was beginning at the same time.

My daughter presented me with a beautiful American Shetland colt whose full sister would go on to become the only 3x National Grand Champion Halter Mare in history.  Thus starts a new chapter for me and even though I still have a few miniatures...I am mostly concentrating on the American Shetlands now.  I welcome visitors by appointment and would love to talk horses with you at any time.

-Kay Pate