Cathy Willis of Slippery Rock started raising miniature horses about a dozen years ago and now cares for 17 of the curious creatures at her barn in Slippery Rock Township.

Butler County is filled with a variety of people doing interesting things.

This weekly feature offers snapshots of some of them and their interests by asking them five questions. The latest installment appears below.

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Raising miniature horses is a labor of love for Cathy Willis of Slippery Rock.

She works as a neonatal nurse practitioner at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, but still finds time to care for 17 miniature horses at her farm in Slippery Rock Township.

The animals range from 31 to 39 inches tall at the withers, or highest part of the back. A standard horse measures about 16 to 18 hands tall, with one hand equal to about 4 inches.

Here are some other facts about Willis' unusual pets.

QUESTION: How does a miniature horse compare to a regular sized horse?ANSWER: A miniature horse has the same conformation as a large horse, just obviously a much smaller stature. Even if you have a very large draft horse, it will have the very same conformation with head size, neck, legs, everything, but in a much smaller proportion. They require the same type of care and grooming, but miniature horses do not wear shoes like the big horses do.

QUESTION: What can you do with a miniature horse?ANSWER: If you're riding, there's a weight limit of about 60 pounds. When harnessing them, they can pull an adult in a cart. Back when miniature horses first were bred, they were using them in mines to pull wagons of coal. They were used as work horses, too.

QUESTION: What is their disposition like?ANSWER: They're very calm, they're very friendly. ... I have a couple of little saddles so that small children can actually ride them. They're very curious, so if anybody comes down near them, they usually come to see what's going on and visit whoever's coming.

QUESTION: Why buy miniature horses?ANSWER: Mainly for pets. I also sold one for a barn companion. (The customer) had a large horse and just wanted another companion in the barn, so she got a miniature horse to keep her horse company.

QUESTION: How and why did you begin breeding?ANSWER: I have always loved horses, but it started (12 years ago) with a friend of mine who had some miniature horses. I went over and fell in love with a little colt that was just born — and that was my first one. I got a few more and started breeding some of my own ... People just want to be able to bring their children and grandchildren here to see them. That's probably one of the reasons why we do it, for family and friends and neighbors.