Pony

For other uses, seePony (disambiguation).

Not to be confused withFoal.

AHighland Pony,demonstrating the pony characteristics of sturdy bone, a thick mane and tail, a small head, and small overall size

AShetland ponyshown inharness

Aponyis a type of smallhorse(Equusferus caballus). Depending on the context, a pony may be a horse that is under a given height at thewithers,or a small horse with a specificconformationand temperament. Compared to a larger horse, a pony may have a thicker coat,maneand tail, with proportionally shorter legs, a wider barrel, heavier bone, a thicker neck and a shorter, broader head. The wordponyderives from the old Frenchpoulenet,meaningfoal,a young, immature horse.

In modern use, some organizations may define a pony as a mature horse below a certain height at the withers; this may vary from about 142 cm (14.0h) to nearly 150 cm (14.3 h).(Note: 14.3 hands means 14 hands and 3 inches, i.e. decimally 14.75 hands.) Some people classify an animal as either horse or pony from itspedigreeandphenotype,no matter what its height.A full-sized horse may sometimes even be called a pony as aterm of endearment.

Definition

A ponyfoal

For many forms of competition, the official definition of a pony is ahorsethat measures less than 14.2hands(58 inches, 147 cm) at thewithers.Standard horses are 14.2 or taller. TheInternational Federation for Equestrian Sportsdefines the official cutoff point at 148 centimetres (58.3 in; 14.2 hands) without shoes and149 centimetres (58.66 in; 14.2+1⁄2hands) with shoes, though allows a margin for competition measurement of up to 150 centimetres (59.1 in; 14.3 hands) without shoes, or151 centimetres (59.45 in; 14.3+1⁄2hands) with shoes.However, the termponycan be used in general (or affectionately) for any small horse, regardless of its actual size or breed. Furthermore, some horse breeds may have individuals who mature under that height but are still calledhorsesand are allowed to compete as horses. In Australia, horses that measure from 14 to 15 hands (142 to 152 cm; 56 to 60 inches) are known as a "galloway",and ponies in Australia measure under 14 hands (56 inches, 142 cm).

History

A pony near a mountain

Ponies originally developed as alandraceadapted to a harsh natural environment, and were considered part of the "draft" subtype typical of Northern Europe. At one time, it was hypothesized that they may have descended from a wild "draft" subspecies ofEquus ferus.Studies ofmitochondrial DNA(which is passed on though the female line) indicate that a large number of wild mares have contributed to modern domestic breeds;in contrast, studies of y-DNA (passed down the male line) suggest that there was possibly just one single male ancestor of all domesticated breeds.Domestication of the horseprobably first occurred in the Eurasian steppes with horses of between 13hands(52 inches, 132 cm) to over 14 hands (56 inches, 142 cm),and as horse domestication spread, the male descendants of the originalstallionwent on to be bred with local wild mares.

Domesticated ponies of all breeds originally developed mainly from the need for aworking animalthat could fulfill specific local draft and transportation needs while surviving in harsh environments. The usefulness of the pony was noted by farmers who observed that a pony could outperform a draft horse on small farms.

By the 20th century, many pony breeds hadArabianand other blood added to make a more refined pony suitable for riding.

Uses

AnAustralian Ponyshown under saddle

In many parts of the world, ponies are used asworking animals,aspack animalsand for pulling varioushorse-drawn vehicles.They are seen in many differentequestrianpursuits. Some breeds, such as theHackney pony,are primarily used fordriving,while other breeds, such as theConnemara ponyandAustralian Pony,are used primarily forriding.Others, such as theWelsh pony,are used for both riding and driving. There is no direct correlation between a horse's size and its inherent athletic ability.

Characteristics

Main article:List of horse breeds

TheShetland ponyis one of the smallest pony breeds, but is very strong.

Ponies are often distinguished by theirphenotype,a stocky body, dense bone, round shape and well-sprung ribs. They have a short head, large eyes and small ears. In addition to being smaller than a horse, their legs are proportionately shorter. They have stronghoovesand grow a heavierhair coat,seen in a thicker mane and tail as well as a particularly heavy winter coat.

Ponybreedshave developed all over the world, particularly in cold and harsh climates where hardy, sturdyworking animalswere needed. They are remarkably strong for their size. Breeds such as theConnemara ponyare recognized for their ability to carry a full-sized adult rider. Pound for pound ponies can pull and carry more weight than a horse.Draft-type ponies are able to pull loads significantly greater than their own weight, with larger ponies capable of pulling loads comparable to those pulled by full-sizeddraft horses,and even very small ponies are able to pull as much as 450 percent of their own weight.

Nearly all pony breeds are very hardy,easy keepersthat share the ability to thrive on a more limited diet than that of a regular-sized horse, requiring half thehayfor their weight as a horse, and often not needing grain at all. However, for the same reason, they are also more vulnerable tolaminitisandCushing's syndrome.They may also have problems withhyperlipemia.

Ponies are generally considered intelligent and friendly, though sometimes they also are described as stubborn or cunning.The differences of opinion often result from an individual pony's degree of proper training. Poniestrainedby inexperienced individuals, or only ridden by beginners, can turn out to be spoiled because their riders typically lack the experience base to correct bad habits. Properly trained ponies are appropriate mounts for children who are learning to ride. Larger ponies can be ridden by adults, as ponies are usually strong for their size.

TheConnemara ponyis a larger pony which occasionally matures over 14.2hands(58 inches, 147 cm)

For showing purposes, ponies are often grouped into small, medium, and large sizes. Small ponies are 12.2hands(50 inches, 127 cm) and under, medium ponies are over 12.2 but no taller than 13.2 hands (54 inches, 137 cm), and large ponies are over 13.2 hands (54 inches, 137 cm) but no taller than 14.2 hands (58 inches, 147 cm).

The smallest equines are calledminiature horsesby many of their breeders and breed organizations, rather than ponies, even though they stand smaller than small ponies,usually no taller than 38 inches (97 cm; 9.2hands) at the withers. However, there are alsominiature ponybreeds.

Similar or similarly named horses

The full-sized horses used forpoloare called "polo ponies"

Somehorse breedsare not defined as ponies, even when they have some animals that measure under 14.2hands(58 inches, 147 cm). This is usually due to body build, traditional uses and overall physiology. Breeds that are considered horses regardless of height include theArabian horse,American Quarter Horseand theMorgan horse,all of which have individual members both over and under 14.2 hands (58 inches, 147 cm).

Many horse breeds have some pony characteristics, such as small size, a heavy coat, a thick mane or heavy bone, but are considered to be horses.In cases such as these, there can be considerable debate over whether to call certain breeds "horses" or "ponies." However, individualbreed registriesusually are the arbiters of such debates, weighing the relative horse and pony characteristics of a breed. In some breeds, such as theWelsh pony,the horse-versus-pony controversy is resolved by creating separate divisions for consistently horse-sized animals, such as the"Section D" Welsh Cob.

Some horses may be pony height due to environment more thangenetics.For example, theChincoteague pony,aferal horsethat lives onAssateague Islandoff the coasts ofMarylandandVirginia,often matures to the height of an average small horse when raised from afoalunderdomesticatedconditions.

There is debate over whether the feral Chincoteague ponies of Assateague Island are horses or ponies

Conversely, the term "pony" is occasionally used to describe horses of normal height. Horses used forpoloare often called "polo ponies"regardless of height, even though they are often ofThoroughbredbreeding and often well over 14.2 hands (58 inches, 147 cm).American Indigenoustribes also have the tradition of referring to their horses as "ponies", when speaking in English, even though many of theMustang horsesthey used in the 19th century were close to or over 14.2 hands (58 inches, 147 cm), and most horses owned and bred by Native peoples today are of full horse height. Non-racing horses at racetracks that are used to lead the racehorses,ponyingthem, are called "pony horses".

The term "pony" is also sometimes used to describe a full-sized horse in a humorous or affectionate sense.

TheUnited States Pony Clubdefines "pony" to be any mount that is ridden by a member regardless of its breed or size. Persons up to 25 years old are eligible for membership, and some of the members' "ponies" actually are full-size horses.

See also

• Pony Express,mail delivery by horse-mounted couriers
• List of horse breeds,includes pony breeds
• Pony Club
• Equine nutrition
• Easy keeper
• Horse care
• Polish sport horse
• Norman Thelwell,the late British artist known for his cartoons of ponies and their riders

Further reading

• Budiansky, Stephen.The Nature of Horses.Free Press, 1997.ISBN0-684-82768-9
• Siegal, Mordecai (ed.).Book of Horses: A Complete Medical Reference Guide for Horses and Foals(by members of the faculty and staff, University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine). HarperCollins. 1996.