Pony or horse?
How do you tell which one it is ? The dividing line is usually a height of 14:2 hands (14 hands 2 inches) at the withers. (One hand is 10 centimeters, or 4 inches.) If an animal is 14:2 hands or under, he is officially a pony. If he's even a centimeter taller he's officially a horse despite being pony-sized, because he is descended from larger horses. And ponies like the Irish Connemara are always called ponies even though changes in their care and environment over the years have caused them to grow larger, sometimes up to 15 hands.
Breeders distinguish
ponies from horses by their looks as well. Ponies have some traits--such
as shorter, rounder body, a shorter head, tiny ears and cuter looks--
which are called "pony character". Ponies are usually longer- lived than
horses, often suriving into their 40's (20 to 30 years is the usual lifespan
of a horse). Many people also consider ponies smarter than horses. That's
why riding a pony can be quite an education!
The following are some of my personal favourites.
**(Click on a breed to view picture and short description)
Pony Breeds
Horse Breeds
PONY BREEDS
THE CONNEMARA PONY
The Connemara Pony is found in their native Ireland. This breed arose in County Connaught and is a popular riding horse, standing 13.2 hands high. [back to top]
SHETLAND PONY
Diminutive but hardy and robust, Shetland ponies still live wild on the Shetland Islands, one hundred miles off the north coast of Scotland. Developed as work animals for the local crofters, they were subsequently used as pit ponies in English coal mines.[back to top]
DARTMOOR PONY
Dartmoor ponies come
from their namesake region in south Devon. They stand 12.1 hands high
and are stockily built with a relatively small head and strong shoulders.
Dartmoor ponies may be bay, brown, or black in colour with only limited
amounts of white. They make good riding ponies.
[back to top]
EXMOOR PONY
Exmoor ponies are
a very old breed, also mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1085, and come
from the Exmoor region of north Devon and Somerset. They stand 12 hands
high and are mostly bay or brown in colour with a pale, mealy muzzle and
mealy colouration around the eyes. Accustomed to the rigours of Exmoor
weather, they are hardy and make excellent riding ponies.
[back to top]
FALABELLA
There are Falabella
Quarter Horses, Arabians, Drafts, Standardbreds, Mustangs, etc. Colors
run the full gamut - bays, chestnut, pintos, grays, duns, palominos, appaloosas.
Because so many breeds of horses were used to produce the Falabella there
is no one perfect example. Most breeders are now looking to produce offspring
that stand 29" or under. Currently Angelica Falabella owns the smallest
horse in the world and he is on display at the Land of Little Horses.
[back to top]
HORSE BREEDS
ANDALUSIAN
Andalusians are thought to have been among the horses brought to the New World by the Spanish Conquistadors, and may be one of the ancestors of the modern-day mustang. Zorro's magnificent black mount in the film The Mask of Zorro is an Andalusian.[back to top]
DUTCH WARMBLOOD
The Dutch Warmblood is a "warmblood sport horse" breed. Warmblood simply distinguishes this type of horse from the "cold bloods" (draft horses) and the "hot bloods" ( Thoroughbreds and Arabs). Sport horse refers to the intended use of the breed - as a competitive and recreational horse for the major international equestrian disciplines of dressage, jumping, 3-day event, and driving.[back to top]
ARABIAN
Of all the horses in the world , there is no other breed so beautiful, so pure or so ancient as the Arabian. He truly seems to be a fantasy from a tale of the Arabian Nights, that could fit into a teacup, the large and expressive eyes, elegant tapering ears, and nostrils that flare wide to "drink the wind."[back to top]
The exact origins of the Arabian horse are lost in the shifting sands of time, but we know that he has inhabited the desert for over 4000 years.
In addition to his
beautiful face, the Arabian gracefully arched neck, his short back and
the way he carries his tail high , like a flag. He is usually between
14 and 15.2 hands, and he comes in gray, bay, chestnut, roan and , rarely,
solid black(which is much prized).
[back to top]
PALOMINO
Made famous by movies of cowboys and Indians, the Palomino is a well-known horse. Although not a recognised breed in its own right, the Palomino has distinctive characteristics, among them the golden coat colour and white mane and tail.[back to top]
THOROUGHBRED
Ranging in height from about 15 to 17 hands, Thoroughbreds come in most solid colours, and often have white face and leg markings. They have fine, chiselled faces, large nostrils to help them take in oxygen when they're running at top speed, deep barrels for larger lung and heart capacity, and relatively slender legs (which can make them prone to injury). Their overall look is lean and mean-- exactly what a speedster needs.[back to top]
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