The Difference Between Horses and Ponies
So what’s the difference between a horse and a pony? Aside from the height difference and girls’ obvious preference for the latter, ponies is generally stockier than your average horse. While the horse is used for racing, ponies are generally used as riding and driving. Horses are generally faster than ponies which are why people prefer to measure the strength of an engine in “horse powers,” and not in “pony powers.”
Let’s talk about the height of a pony first. Your average pony is usually 14.2 hands tall. If a horse is over 14.2 hands he is considered a horse and no longer a pony. There are certain exceptions for this rule though as ponies in Australia measure under 14 hands. According to the International Federation for Equestrian sports, a horse is deemed a pony if it is 148 centimeters and below without shoes. Some horses and ponies produce offspring that are both over and under this cutoff as ponies are still horses regardless of size. There are also some ponies that exceed the height limit of ponies but are still considered as such due to certain qualities and characteristics which they posses that are more pony-like then horse-like.
Ponies also differ from horse in appearance. The manes, tails and coat of ponies are thicker. Their legs are also shorter in proportion to their bodies. They have wider barrels and have thicker and shorter necks. Their heads are also shorter and their foreheads are broad. They are generally calmer than horses and have a high level of intelligence for horses. The shortest known pony in the world is Thumbelina who stands at 17 and ½ inches.
Ponies are generally used for riding and driving, depending on the breed. A breed like the Welsh Pony is used for both. They are also entered in many competitions showing off both their skills and their beauty. Some ponies, such as the Shetland Pony, are even used as seeing eye companions by the blind. They are quite similar to the Seeing Eye dog. Ponies are also used in carnivals where they give pony rides to children and in petting zoos.
Fascination for ponies is common among children especially among little girls. A lot of toys are manufactured in the likeness of ponies and shows with ponies as the lead characters have also been created. Ponies are going to be with us for as long as our love and fascination for ponies endure.
About the Author
I love going to the horse races. The professional punters at Oz Racing Form provide me with my Australian racing tips before I hit the track.
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