Horse or Pony?

Ponies and Horses are both members of the same species Equus caballus typically known as Equines, although they are actually different.

The biggest misconception is that a pony is just a young horse because they are smaller. This is not the case, a pony will remain small even once full maturity is reached. A pony is an Equine that is smaller than 14.2 hands high (or about four feet ten inches). Although this is not always a determining factor as some horses are smaller than 14.2hh and some ponies can occasionally be larger.

Other differences between the equines include ponies are generally stockier in build with proportionally shorter legs, heavier bone, rounder barrel with shorter and thicker necks. Ponies also tend to have much thicker coats, manes and tails than horses. Ponies are generally calmer in nature than their horse counterparts and often more intelligent.

Originally published in the myPET Magazine Spring/Summer 2019-2020.
Read all past issues of the myPET Magazine online here.