What is a pony?

September 18, 6:28 PMClicker Training ExaminerEve Alexander

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People often wonder what the difference is between a horse and a pony. The answer that is usually given is "a pony is a horse measuring under 14.2 hands". This is an overly simple response and is not correct because there are many light, short-statured breeds of horses, like the Arabian and the Rocky Mountain Horse in which individual horses frequently measure less than 14.2 hands, yet they are still horses. And to add to the confusion, when we discussed Miniature Horses with Betsy Montano, she said that Miniature Horses are actually smaller than ponies!

In order to truly understand the difference between horses and ponies we need to look back 5,000 to 6,000 years to a time before man domesticated the horse. According to the Four Foundations Theory, four main types of horses developed based primarily on the geographic conditions in which they lived.

The Four Foundation types are:

Type 1 is represented by the Exmoor Pony.

The Norwegian Fjord is a Type 2.

Type 3 is seen in the exotic Akhal-Teke.
 
The Arabian descends from Type 4.

Type 1 (Northwest Europe) A small, tough and hardy pony with a thick coat that probably evolved from the Tarpan of Poland. Type 1 withstood harsh wet and cold climates, and rugged terrain. Today's Exmoor Pony still retains many characteristics of the orignal Type 1 pony.

Type 2 (Northern Eurasia) A taller, heavier built, stocky and thick coated pony that was resistant to cold and damp climates. This type exhibits 'primitive' features similar to the Asiatic Wild Horse (Pzewalski's Horse) such as a dorsal stripe. A modern representative of this type is the Norwegian Fjord.

Type 3 (Central Asia) A taller but very light and fine boned horse with broad, shallow feet that lived in sandy desert conditions, withstanding heat and drought. The Akhal-Teke is the most prominant descendant of Type 3.

Type 4 (Western Asia) A small, finely built horse that was tolerant of the hot, dry climate in which it lived. Today's Caspian Miniature Horse is probably closest to the original type. From this type developed the Arabian horse, the most influential breed of horse in the world having been introduced into the breeding programs of nearly all modern horses.

According to this theory, most European horses and ponies descended from Type 1. The Type 1 'cold blooded' horse was selectively bred by humans to become very large and heavy like the Shire and Belgian but at the same time other members of the Type 1 group were being forged by nature into small, hardy ponies like the Shetland and the Fell. If you compare the large draft horses to ponies you see many similarities - short legs, strong, heavy, muscular bodies, thick coats and manes, and large heads.

Ponies developed primarily on islands and in mountains where the climate was severe and the resources were limited. The drafts being specifically bred by man for size, were kept in pastures and barns and did not have to forage for food. Draft horses were used to pull wagons and heavy loads, as mounts in warfare, and later for agriculture, while strong, sure-footed ponies were used as pack animals, carriage and cart horses, worked in coal mines, and they were also ridden. Many pony breeds can easily carry a full-grown man while some light horse breeds can only carry children or small adult riders. MIniature Horses are not strong enough to be ridden at all.

Human breeding programs introduced primarily Type 4 Arabian bloodlines into the Type 1 European horses - creating the lighter riding and carriage breeds, for example, Thoroughbreds and warmbloods. While some drafts such as the Percheron and ponies like the Connemara were significantly crossed with Arabian, many of the 'cold blooded' European draft and pony breeds received little or no 'hot blooded' Arabian influence. Therefore, when evaluating an equine, ask yourself if it looks more like a Type 1 or a Type 4. Type 1 characteristics are found in drafts and ponies while Type 4 characteristics point to horse origins.

Little Man enjoys clicker training.

One big difference between the draft horse and the pony is the temperament. The solid draft horse is considered a 'gentle giant' - extremely tolerant and patient, willing and easy-going, while the clever pony is often characterized as being headstrong, independent, mischevious, and even cunning! That's why clicker training is so effective with ponies. They appreciate being treated with respect and being encouraged to use their intelligence.

It's still hard to know for sure if an equine is a horse or a pony and there is a large gray area. For instance, many people consider Haflingers and Icelandics to be ponies based on height, conformation and other outstanding characteristics, but their breed associations claim them as horses.

And some horses are referred to as ponies: polo ponies; Native American mounts are called 'Indian ponies'; and then there are cowboys who use 'pony' as a term of affection for their horses.

If ever in doubt, you can refer to this extensive list of all the ponies of the world:

Photo credits: Mark Robinson (Exmoor), Eve Alexander (Fjord & Arabian), Golden Sand Tekes (Akhal Teke) 

The copyright of this article is owned by Eve Alexander. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by Eve Alexander in writing.