Ponies

Ponies and horses may look similar, but they are two different animals. For example, ponies often have thicker manes, tails, and costs. They have shorter legs, thicker necks, and shorter heads. Ponies are often more tolerant of cold weather and have good endurance, making them great work horses. Ponies are also highly intelligent, which means they can also be stubborn.

The word pony is actually derived from the French one “poulenet” which means “foal” – a young, immature horse. However, the modern meaning is different. Unlike a horse foal, ponies remain small even they are fully grown.

Some pony breeds used for sport include the Chincoteague, Connemara, Fell, German Riding, Hackney, and Welsh.

If you are looking to keep ponies on your farm for show, some breeds to consider are the Chincoteague, Fell, German Riding, Miniature, and Shetland.

If you’re simply keeping a pony for a pet, consider the Fell, German Riding, Miniature, Shetland, and Welsh.

Ponies can be used for a variety of tasks on a small hobby farm. They can be used for riding or sport or just as awesome pets!

Picture:Breed:
chincoteague-poniesChincoteague:
Origin: U.S.
Coloring: Multiple
Production: Exhibition, pets
Breed Note: Generally weigh around 850 pounds
connemara-ponyConnemara:
Origin: Ireland
Coloring: Multiple
Production: Sport
Breed Note: Legs relatively short compared to their body
fell-ponyFell:
Origin: Cumbria
Coloring: Multiple
Production: Sport, pets
Breed Note: Very agile, used for cross country riding
german-riding-ponyGerman Riding:
Origin: Germany
Coloring: Multiple
Production: pet, sport
Breed Note: Great with children and adolescents
hackney-ponyHackney:
Origin: England
Coloring: Black, bay, chestnut
Production: Sport, Exhibition
Breed Note: Exaggerate trot by raising knees high
hunter-ponyHunter:
Origin: Various
Coloring: Multiple
Production: Exhibition
Breed Note: A type of jumping horse, not a specific breed
icelandic-ponyIcelandic:
Origin: iceland
Coloring: Multiple
Production: work
Breed Note: Has a double coat for extra insulation in the winter
miniature-ponyMiniature:
Origin: Europe
Coloring: Multiple
Production: Pets, exhibition
Breed Note: life span ranges from 25 to 35 years
polo-ponyPolo:
Origin: Various
Coloring: Multiple
Production: Polo Games
Breed Note: Horses used and trained specifically for Polo
shetland-ponyShetland:
Origin: Shetland
Coloring: Multiple
Production: Pets, exhibition
Breed Note: Can live past 30 years old
welsh-ponyWelsh:
Origin: Wales
Coloring: Multiple
Production: Sport, pets
Breed Note: Known for their stamina and high level of intelligence