So Embarrassed To Ask

[viks]

Wel as u can see im knew to the horsey world and i have a question to ask but feel silly.
:o :o :o

So here goes what makes a horse a horse and a pony a pony is it all down to the size or am i barking up the wrong tree???????
Is it anything to do with the bread, i hear people say about their horse/pony just wondered for a newbie like me how u tell the difference.

Hope this does'nt make me look too dim ha ha

viks:o :o

[FreedomStar]

Hi, first of all welcome to the horse world and to NR.

The difference between a horse and a pony all comes down to size. A pony is anything 14.2 hands and shorter, a horse is anything larger than that. 14.2 hands translates into 58 inches. The horse or pony is measured from hoof to withers, which is at the very front of the back where that 'bump' is.

ETA: Don't be embarassed to ask! This is the first question I asked, too when I started with horses :)

[teach1]

a pony stands at 14.2hh and under and a horse is from 14.3hh upwards, so it is a size thing.

next question . . . . . .

[horseygirl123]

Yep its all down to the height ;)

I cant help but get a tad bit annoyed when people at the yard keep calling my 15.1hh a pony, maybe I should direct them to this thread so they can read up on what a pony is and what a horse is :rolleyes:

[RustyMary]

There are no stupid questions on NR...:) How do any of us find out if we don't ask?

[viks]

Thanks for that all that has cleared 1 thing up for me I'm sure i will have many more questions along the way

viks:D
xx

[emlybob]

Ah here is an interesting one. Yes everyone is right that a pony is under 14.2hh BUT equines smallest breed the falabella is actually classed as a horse not a pony!!!! And why i just don't know

[bexj]

and polo ponies average about 15.2hh:D

[teach1]

yes there are such things as miniture horses! and aren't icelandics called horses also, but they mostly stand under 14.2.

thats just to confuse us!

[NoviceNic]

Not a silly question at all. And me for one am glad you asked. When I was selling my first horse the potential owner told me "That horses are a different breed to ponies"........:confused:

[numrx]

What about Arabians to confuse us also? Arabians are always considered horses right?

[FreedomStar]

NN, I believe that person said 'horses are a diff. breed to ponies' because of the way horses and ponies act, ride, etc.

Arabians are ponies or horses, depending on height. Ebony is a black Egyptian Arab, but she is a pony (and a very pudgy one at that.. :/). However, her owner's other two Arabs, Desi and Tempo, are both large enough to be considered horses. I believe on is about 15 hands and the other 15.2.

[numrx]

:o oops, that's weird. I'm not trying to say someone is right or wrong. Can someone clarify what I said on post #11? I thought that I read somehwhere that Arabians are always considered horses. I've also read what is below on several different sources.

I pulled up some info on wikipedia and came up with this:

"Some horse breeds are not considered ponies, even when they have some animals that measure under 14.2 hands. This is usually due to body build, traditional uses and overall physiology. Breeds that are considered horses regardless of height include the Arabian horse, American Quarter Horse and the Morgan horse, all of which have individual members both over and under 14.2 hands."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pony (under section: breeds that are not ponies)

[Ptaty70]

No question is too stupid and you've been given the widespread understanding of what constitutes a pony above

Just so you don't get confused on here - as a term of endearment, many refer to their horse as a pony!! (even if they are 16.2hh!!!!! ;) Obviously "incorrect", but it's just like calling a partner 'baby' (not that I ever would!! :eek: ) I suppose.

[Mistertron]

I agree with others Viks - there are no silly questions on here!! how on earth do you ever learn if you don't ask! :D i'd also wondered about the horse\pony question so thanks for that :) .

[magicalmac]

Hello and welcome to NR. Dont ever feel silly asking a question how else will you learn. Im sure whatever the question there will always be someone on here willing to give you an answer.

[Wally]

'Tis true, Icelandics are horses, there is no word for pony in Icelandic.

Vikings NEVER rode ponies you know! ;)

IN Shetland too in the dialect they are horses, you either have big horses (anything not a Shetland and bigger -11hh upwards) or you have Shetland horses. The old folk never seem to use the word pony.

Caspians are tiny and birdlike, but are a small horse, not a pony.

[Floob]

But overgrown Highlands, connemara's and halflingers are still ponies, even if they are over 14.2hh

[CER1389]

'Tis true, Icelandics are horses, there is no word for pony in Icelandic.

Vikings NEVER rode ponies you know! ;)


*sigh* Wally stole my one bit of knowledge :eek: :rolleyes:

to the OP - generally a pony is anything under 14.2hh. 14.2hh+ is a horse. However there are cases of many people calling anything with 4 legs a pony (18hh on an old yard was "our big pony" :D ).

As Wally said there is no word for pony in Icelandic, so a breed such as the Icelandics which are only 14hh and under are still termed Horses.

So not a silly question at all - a very confusing one! Although there is the basic "rule", like with anything there are always exceptions and peoples thoughts or opinions ;)

[smaggi]

I pulled up some info on wikipedia and came up with this:

"Some horse breeds are not considered ponies, even when they have some animals that measure under 14.2 hands. This is usually due to body build, traditional uses and overall physiology. Breeds that are considered horses regardless of height include the Arabian horse, American Quarter Horse and the Morgan horse, all of which have individual members both over and under 14.2 hands."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pony (under section: breeds that are not ponies)

You can double register a quarter horse that is 14.2H and under as a Quarter Pony.

http://www.equinepost.com/resources/breeds/showBreed.asp?ID=119

http://www.aqpa.com/

[chunky monkey]

Welcome to NR Viks.

Actually you have asked a very sensible question, because I didn't know the answer myself.

So we've both learnt something new.

And look at all the replies, you've started something you see.

[jinglejoys]

I'd always been told it was size until miniture horses,falabella,and caspians came on the scene.
Isn't it also something to do with bone or the length of cannon bone or something?I seem to remember this had a baring somewhere?

[Lot1983]

caspians ?

Caspians are an old old breed, it was once thought they were extinct. Plus my sister got bitten by one once, they are called horses as they are proportioned like a horse. Maybe something to do with Canon bones as jinglejoys says.

We used to call my friends 15hh Welsh D a pony but only as she was the smallest and youngest on our yard!!