Friends! Trevor finally gave in and we got Frankie a pony. She loves him so much and look how beautiful he is! We got her a new saddle (her first one) and a helmet and she calls him “Borsie”. His official name will be picked in the future. I was asked about the difference between a pony and a horse. Let’s chat about it.

What’s the difference between a pony and a horse?

Size

The most obvious difference between a pony and a horse is their size. Horses are 5 feet and taller, while ponies are under 5 feet. Ponies and horses are measured at their withers by “hands”. One hand is equal to 4 inches.

Ponies are stockier than horses, with shorter legs, wider barrels (bodies), thicker necks, and shorter heads with broad foreheads.

Bone structure

Ponies carry a larger percentage of their weight than their horse counterparts, so their bones are heavier than a horse. This means that they are more prone to skeletal problems and the larger percentage of weight they carry may affect their bones.

Your pony is putting more stress and strain on his joints, back, muscles and hooves.

Temperament

You may think because ponies are small that means they are docile. Don’t let their small size fool you. Ponies are smart and cunning across all breeds, which is not true of all horse breeds. Because they are so smart, they are easy to train and are great for beginner riders like Frankie.

However, they can also be very stubborn and if given too much freedom their behavior can quickly get out of hand. They need structure.

Frankie loves her new pony and I’m excited for her to learn how to ride. I think she is just the cutest cowgirl around!

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Hugs,

Christina

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