Pony Facts

People adore anything that think is a smaller or miniaturized version of animals. Since we love horses, it became a natural response to feel a close bond and attraction to ponies.

Interesting Pony Facts:

Ponies are smaller breeds of horses and share all of the traits and personalities of regular sized horses.

  • There are over two hundred breeds of ponies, but the Shetland Pony is the most well-known.
  • Ponies do have thicker tails and manes than regular sized horses.
  • The pony is structurally different from horses in that they have thicker necks, shorter legs and shorter heads.



When children are first learning to ride, many people will allow them to practice on well trained ponies. The size of the pony is closer to their own size and allows them to keep a better sense of balance and control.

  • Ponies are used in a variety of the same ways as standard sized horses: riding as well as working.
  • When compared to standard sized horses, ponies are actually stronger, pound for pound. A typical adult pony can haul around twenty percent of its body weight.



Ponies are not miniature horses. There are separate breeds that are miniature horses and they have other differences.

  • The baby ponies are called ‘foals’.
  • Shetland ponies are one of the strongest of the smaller ponies.
  • The first breed of ponies that was used for work was the Hackney ponies. They pulled carriages.



Many people choose to have ponies rather than standard sized horses as they present an easier way to accomplish lower end work while requiring half of the food of a standard sized horse.

  • During the Industrial Revolution, ponies were called ‘pit ponies’ as they were used to haul coal.
  • The average pony will drink between twenty and thirty gallons of water every day.
  • The adage ‘you can take a horse to water but not make him drink’ is true. Ponies, like horses, will not drink if they don’t have a sense of thirst.

Ponies, like horses, have two blind spots where they cannot see. One blind spot is behind them and if they sense someone or something behind them, they will give a powerful kick.