Is a pony the same as a horse? Are they different species? Or are they the same species, with size, age or breed determining whether it's a horse or pony? Just what IS the difference between a horse and pony? Well, it's height that determines it.
What's the difference between a horse and pony?
Horses and ponies are the same species - Equus caballus - but ponies are smaller. A pony is defined as 148cm and under at the shoulders (14.2 hands high in old money - and a hand is four inches), while a horse is 149cm (14.3hh) and above.
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And height matters in the pony world. Top international competition ponies are hugely valuable and can fetch thousands of pounds - sometimes six figures. Yet if they measure just slightly over that figure, they become horses, and their value is wiped as they can't be expected to compete equally against bigger and leggier horses.
Horses and ponies are measured at the withers (shoulders). To compete as a pony, ponies must carry a height certificate and have been measured by an official. Full certificates are usually given to ponies seven years old and over - which means, you could have a hugely valuable pony at five years old and a far less valuable horse at seven - if it was a slow grower.
And just to confuse you further ...
Sometimes the terms horse and pony are used with certain types, regardless of height. A polo pony is always called a pony even though it is usually over 148cm, while Arabs are always called horses even though they can be under 148cm. However, if either of these wanted to compete in pony classes, they would have to comply with the height rule.
Saddle up for a journey into the equestrian world
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