The difference between a pony and a horse

There is more than one way to differentiate between horses and ponies, but one of the most common
ways is by measuring the height of the animal from hoof to withers (See photo).

According to this method, a horse is more than 14.2 hands in height. A pony is 14.2 hands or less.

A hand is the width of a human hand or 4 inches. So a horse should be 56.9 inches or taller. It seems rather inconvenient to put your hand on the hoof and another hand above that one and another above that one, etc. There are now measuring sticks for determining a horse's height.






A pony, and there are many sub-species of them, is any horse which is 14.2 hands or less in height. A pony is NOT a baby horse. Ponies do not grow up to become horses. They are shorter in height by nature although they tend to be stronger than horses when you consider their size against the size of a horse.

The babies of both horses and ponies are called 'foals'. The males can be called 'colts'.

In a manner of speaking, the 'cousin' of horses and
ponies is the donkey.




















How do you suppose we came up with this Zorse?