Are they ponies or horses ????

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missyme10

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Just a quick question:

I know the general difference between a pony and horse, ie the highland pony is a pony regarless of size, a TB or an Arab is a horse.

Am I right in thinking that if breeding is unknown, the general rule is 14.2hh and under is pony and above is horse?

So where do cobs fit in?
Say gypsey cobs, traditional cobs, the welsh cob.

Are they horses or ponies, or does it depend on size, or are they neither and are just cobs???
Do equines have to fall into the pony or horse catagory?

I've never really thought about it before, I just see my lad as a cob (the coloured in my signature), but is he a horse or pony? (14.2 1/2hh)
And my Welsh D is to make 14.2hh - horse or pony?
 
I was always told that ponies are horses that are 14.2hh or under. ie it's not technically incorrect to call a Shetland a horse but a 16hh cannot be called a pony.

But that in general termspeople call 14.2hh and under are called ponies and over 14.2hh are called horses.

But then that would mean that a 14.1hh TB would be a pony. Not sure on the distinction between breeds etc . . and I call my 15hh Connemara a pony (cos he acts like it) when I suppose technically he is a horse??

Why is something this simple so confusing? I think it's time for bed!!
 
Simplez..... over 14.2hh, a horse, under 14.2hh, a pony..... regardless of breeding or type...... that's what it used to be in the 'olden dayz'......:rolleyes:
 
DanaHart said:
Simplez..... over 14.2hh, a horse, under 14.2hh, a pony..... regardless of breeding or type...... that's what it used to be in the 'olden dayz'......:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

:) Technically correct, but (or so I have always understood) an arabian is a horse regardless of height because of type, as are some others I can think of, whereas the nine breeds of British natives are classified as pony regardless of height.

I freely admit that I don't have the foggiest about Vanners, Gypsy cobs etc, in those "olden dayz" Dana mentioned (I was there:)) and, at least, where I grew up, a Gypsy, Vanner or whatever other label there is attached to their flowing locks nowadays was a coloured cob (meaning cob type) or a coloured pony, nothing more, nothing less, period.

http://www.helium.com/items/191717-differences-horses-and-ponies
"The Arabian is a horse breed and is always considered a horse regardless of size. Yet as a desert breed, many rarely mature past the 14 hand range (56"-59") and they are often chosen as children's mounts due to their diminutive size and "babysitter" temperaments."

So then, what about miniature horses?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniature_horse

The Caspian horse?
http://caspianhorse.com/breed.htm

Icelandics? Fjords too according to this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pony

Can of worms ;)
 
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I know it is the general rule that anything over 14.2hh is a horse but if i look at pony/horse i find i automatically call anything over 15hh a horse and anything under a pony, otherwise i call all my ponies/horses donkeys!!!!!:D:D:D
 
Well if your coloured is with CHAPS he would be a horse as he is over 148 - 14.2 and a traditional. However, if he were a plaited coloured with CHAPS, then he would be a pony as they go up to 153 - 15 hands. With the BSPA, then he would be a pony as they state anything up to 153 is a pony.

Different societies have different rules. However, in the good old days, a pony was under 14.2 and a horse was over 14.2, but often rules with organisations have ponies up to 15 hands:confused:
 
haha, well there seems to be no definitive answer, and as some have pointed out there are horse breeds standing below 14.2hh and of course breeds like the highland pony are often seen above the 14.2hh.
I also didn't realise that different societies had different rules.

So I guess my two are whatever I want them to be and as I'm someone who has always preferred ponies being small as I am - I've got 2 ponies lol x
 
How about this then...
In the Netherlands we have 'A' ponies - up to 117cm, 'B' ponies - 117 - 127cm, 'C' ponies - 127 - 137 cm, 'D' ponies - 137 - 148 cm and 'E' ponies 148 -157cm. E ponies are then small horses in the UK.
 
Below 14.2 can be called ponies, but their breed is HORSE. Above 14.2 cannot be called ponies, but are still HORSES.

If they're youngsters, pony or horse depends on the height they will get to. I.e. a big irish draft foal is always a horse even though it'll be tiny when born.

Pony is a general "cute" name for some horses, like polo ponies - some are obv horse in height size but its the image they have that makes people call them ponies!
 
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