From what I know a pony is smaller than a horse but all the features are the same. Am I correct from what I assume is right? And what do you think is a better breed, from a horse or a pony?

Hi crazyhorse - I don't think there should be statements like "horses are better than ponies" or the other way round.
We have both - two horses (Trotter and Paint Horse) and a pony (Icelandic horse). It's always said that ponies were stubborn - which I do not deny because it's at least true for our "Bär", but there are also rather stubborn horses, like my mother's Paint mare "Jamie", for example. But she's only 3,5 years old, so this could still change in the future.
My Trotter mare "Ylaria" is rather sensitive, sometimes even jumpy. In very few cases, there's some stubbornnes to be watched in her behaviour, but that's really seldom.

So I don't think one should generalize referring to this topic. Each horse has it's own, INDIVIDUAL character which is not depending on the race: there are cool and reliable Arabian Purebloods and also rather spirited carthorses.

As for the height of a horse, here in Germany you speak of the "Stockmaß".
Until a height of 1.48 m it's a pony, and if it's higher it's a horse.

Miniature horses are the same conformation as a horse just smaller. Ponies have different confirmation but all the same parts. I'm not a big "breedist" I like horses with good personalities and that are well put together. I don't care whether its pedigreed or even a discernible breed. A horse is a horse of course, of course, lol.

Ponies are known for being tricky and having lots of character quirks that test riders, but since they are mostly ridden by children it makes them better riders. Horses are known to be mooe level headed overall, but mares can be cranky and stallions can be hard to handle while geldings can be boring. What is best for you is a matter of what you want to do and prefer in a mount. Not necessarily a pony vs. horse debate except for the size difference.

This reminds me of when my oldest son was about 5 years old. He has an above average intelligence and pretty much has known everything about everything all his life. :)


While driving through the country one day, we saw some horses and ponies in a field. My son was calling the ponies baby horses. I was trying to explain that they weren't baby horses, but actually a breed of their own. My five year old informed me “that is a common misconception. Ponies were just baby horses that stopped growing before the got as big as a regular horse.” I'm not sure if I ever did convince him otherwise.

Thanks for the enlightenment Jani89, I will take note of what you said. So I guess the difference is only the height but the features are all the same. Maybe same like people, South-East Asian people are smaller compare to European people but we are all the same humans.

I have a question though, why do girls at a young age always say they want a pony, and never a horse? They're just size difference right? And it's not like you can bring a horse / pony into your house lol...

@ One More Lap: I guess that young girls are very often of the opinion that ponies are so cute, like a big teddy bear. What they often don't know is that ponies can be very stubborn.
Our Icelandic Bär, for example, wouldn't be the right horse for a child due to his stubbornness he shows rather often.

However, if the child is taught and trained by a competent person who is used to handle also difficult horses/ponies, he or she can learn a lot from the pony due to the fact he or she has to become "alpha", the leader for his or her pony.

I can say for myself that I really learned a lot from Bär - we got him when I was 11, an I think the experience I gained by working with him helped me with Ylaria, whom we bought 3 years later.

When I was a young girl I wanted a horse, and I think most girls really want the vision of the perfect, spirited, yet dainty horse, and not a pony.

I think they end up calling it a pony, the same way you call a cat a kitty, or a dog a doggy.

It's my opinion that it's just a nickname for a young girl and not the reality.

It's my opinion that it's just a nickname for a young girl and not the reality.

That makes a lot of sense really. It has like a younger sound to it too, so maybe that's how the name's came to be possibly? :)

I am up for a challenge, I will skip the horse and go right to purchasing a donkey. :p Seriously though, is there any major difference you can find between a pony and a horse?

I have a question though, why do girls at a young age always say they want a pony, and never a horse?

I do still say that I want a "pony"... just because I like the word better :D it does definitely sound cute

The height is the difference between a pony and horse. We bought our daughter a pony at 9 years old and by the time it was old enough to break to ride she was to big for it.