What is the difference between a pony and a young horse?

Answer 1

An animal 14.2hands or over is usually considered a horse and one less than 14.2hands is a pony.

The difference between a horse and pony is not just a height difference. There are noticable differences in conformation and temperament. Ponies often exhibit thicker manes, tails and overall coat. They also have proportionally shorter legs, wider barrels, heavy bone, thick necks, and short heads with broad foreheads.

Answer 2

"The size of horses varies by breed, but can also be influenced by nutrition. The general rule for cutoff in height between what is considered a horse and a pony at maturity is 14.2 hands(h or hh) (147 cm, 58 inches) as measured at the withers. An animal 14.2h or over is usually considered a horse and one less than 14.2h is a pony.

The difference between a horse and pony is not just a height difference. There are noticable differences in conformation and temperament. Ponies often exhibit thicker manes, tails and overall coat. They also have proportionally shorter legs, wider barrels, heavy bone, thick necks, and short heads with broad foreheads.

However, there are exceptions to the general rule. Some smaller horse breeds who typically produce individual horses both under and over 14.2h are considered "horses" regardless of height. Likewise, some pony breeds, such as the Pony of the Americas or the Welsh cob, share some features of horses and individual animals may occasionally mature at over 14.2h, but are still considered ponies. Another example of an exception to the height rule is the Caspian horse which often stands only eleven or twelve hands high, but is still considered a horse due to its horselike conformation.

Light horses such as Arabians, Morgans, Quarter Horses, Paints and Thoroughbreds usually range in height from 14.0 to 16.0 hands and can weigh from 850 lb to about 682 kg (1500 lb). Heavy or draft horses such as the Clydesdale, Belgian, Percheron, and Shire are usually at least 16.0 to 18.0 hands high and can weigh from about 682 kg (1500 lb) up to about 900 kg (2000 lb). Ponies are less than 14.2h, but can be much smaller, down to the Shetland pony at around 10 hands, and the Falabella which can be the size of a medium-sized dog. The miniature horse is as small as or smaller than either of the aforementioned ponies but are classified as very small horses rather than ponies despite their size."

Answer 3

A pony is a small horse, height 14.2 hands or under. A hand is 4inches. A young horse is a filly (female) colt male.

Answer 4

A pony is up to 14.2 hands at adult height. It's a horse if it's higher than that. Nothing to do with age.

Answer 5

A pony is £25.00, a young horse may be worth a bit more, who knows?

Answer 6

Hello Monkey,

Well the absolute truth of this quessy is "Nothing"....A young horse is a called simply a Pony. Dont listen to any of these "know it alls"

Answer 7

It's a slighty different species.