Why is a Mini a Horse and Not a Pony?

Miniature Horse Talk Forums

Help Support Miniature Horse Talk Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Loren&Rocky

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
1,023
Reaction score
0
Location
The Great North West
I have been wanting to aske this, but don't want to get slammed for it. To me, they look like ponies, act like ponies and are more like ponies than horses. when someone asks me about mine, I tell them they are miniature horses. If they say they look like ponies, I say that is because they really are.

I know this should be in the new "Hot Topic" forum, but it won't let me post new stuff.
 
the only difference is a mini has a set of mini papers..
 
[SIZE=14pt]The only difference is semantics. There are those that feel it is more prestigious to have a miniature horse than a pony and there are those of us who have miniature ponies quite literally..... It only depends on who you ask.[/SIZE]

Lyn
 
Hmm....I always figured that miniature horses were literally classified, as long as they are 38" and under and are able to be registered that they are indeed miniature horses...horses above 38" that are not registerable but are smaller than 12hh are ponies.

That's just my point of view lol not the actual literal classification!
 
Anything 14.2 and under is technically a pony no matter what the breed
default_smile.png
 
It is a "marketing strategy".
default_yes.gif
: People for what ever reason feel that a "miniature horse" is a better creature than any thing called a "pony".

To me this is totally silly,,, many people to this day think all Ponies are nasty.

They are not in any way....IMHO.

Miniature horses are from Shetland Stock.....just have been refined over the years to be more horse like in their summer coat.

What I really dislike seeing is PR stuff going on TV,, saying miniature horses were raised by Royal folks(there has been no proof to date) and are truly horses not ponies. To me that is just lying pure in simple on national TV no less. Sigh ~~

Only reason I can see is it get more sales and prestige.

There is nothing wrong with our wonderful little equines coming from the foundation stock of Shetlands.
 
A miniature horse is a seperate breed, just like a quarter horse is even though the root of the quarter horse is the thouroughbred. Technically speaking anything under 42" in the US is a pony, is differant in other countries. The miniature horse as a breed has been selectively bred to look more horse like than one of the the parent breeds, the European style shetland, so has gained the name miniature horse. The ideal would be if you take a picture of a mini with nothing to show its height the photo could be mistaken for a full size horse.

It is a breed, just like POA, or Haflinger, or Welsh, with specific standards for registration.
 
Wonderful question and I'm glad you asked!

Here is my understanding....

The "Miniatures" from England,etc were indeed bred down size from Shetlands...PONIES native to that part of the world....to work as pit ponies in the coal mines. Techically, that would make them "MINIATURE PONIES"

The "AMERICAN MINIATURE HORSE" which is what most of us have here in the US, was developed by crossing HORSE breeds with smaller ponies or even miniature ponies from England,etc. to give them more refinement and HORSE type characterisitcs. (BTW, this applies to Fallabella crosses as well) Technically speaking, our US breed Miniatures could therefore be rightfully called Miniature HORSES or Miniature PONIES!

I think it's a matter of preference and semantics, and sadly there does seem to be a stigma to calling them PONIES, though I sence that trend changing as it's becoming more acceptable and even desireable to have Miniature SHETLANDS/Arenosa's and crosses with these gorgeous equines!!!!!!!
 
Hype, pure and simple.

I am attempting to breed Miniature Horses, I shall always do so, I have no desire to breed Ponies BUT, I have been going for over 25 years and I am not there yet.

Whatever is said about height there is a lot more to it than that as if you made a TB 13.2hh it would not look like any pony I know- it would still be a horse in shape, not a Pony.

Pony shape is the "primitive" shape- big head, short neck etc Barrel body, short fat hairy legs, etc etc.

Horse shape is slender neck, small head long legs in relation to body size, slender, not so prone to body fat (when fed a normal diet) etc etc.

It has been described as a Horse having a infantile outline and a Pony having an adult outline.

And so what if your Shetland does not fit in with this- I can see little or no difference between the American "Shetland" and a Miniature Horse anyway- in fact since the US Shetland is so much older a breed some of them are streets ahead!!

The term "Pony" is a relatively new term anyway, and has changed twice in my lifetime (at one time Ponies were under 14 hands now they are under 14.2hh).

It also seems to cynical old me that the more like a squat little pony a papered Miniature Horse looks the more it's owner will try to bully you into believing it is a wonderful, distinct, breed of rare equine!!
default_rolleyes.gif
:

Oh and the US Mini and the European Mini are bred to exactly the same standards- the US Mini has it's footings in the same stock- to whit the thousands of mine ponies and the hundreds, possibly thousands of UK Shetlands that were exported to the US by the boatload when the Hype first started!!!

To my knowledge there is little or no truth to the myth that they were bred down form large horse- this does not work, I know I have tried!!!

They are NOT a breed they are a height registry.

A breed breeds true, Minis, unfortunately, do not, not yet.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You pay more for a miniature horse than a pony
default_wink.png
:
default_wink.png
:
default_wink.png
: :lol:

To me it is a bit silly.......... you see a 9hh pony, well rounded little thing and well broke etc for $500 and you see a 36" miniature horse with the same attibutes on sale for $1400
default_wink.png
:
default_wink.png
:

There is SUCH variety in type that fall under the miniature horse umbrella, some look horse like, definately, but many are just expensive little ponies JMHO.
 
The "AMERICAN MINIATURE HORSE" which is what most of us have here in the US, was developed by crossing HORSE breeds with smaller ponies or even miniature ponies from England,etc. to give them more refinement and HORSE type characterisitcs. (BTW, this applies to Fallabella crosses as well) Technically speaking, our US breed Miniatures could therefore be rightfully called Miniature HORSES or Miniature PONIES!
Please,, show me were in paperwork this is true. I would love to see it.

Because all the lines I have seen, mine included,, started with Shetlands. There are no small horses in those lines period.

I do research,, love doing research,, but I like to deal in hard proof. Not what people wish, hope or dream.

Maybe you are confusing the crossing of Hackney ponies with shetlands to get a more refined hotter equine?

Like Rabbit I have seen some people try to cross big horses down to miniature sizes and it has never worked.
 
Don't quote me or anything.

But I believe that I read that all the "small horses" started out being registered in the Shetland registry because that was the only one available at the time. No matter what their acutal breed was. Just as long as they met a height requirement. I know there is a lot of Shetland blood and it is proving to be the consistant stock. But I believe that they were bred with "small horses" not ponies. So if this is true then it would show all the bloodlines cross back to Shetlands.
 
i cringe everytime this comes up. Miniature horses are a HEIGHT registry NOT a breed. Shetland ponies are a Breed. Miniature horses were bred down from ponies many from shetland ponies (gold melody boy, rowdy etc) They did not just appear magically:) I think a lot of people just prefer the name miniature horse vs pony. if you have registered horses they are registered as a miniature horse so that is the correct name.

As for the comment that you pay more for a minautre then a pony ummm i have to take issue with that. I have some ponies in my field right now that cost as much and more then a miniature
default_smile.png
Like miniatures there are less exspensive ones and more exspensive ones. And I have some in my pasture that are registered miniature and shetland pony so what are they?? I guess they are a mini pony LOL
 
Some people will always refer to them as a breed some wont but the bottom line is they started due to some great marketing strategy for a then failing pony market, then AMHA branched off from that continuing the marketing strategy. It worked wonders
default_yes.gif
:

That doesnt mean that the horses being bred today are not continuing to improve and are being bred to be more refined. This doesnt mean all the ponies they were bred from way back when were the short fat thelwell type of ponies and to say the only difference is papers isnt a bad thing.. many have worked very hard with and for those papers to create the little horse/ponies we have today.
 
Last edited:
I am new this last year to mini's and whenever I ask someone what is the difference between a pony or a miniature horse, there are a few different answers but the most common I hear is mini's are bred to look more like a horse than a pony and that they are going for conformation (sp) and temperment. Now I have no theory of my own about the history, but I do have a theory about the bad rap the ponies got in the temperment department and that is because parents usually get a pony for their child instead of a horse. We all know that most kids don't always follow all the rules and are not as consistant and understanding as adults with an animal let alone a horse or pony. So all these years these poor little ponies have been at the mercy of kids and a lot of them mean and nasty to their poor little ponies and I think it's only fair that the pony relaliate a bit
default_yes.gif
: I have seen some wonderful and excellent temperment in some ponies that knock that "pony attitude rap" out of the water, but have also seen some that fit it as well. So in the last year I have learned through our mini that your horse, pony, or mini is only what you help it to be in the temperment department. I paid the money I did for our mini Barbie for her temperment and the gentle way she has about her. So I would say the difference between pony and mini is what you are in it for. If you read about the history you can find it's origin, but the reality of it all depends on what area you are in and who you ask, so join the crowd and make up your own
default_yes.gif
: A trainer we worked with once told us that if we wanted to learn about the mannerisms of a big horse before we bought one that we should get a mini horse and not a pony because ponies are different and in their own world???? Just another theory. Sorry so long :saludando:
 
I tell people who don't know that they ARE ponies, basically, just taken from whatever stock and bred for smaller than usual at first, however more recently, people are trying to get a more horse like proportion in a very small pony sized package.

So, I end up telling them, they basically ARE ponies with the benefit of good PR.

Liz M.
 
This is what im always figured ...not sure how correct it is.

A pony is 14.2 and under .....a mini to me is a pony but it just falls under the 38in mark. A mini is a pony but a pony (over 38in) isnt a mini. That is how i classify it.

BUT i dont think it is just the registry. Many unreg. horses under 38in are sold as Mini's and not ponies that i have seen. I dont think it has much to do with the registry really, how many people that own 1 or so unreg mini's really know/care about AMHR, AMHA, World Class ..i can say not to many. I consider anything (reg or not!) a mini that stands under 38in.

That is really just how i think of it ...simply put.

Leeana H.
 
Anything 14.2 and under is technically a pony no matter what the breed
default_smile.png
I had an Arab mare who was 13.3hh and although technally she was a pony, she was not at all a pony. She had a fine hair coat, thin mane line and close set ears. Ponies seem to have a heavy hair coat, thick mane line and wide set small ears. I would never say that Foxxy was a pony, but she was the size of one.
default_yes.gif
:
 
It's already been said, but in my opinion, if the equine is under 14.3hh, it can correctly be called a pony even if that is not some people's preferred term.

One of my two riding "horses" is either 14.2hh or 14.3hh... so either a giant among ponies or a shrimp among horses. Either way, he's my Rocket.
 
Anything 14.2 and under is technically a pony no matter what the breed
default_smile.png
I had an Arab mare who was 13.3hh and although technally she was a pony, she was not at all a pony. She had a fine hair coat, thin mane line and close set ears. Ponies seem to have a heavy hair coat, thick mane line and wide set small ears. I would never say that Foxxy was a pony, but she was the size of one.
default_yes.gif
:
I realize she was an arab as well however it is a misconception that all ponies are heavy hair coat and thick manes ect that is a characteristic of SOME breeds of ponies not all though. The term pony is still generic for any horse 14.2 and under . There are plenty of finer boned hunter type of ponies that are mixed breed some T/B with other smaller horses that are very horse like as well. And many shetlands I know dont get anywhere near as hairy as my minis do :)
 

Latest posts

Back
Top