Is A Pony A Baby Horse? Discover The Myth

Did you know that a pony and horses have over 350 breed types? The baby pony will be the cutest thing you see, but it is always mistaken for a baby horse.

But is a pony a baby horse?

Babies are supposed to be shorter than adult horses, but the truth is far from this. Ponies are often mistaken for ponies since they are shorter than 14 hands, but they are considered ponies when fully mature, while a foal is a baby horse.

In this blog post, it will be my goal to dispel the myth about ponies being baby horses and explain why their height is much shorter than that of horses.

Let’s start the article without wasting any time.

What Is Baby Pony Called?

Every horse was once a foal regardless of its breed. In the same way, a pony is also termed as a foal when it is younger than three months.

But, as you know, ponies are not longer than 14 hands, so they are misunderstood as foals when seen by anyone with no equine knowledge.

The pony will be called a foal when it is a baby, but afterward, it has separate names such as a mare or gelding as its age increases three months.

Is A Pony A Baby Horse?

A man at a horse race asked me if the small horse was a foal or pony. I was intrigued by his question and researched the topic to clarify people getting confused between ponies and baby horses.

So, What is a pony?

Ponies are shorter than 58 inches (14 hands) when they are fully matured. It is the same height as a baby horse, so that’s why people are puzzled to decide. But a pony is not a baby while it looks like a foal even when fully matured.

Are Ponies Young Horses?

The biggest misunderstanding I have always encountered is classifying ponies as baby, young, or mature horses.

But are ponies younger horses?

Young horses reach a height of 14 to 15 hands, making it difficult for horse owners to describe their equine friends. Any mature horse which is 14 hands or shorter is officially called a pony.

A pony passes through the foal and young horse phases, but you can’t designate ponies as young horses.

What Do Ponies Need To Eat?

Like all other horses, ponies also need their basic daily calories for their proper growth. The equine industry has approved daily calories of 25000 for horses on average.

But how many calories do ponies need to eat?

Horses need hay or pasture as a basic food item which is calculated based on their body matter. About one to one and a half pounds of hay and pasture is needed per 100 pounds of horse’s weight.

An average horse weighing 400 pounds will need 5 pounds of hay and 15 pounds of pasture every day to make a rough proportion.

Ensure that the food or forage you are feeding contains all the essential minerals for hectic work.

Do Ponies Grow Up To Be Horses?

Many people are always saying ponies are short, and they will be horses. But it is a misconception and needs correction.

How Are Ponies and Horses Different?

A popular myth about ponies is they are not fully mature, but ponies are fully matured and a breed of horses. So all horses are called equines, whether they are ponies or flabella, which is shorter than ponies.

Popular Pony Breeds 

With hundreds of pony breeds, it would be worth discussing the Shetland and welsh pony here.

(I) Shetland Ponies

Scotland has been a very progressive nation in terms of breeding. The Shetland ponies are initially bred in Scotland.

The size of Shetland ponies is shorter than an average pony (40 inches) and has two favorite colors, including spotting and white. These ponies are very intelligent, brave, and perfect for children.

How much does a Shetland pony cost? A Shetland pony is sold between $600 to $1400.

(II) Welsh Pony

Welsh pony is not a single pony and has four members in its group, termed The Welsh Pony and Cob. 

Being bred on royal soil (UK), they are originally from Wales.

With four horses in the welsh pony group, they are characterized by an average weight of 600 pounds, and the first pony of this group is only 12 hands. These are very intelligent, have great stamina, and have friendly behavior.

The height is generally decided on the section size; there are four sections of these ponies which are as follows:

• Welsh Cob
• Welsh Mountain Pony
• Welsh Pony (Section B)
• Welsh Pony of Cob Type

What Is The Difference Between A Pony And A Baby Horse?

People need to be educated that ponies and baby horses are different. It is also clearly seen in the movies and cartoons that a pony is a short horse.

But what’s the key differentiating feature of ponies?

Ponies only have 14 hands of length and will never grow above this height. But on the other hand, baby horses will be growing longer than 14 hands when they are over three months.

Is It Easier To Ride A Horse Or A Pony?

A horse can be of different breeds, like ponies, American quarter, shire horses, etc. But have different temperaments and hence may be hard or easy to ride.

So, Are ponies easier to ride than horses?

A horse, when gown fully, will be hard to handle and pamper. But a pony will always be easier to ride, wash, play, and care for due to its friendly nature, small size, and all other things.

People always ask me Should I get a pony or horse?

So, I will always tell them to get a pony if they want to let their kids have a good friend and learn riding as a beginner.

At What Age Does A Pony Become A Horse?

While it is frequently misunderstood that a pony is also a horse, you guys need to know more about ponies.

I am asked silly questions like at what point does a pony become a horse?

A pony is a horse! The poor pony is a different equine breed that is unable to grow taller than 14 hands. So, a pony will never be a horse because it is already a fully mature horse, even if it is five years or older.

Can A Horse And A Pony Mate?

It would be interesting to know the result of a cross between a pony and a horse. What do you think it could be, and can they mate?

Horses and ponies mate and their offspring will have mixed qualities of both horses and ponies, as they carry genes from both.

But horses and ponies don’t often mate as they are not much attracted to each other due to breed differences.

 But, there are still chances of breed, and their babies are cute and have good traits. Some equine masters may cross a pony and a good horse breed to get a better breed.

What Is A Cross Between A Horse And Pony Called?

A cross can occur between a horse and a pony. They do cross and have unexceptional abilities because the baby picks the best genes from both of its parents.

But what do you call a pony and a horse’s cross?

Any wild or domestic horse species, when crossed interbred, they are specifically called a mule. When they are inter-bred, the term has been specified for donkey, horse, and zebras to get better traits.

Can You Breed A Pony Mare To A Horse Stallion?

Nature allows cross products of all the animals, especially the horses used for ages for wars, fights, and riding over large distances.

So is it possible to mate a female pony and a male horse?

It is perfectly fine to mate a female pony (a mare) and a male horse (a stallion). But certain conditions must be fulfilled, as the basic key requirement is that the male shouldn’t be over three hands taller than the female pony.

If you find the right horse, you can easily breed the two equines and have an outstanding foal called a mule.

Can A Quarter Horse Be A Pony?

The noteworthy thing here is, a quarter horse is bred with a pony to get a quarter pony.

The American quarter horse is longer than 15 hands, while the quarter pony (a cross between a pony and an American Quarter Horse) is shorter than 14 hands.

So a quarter horse can’t transform into a pony, but it can easily breed with any pony to produce a Quarter Pony.

Final Verdict on Is a Pony a Baby Horse

Baby horses shorter than 14 hands are often mistaken to be ponies, but the fact is a pony will never grow taller than 14 hands after three months, while a foal will increase its size and become a mature horse.

So, I would conclude my topic with this line:

Every pony was once a foal, but not all the foals are ponies!

That’s all about the topic. I hope you like the content; please make sure to share it with your friends.