Pony

The word pony derives from the old French poulenet, a diminutive of poulain meaning foal, a young, immature horse.

For many forms of competition, the official definition of a pony is a horse that measures up to 14.2 hands (58 inches, 147 cm) at the withers.

[2] However, the term pony can be used in general (or affectionately) for any small horse, regardless of its actual size or breed.

[3] Ponies originally developed as a landrace adapted to a harsh natural environment, and were considered part of the "draft" subtype typical of Northern Europe.

[4] Studies of mitochondrial DNA (which is passed on though the female line) indicate that a large number of wild mares have contributed to modern domestic breeds;[5][6] in contrast, studies of y-DNA (passed down the male line) suggest that there was possibly just one single male ancestor of all domesticated breeds.

[11] Ponies are often distinguished by their phenotype, a stocky body, dense bone, round shape and well-sprung ribs.

[12] Pony breeds have developed all over the world, particularly in cold and harsh climates where hardy, sturdy working animals were needed.

Ponies trained by inexperienced individuals, or only ridden by beginners, can turn out to be spoiled because their riders typically lack the experience base to correct bad habits.

Some horse breeds are not defined as ponies, even when they have some animals that measure under 14.2 hands (58 inches, 147 cm).

[14] Conversely, the term "pony" is occasionally used to describe horses of normal height.

[15] The term "pony" is also sometimes used to describe a full-sized horse in a humorous or affectionate sense.

Pony Club members are allowed to compete with full-size horses and are not limited to pony-sized mounts.