Cross Breeds

Whats the difference between a miniature horse and a pony?

Are they both the same thing just a miniature horse is smaller? Please give me as much detail as you can muster....Thanks

Public Comments

1. A miniature horse is a horse that is 32 inches or less in height measured from the whithers. A pony is a horse that is less than 14 hands high. Ponies can range from more than 32 inches to 14 hands
2. well my opinion is that a mini horse is like a migit and a pony is like a kid the difference is that maybe a mini horse has more scratches and the pony doesnt like wrinkles... i cant tell you much cuz i dont really know that was just my opinion. :D
3. a mini horse is a breed... pony is a size. also, mini horses are not considered ponies. pony can be any horse breed under 14.2 hands tall... a draft can be a pony as long as it's 14.2 or under! mini's are perfectly proportioned to a standard sized horse... just a small scale version and retain all the characteristics of a horse.. that's why they're not considered a pony. ponies typically have different conformation characteristics than horses. There is an ongoing debate over whether a miniature horse should possess horse or pony characteristics. This is a common controversy within the miniature horse world and also is a hot debate between mini aficionados and other horse and pony breed owners. While technically any member of equus caballus under 14.2 hands is termed a "pony," many breeds, including some miniature breeds, actually retain a horse phenotype and their breed registry therefore classifies them as horses. Some miniature horse breed standards prefer pony characteristics such as short, stout legs and elongated torsos, while others prefer ordinary horse proportions.[12] Even the name is in dispute, terms such as "Midget Pony" and "Pygmy Horse" used in addition to "Miniature horse" and breed-specific names such as Falabella. The level of controversy is reflected by the presence of over 30 different registries for miniaturized horses or ponies just within the English-speaking world.[13] A pony is a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds of ponies. Compared to horses, ponies often exhibit thicker manes, tails and overall coat, as well as proportionally shorter legs, wider barrels, heavier bone, thicker necks, and shorter heads with broader foreheads.