Pony Breeds
When it comes to horses and ponies, size makes all the difference. Generally speaking, ponies stand no higher than 14.2 hands. Anything taller than 14.2 is considered a horse.
This pony is considered Ireland's only native horse breed. It is the largest of the pony breeds, averaging 14 to 14.2 hands.
Originating along the England/Scotland border, the Fell (mountain) pony is flashy, with feathered legs and lots of mane and tail, probably acquired from its early Fresian influence. They are under fourteen hands, but they are strong enough to carry an adult rider and are used extensively under harness.
The Chincoteague and Assateague Islands sit on the mid-Atlantic coast, along the Delmarva Peninsula, where Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware meet along the ocean. If you visit this lovely part of the country, you will see small groups of wild ponies wandering Assateague Island. Although no one really knows how they came to live there, one version is that in the mid-1600s a Spanish galleon wrecked offshore, and the ponies on board swam to safety and have roamed the island ever since.
The ponies graze on marshland grasses and browse on shrubs. The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department manages the herd and provides them with supplemental hay during harsh months as well as veterinary care when needed. The department has held an annual carnival since 1925, which includes the now well-known swimming of the ponies. At slack tide, the ponies are herded from their home on Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island, where around forty colts and fillies are auctioned off to help control herd population and inbreeding and to raise funds to care for the pony herds.
The product of a cross between Germanic and Celtic horses brought to Iceland by settlers in 874 A.D., Icelandic horses are small, quick, hardy, and strong. These horses are late to mature and typically are not ridden until they are five years old, but they commonly live a long life. They come in every typical coat color and are best known for their unusual gaits, including the tolt (a four-beat running walk) and the flying pace. Riders describe both of these gaits by saying it feels like you are floating over the ground.
This breed from the Shetland Islands is probably what most of us imagine when we think of a pony. The height limit on the popular Shetland is forty-six inches. They tend to be hardy and have good feet, and they are easy keepers.
Welsh ponies hail from the United Kingdom and include several variations, the best known being the Welsh Mountain Pony and the Welsh Cob. They are popular mounts for young riders, used in all riding disciplines.
