fat burning

Favorite pony horses since childhood - what are they like? Horses come from childhood - ponies

Who among us in childhood did not dream of his own pony? Until now, children want to have their own little horse and beg for it from their parents. If you are faced with such a request, then think about the possibility of fulfilling it. Because the pony will be a good partner in children's games. The animal is able to teach your child useful things.

A pony can be a great friend for a child.

How useful is horseback riding?

confidence;
discipline;
a responsibility;
friendliness;
diligence;
coordination.

Children develop their body, which has a positive effect on their health. Communication with a small horse can have a positive effect on children, but friendly relations between them will not arise instantly. Parents face the difficult task of raising their children even before acquiring a pony. The following are separate recommendations that will help the child and the little horse become real friends.

Horse riding is very good for health

breeds

Breeds of horses, whose representatives are distinguished by short stature, began to be called ponies. The birthplace of animals of small stature (up to 1.5 m) are different islands. In the Russian Federation, they include horses of various miniature breeds. In domestic written sources on horse breeding, this group includes animals with a height of up to 1.1 m. However, far from all known pony breeds fall under this criterion. In other countries, the size criteria are different. In Germany, this is the name of all horses up to 1.3 m tall, in the UK - up to 1.473 m.

Now all over the world there are about 20 different breeds of ponies. Children love to spend time with them. Small horses are used in some sports disciplines.

Different countries have adopted different standards for defining a pony.

Welsh ponies

The North Wales hills are the home of this breed of pony. They were named based on this fact. There are many mysterious moments and white spots in the history of the origin of the breed. There is a version that horses began to appear after the arrival of Roman soldiers. They produced crossbreeding of horses from the east and local ones of small stature. This led to the fact that the ponies began to show features characteristic of Arabian horses. For many years, horses have been exploited for various purposes:

work on farms;
labor in mines;
riding school for wealthy families in England.

At the very beginning of the 20th century, a book dedicated to ponies and kobs was published in Great Britain. Each of them was given two sections. Now Welsh ponies are used in breeding work, where they help improve the quality characteristics of other breeds of undersized horses. Their popularity is also high in a special sport where children are riders. It is distributed in the New and Old Worlds, as well as in New Zealand.

Welsh pony has a very beautiful appearance

The external signs of the two varieties of the Welsh pony are similar:

small head;
huge expressive eyes;
wide nostrils;
small ears;
developed back muscles;
the tail is well set on a large croup;
muscular legs;
strong hooves;
growth at the withers up to 1.23-1.37 m;
nightingale, red, bay or gray suit.

Welsh ponies also have distinctive features. Their movements are free and high, and their gaits are soft. The disposition is docile, which makes them ideal partners for children. A memorable and bright exterior became the reason for their participation in various show rings.

The second variety of Welsh ponies has its own subtleties. Their height at the withers is not higher than 1.35 m. For many centuries they lived in mountainous areas, which contributed to the formation of a dense physique, strong legs and ingenuity. All this, coupled with the well-known local temperament, created the perfect horse for little riders. Mountain ponies are found in many countries, from Britain to Australia. The most pronounced features are as follows:

small head;
graceful ears with sharp ends;
huge bulging eyes;
broad forehead;
ganache border is clear;
profile strongly or slightly concave;
on slanting shoulders a long neck;
the withers have clear boundaries;
limbs stand wide, their bones are flat;
round small hooves;
high tail set.

Welsh pony appeared in the highlands

The ponies make straight movements that look active and free. Joints have good mobility. For many generations, horses helped farms: they transported goods, participated in grazing livestock in difficult mountain landscapes. Natural and artificial selection have left exceptionally hardy and harmoniously built ponies. These qualities, coupled with the nature of the ancestors from the highlands, affected the Welsh pony breed for the better.

Shetland ponies

The Shetland breed is one of the oldest on Earth. Ponies are characterized by small size, strong build, good stamina and productivity, the ability to adapt to any environmental conditions. Animals with short legs, stocky, and their height is 1.02-1.07 m. Ponies are found in zoos, squares, equestrian sports sections and rentals. Despite their small size, the horses of this pony breed are very strong. They are able to carry heavy loads that are 20 times their own weight.

In ancient times, this breed was used to work in mines and mines. Approximately 16,000 ponies were involved in the UK.

The Shetland pony is weather resistant

This breed was formed for a long time, as the animals lived on the Shetland Islands. Until the 19th century, purebred breeding was carried out. In the middle of the 19th century, ponies spread to Britain and Scotland. At the same time, mixed breeds began to be bred. Therefore, they were divided into two classes: "A" - height at the withers 1.07 m (basic type), "B" height at the withers 1.07-1.20 m (ennobled type).

In 1890, a studbook was created for the first time, where Shetland ponies were kept in England, and later in other countries. Every year, approximately 3,200 newborn little horses are brought into it. Purebred animals are usually black.

I want to know what is the difference between a pony and a horse? There are very few people in the world who can not smile from sincere tenderness when they see a stocky and short horse, with sad eyes and satin ribbons woven into a thick mane.

The kids immediately run to this glorious creature shouting "Pony!". Well, adults begin to nod their heads, explaining that this is almost a real horse. But where did such a serious injustice come from? Apparently, out of nowhere! Otherwise, all this will certainly not be explained in any way.

Is it really possible that this horse breed could acquire such a dismissive attitude in human society, only because of its own tiny proportions? But, ponies, in fact, are full-fledged horses, which are simply directly related to breeds of a short type.

Well, in some of the countries, for example, in the UK, absolutely all horse breeds belong to the little ponies, which is at the withers, at least a little below one hundred and forty-seven centimeters. And this fact points directly to the fact that it is quite possible to take a good half of all breeds existing in the world for pony crumbs. Including Russians.

But German and Russian hippologies look much more reasonably at all measurements of pony breeds, which are up to one hundred and ten centimeters, and one hundred and twenty, respectively. But in the Russian Federation, ponies include Scottish and Dutch, as well as Connemara and Falabella.

mini horse

In addition, the Esmur and many others here are also very fond of referring to the crumbs of a pony. Of course, certain measurements exist in the presence, but they may well fail. They happen on Earth and simply, that, moreover, they have nothing to do with ponies at all. For example, everyone is pretty short. And they have such a height at the withers as one hundred and fifty centimeters.

Moreover, they are called precisely “full-fledged” horses, since they are precisely such. In order to be absolutely certain that one or another horse could be classified as a baby pony, it will also be necessary to take into account a set of other features of the animal exterior. After the crumbs were domesticated, the ponies turned into pack animals of a similar plan in the same way. They became exactly both draft and towing.

And whatever the crumbs do. They could carry giant logs, clear stone rubble, transport baskets with great loads, and also conduct work processes in lead, ore and coal mines. They could calmly tow all sorts of ships tirelessly up the river. It turns out that a peculiar kind of Spartan "education", from the side of the ancestors, found its own reflection in all modern types of baby ponies.

For example, the most famous pony in existence is the Shetland pony, capable of carrying loads that will exceed its own weight. So you got acquainted with some of the differences between ponies and horses and now you know how to distinguish them.

Ponies are not as in demand in private farms as heavy horses, and are rarely used in breeding kennels, but there is still a category of people who prefer just such small horses.

Let's find out how ponies appeared, in what areas they can be used and what you should know about the most popular breeds.

Origin

The pony is a subspecies of the domestic horse familiar to us, but with reduced parameters. Low growth (up to 140 cm) is the hallmark of these animals, because otherwise they resemble ordinary horses with a powerful strong neck, short legs and a high level of endurance.

Many believe that the first ponies appeared on the European islands located in the northern part of Scandinavia, where they lived in rocky conditions for a long time. The local population used them to transport goods, and speed did not play any role. In particular, such small horses were often used to transport ore and to help people in agriculture, and their small stature did not matter at all.

Did you know? In different states, the name "pony" means completely different horses. So, in the Russian Federation, the height of a mini-horse at the withers should be no more than 110 cm, and in England, animals with a height of 143 cm at the withers or even higher are classified as "ponies".

Many breeds of small horses, which are widely used today in horse racing, were formed only in the 19th-20th centuries.

Scope of application

At the mention of a pony, the first thing that comes to mind is riding children and performing in a circus, but, in truth, the scope of these small horses is much wider. Often, they become the main tool for restorative practices for people with disabilities, regardless of their age, they are great for hippotherapy with children and can become real friends, becoming attached to a small person no worse than a dog.
There are cases when ponies transported people in teams and worked in the express delivery service, which earned them worldwide fame. Nowadays, small horses can even be used in sports, however, competitions are held among representatives of one type of horse.

When kept at home, ponies often make excellent companions, and if you choose the right breed of animal, you can also use it to help with household chores, in particular, agricultural ones.

Important! Do not forget that most ponies are small horses, unsuitable for hard work. Excessive load on them can provoke serious health problems.

pony breeds

The scope of its use directly depends on the breed of the animal, therefore, before choosing a pony, it is very important to study all the characteristics of a particular animal. Let's look at the most famous breeds of small horses.

Welsh

The Welsh pony is one of the most graceful representatives of its kind. Today it is already difficult to say exactly where and when the first representatives of these animals appeared, but they received their modern features after the Roman legions appeared in Britain (researchers believe that it was at this time that the Welsh ponies actively bred with the participation of other varieties that influenced their appearance and performance).
The exterior of modern representatives of this species has the following features:

growth- 120–152 cm;
head- relatively large, with large nostrils;
back- short and rounded, with well-defined croup;
legs- massive and strong, with straight forearms protruding forward;
tail- high-ranking and gives out the presence of the blood of Arabian horses;
color- different, but more often than others there are gray, bay and red, other colors are also allowed, the main thing is that they be of the same color.

Such a large difference in height values is due to four different breeds, which today are classified as Welsh ponies:

mountain pony(or type A, no taller than 123 cm) is characterized by a smaller head and large bulging eyes, and the profile of the skull is always concave (a straight or convex structure is considered a breed defect). The neck is medium in length, but merges well with the shoulder region, the withers stand out. Legs - widely set, with round and small hooves. Usually mountain horses are used for riding children, whom these animals love very much.
Welsh Type B- a horse no taller than 135 cm, but otherwise, in almost all respects, it corresponds to the previous variety. Nowadays, it is used in equestrian schools, takes part in horse races and performs in show rings.
Welsh Type C- the growth of animals is 135–146 cm, which, combined with a massive body and strong limbs, makes such ponies indispensable helpers in various fields of activity.
Welsh Type D or Cob- the growth of this animal exceeds 140 cm, and the body is distinguished by its depth. Legs - strong, with well developed joints. All movements are smooth and free, thanks to which the horse is used for riding, although it also copes well with a harness.

Of course, the latter types cannot be called "ponies" in the full sense of the word, but they are also remembered when talking about the Welsh variety of small horses.

Did you know? The word "pony" comes from the old French word poulenet and means "foal".

Scottish

The Scottish pony (aka Garron and Highland) combines three types of horses: small ponies (with a height of no more than 132 cm at the withers), riding Scottish (132–140 cm at the withers) and the largest representatives (up to 147 cm high at the withers ). They all appear to be very robust animals and share a number of common characteristics:

head- medium in size, with a wide forehead and the same wide nostrils, "live" eyes and small ears;
breast- wide and strong;
torso- strong and deep, with a short back and strong, muscular thighs, croup - wide;
legs- strong, with hard hooves;
color- dark gray, grey, black, bay, reddish-brown, but with a lighter tail and mane.

Scottish horses are prone to problems of the heart, blood vessels, joints and often faint. In addition, these animals often suffer from dourine, laminitis and morbillivirus pneumonia, so their owners should carefully monitor the health of their wards.

Many breeders consider these miniature horses not ponies, but an independent breed of the smallest horses in the world. These animals were bred in Argentina in the middle of the 19th century, and the improvement of breed qualities and exterior characteristics continued until the middle of the last century.

Did you know? The breed owes its name to the Falabella family, whose representatives have bred small horses near Buenos Aires for many years. The blood of Andalusian and Creole horses flows in the veins of these animals.

The exterior characteristics of horses are displayed in the following features:

growth- 40–75 cm;
the weight- 20–60 kg;
body type- proportional, graceful (compared to other ponies, these animals lack several ribs);
head- large, with erect small ears and a flat forehead;
breast- moderately wide;
leather- thin;
legs- thin, with small hooves;
color- absolutely anyone, it can even be speckled or piebald.

Falabella ponies are distinguished by longevity and often live up to 40 years or more. Of course, they can only be used as decorative animals, especially since there are only a few hundred of them today. The French, Dutch, Americans, British and Italians are engaged in professional breeding of these horses.

Shetland

This variety of small horses is often referred to as Scottish ponies, but in fact they can be considered a separate breed that was formed on the territory of the Shetland Islands more than a thousand years ago. Since these lands are part of Scotland, theoretically, Shetland can be called Scottish, but at the same time, these animals are not very similar to the above species of their fellow tribesmen and are distinguished by the following characteristic features:

growth- 65–110 cm;
head- massive and heavy;
breast- wide;
legs- short and thick;
body type- strong and wide;
mane and tail- long and thick (protect the horse from the cold);
color- more often piebald, with large spots on any background (for example, red, gray or black).

Shetland ponies are very playful and are often used to ride young children in riding schools. In addition, they take part in horse races and jump well over obstacles. Life expectancy is 45–54 years.

Exmoor (Celtic)

Celtic ponies are considered the oldest inhabitants of the peat bogs of England, located in the counties of Devon and Somerset. From ancient times to today, they exist in a semi-wild way, although they are one of the most famous breeds of riding small horses, especially in children's equestrian schools.
The exterior features of Exmoor horses are expressed in the following characteristics:

growth- up to 127 cm;
body type- strong and strong;
head- medium size, with large and slightly protruding eyes located on it;
breast- wide;
back- smooth;
legs- shortish, with strong hooves;
color- brown, savrasy, bay, with lighter red spots on the muzzle.

A pony is a subspecies of a domestic horse, characterized by low growth ranging from 80 to 140 cm.

Translated from English, the name of the animal means: "little horse." Ponies have stamina, a powerful neck and short legs. In subspecies, it is customary to attribute any specimen with a height below 100-110 cm, in Germany the reference scale is slightly higher and is 120 cm.

If measured by English standards, then half of the breeds of horses can be classified as ponies. In Russia, the Shetland, Falabella, American, Scottish and Welsh breeds are especially common. There are about two dozen breeds in the world pony horses.

Among them there are riding and light harnesses. The most interesting are horse little pony. For example, Shetland, among which there are individuals up to 65 cm. The breed was bred on the islands of the Atlantic Ocean. Despite their miniature size, its representatives have a wide body, a massive head and are able to carry heavy loads.

These little pony horses are widely used for riding children. External features also include: lush manes and tails, thick hair. Most often they have a piebald color with light spots all over the background.

A century and a half ago, the Argentine farmer Falabella started breeding a special breed of horses, later named after him. Similar the horse is smaller than the pony. An ordinary specimen has a height at the withers of 86 cm, but especially amazing individuals are often found with a height of only 38-45 cm and a weight of 20-65 kg.

Their uniqueness is that with each generation they only become smaller. Bred by selective selection, a curious specimen of the mini-appaloosa horse is popular in Holland, Germany and. Because the pony horse are domestic animals, they are distributed throughout the world where people live.

The nature and lifestyle of a pony

The remains of a solutre, a horse that is the ancient ancestor of the modern pony, were discovered in France. Versions are put forward that various breeds of ponies originated from wild subspecies of primitive ones.

In such an unfavorable climate, this unpretentious breed of small, patient and hardy animals with shaggy hair was formed. Then the ponies spread to nearby territories.

There is an opinion that little pony horse more suitable for children's entertainment. Usually they are seen in parks and zoos, in equestrian schools and rentals. However, these stocky animals have been kept since ancient times and used for many types of work and transportation of heavy loads.

These patient animals lived in harsh conditions in the mines, without sunlight, breathing coal dust and soot. About pony horses tell amazing stories.

They take part in sports competitions, compete in horse racing, jumping and overcoming obstacles, winning valuable prizes and awards. A 37-year-old pony named Scampi has been reported to have won a dressage event at the Aintree Equestrian Center in England.

Food

Ponies have a small stomach, so they prefer frequent meals in small portions. It is very important to ensure that the drink is plentiful, the water is clean, and the feeders are constantly washed. It is desirable for animals to spend the whole day on grass, which is their main food, digestible more easily than other types of food.

However, they quickly get bored with monotony, so something new should be introduced into the diet all the time. There are many types of pony food that you can pamper your pet with without fear for his health.

Carrots and apples are very helpful for their digestion; sugar beet, will supply the body with useful and energy-intensive substances; you can also give alfalfa, barley, ground sunflower, rapeseed with vitamins, high-fiber bran and soy.

The amount of food directly depends on physical activity, as well as on the place of detention, living conditions and the time of year. In summer, it is necessary to ensure that the animal does not overeat, and in the cold season and early spring, feed it with high-quality hay, concentrated feed and vitamins.

Buy a pony horse Today, many wish, and children dream of a small horse. For enthusiastic people, breeding such pony horses has become a real hobby.

pony horse price, buy which is possible via the Internet depends on its rating, age, suit and gender. However, the cost of maintaining this cute animal is many times higher than its cost.

But the owners will love such a pet with all their heart, and this miracle will bring a lot of positive emotions. pony horse practically is free can be purchased at a suitable farm, while getting a lot of pleasure and impressions, having previously ridden on it.

Reproduction and lifespan

Pony breeding is considered by man as part of selection. The selection of ponies for mating takes into account certain parameters necessary to obtain the desired breeds. Females are in heat for several days, during which they are ready to mate with the male. The stallion is attracted by the specific smell of the female.

Often, males try to look after their chosen one, starting mating games, which are manifested in persistent attempts to attract attention, gentle tickling of the sides and shoulders with their teeth, and also in sniffing. Coition lasts about 15-30 seconds.

A pony's pregnancy lasts approximately 11 months. The exact duration of gestation depends on the breed. It can be difficult to determine the period from the moment of conception to childbirth, therefore it is usually counted from the day of the last contact with the male. It is better if the birth, in order to avoid complications, is taken by a veterinarian.

As a rule, the female gives birth to one or two cubs at a time. They are immediately born sighted, and after a few minutes they are already on their feet and trying to walk. Ponies live longer than their tall counterparts and can reach 4-4.5 decades. It all depends on the conditions of detention and the quality of care.

Recently, thanks to the success of veterinary medicine and the attentive attitude of the owners, the life span pony horses began to increase significantly. Cases of longevity have been recorded. For example, a pony owned by a certain French farmer managed to reach the age of 54.

Miniature pony horses are short in stature. Due to the friendly nature, attractive appearance and small size of these unique animals, many horse breeders around the world are bred. Pony horses have short strong legs, a lush tail and mane, a powerful neck and a small head with a wide forehead. They live about 30-35 years.

How did the breed

On the islands of Northern Scandinavia and in the south of France, in the Rhone delta, scientists have discovered the remains of a solutre, an ancient horse with a miniature physique. It was she who was the progenitor of modern ponies. The breed of undersized, unpretentious, strong and shaggy horses was formed in adverse conditions of windy rocky islands with sparse vegetation. Initially, pony horses, the photos of which are presented on this page, were used to perform hard work. They could carry cargo that exceeded their own weight by 20 times. Therefore, in the old days they were used to work in coal mines, mines, underground.

About character

Pony horses have a complex disposition. They are very smart, cunning and stubborn. Therefore, often beginner horse breeders, due to lack of knowledge and experience, cannot find a common language with their pet for a long time. These horses must be kept strictly. The most peaceful and patient character of the Shetland pony - perhaps the most common breed. Useful information about the content of these animals can be found in specialized clubs. It is best to have a baby pony and raise him from childhood than to get an adult horse and constantly work on correcting its bad habits.

Care

Pony horses are quite unpretentious. They can be kept in a regular stall for several heads. After a year, stallions are recommended to be kept separately from each other. The main thing for these animals is clean air, lack of dampness and drafts. Otherwise, diseases of the hooves and skin, a cold, which often ends in death, may occur. For feeding horses, it is desirable to use high-quality feed.

Kinds

Falabella

This breed is native to Argentina. They are ideally built for riding: light graceful head, small hooves. These decorative horses are widely distributed throughout the world. Thanks to their intelligence and calm disposition, they get along great with children.

shetland pony

It is the smallest among other representatives of this breed. A small pony horse by its nature is a very frisky animal. The most common piebald suit. Its distinguishing feature is large white spots on a black, red or gray basic background of the skin.

mini appaloosa

This variety of small horses was bred exclusively by selection. She has striped hooves, speckled skin and a miniature stature (86 cm). The appearance of a pony is typical for riding horses: a flexible neck, a small head, a muscular body, strong hooves, and regular limbs. This breed is most common in Germany, America, Holland.