Pony Breeds
Basotho
Origins: Lesotho, South Africa
Description: Great stamina, quiet nature, endurance and sure-footedness. In addition to walk, trot, and canter, the Bathoso has to extra gaits, the tripple and pace
Uses: Riding
Height: 14 to 14.3 hands high
Color: Chestnut, gray, bay, brown, black
Caspian Pony
Origins: Iran
Description: Kind and tough, with great speed and endurance
Uses: Riding, jumping
Height: 10 to 12 hands high
Color: Bay, gray and chestnut
Chincoteague Pony
Origins: United State
Description: Know for their striking looks, good nature, and intelligence
Height: 12 to 13 hands high
Color: Any
Connemara
Origins: Connemara region of Ireland
Description: Compact, short-legged pony, brave but sensible
Uses: General riding, jumpin, dressage, and driving
Color: Gray but can also be brown, bay or black
Dales
Origins: Pennine Hills, England
Description: Known for its strength and quiet nature. It has fine hair on the heels and powerful hindquarters
Uses: All-around riding and driving
Height: Up to 14.2 hands high
Color: Mainly black, bay, or brown
Dartmoor
Origins: Dartmoor, Devon
Description: A long-lived pony with a small head
Uses: Riding, driving, good child's pony
Height: Up to 12.2 hands high
Color: Usually black or brown
Eriskay
Origins: Rare breed originally native to the Western Isles of Scotland
Description: Strong with a thick, waterproof coat.
Uses: Riding and driving
Height: 12 to 13.2 hands high
Color: Usually born black or bay, turning bay with maturity
Exmoor
Origins: Oldest of Britain's Mountain and Moorland breeds
Description: Very strong ponies, able to carry an adult
Uses: Riding and driving
Height: 12.2 (mares), 13.2 (stallions) hands high
Color: Bay, brown, or dun with black points and light colored muzzle
Falabella
Origins: Argentina
Description: Perfectly proportioned miniature horse, resembling the Thoroughbred or Arab, although they are rarely bigger than 8 hands high
Uses: Showing, carting
Height: Under 8.2 hands high
Color: Any
Fjord
Origins: Norway
Description: Upright mane, strong, tough with short legs, sure-footed
Uses: Riding, driving
Height: 13 to 14 hands high
Color: Dun in color with a stripe along the back
Gotland
Origins: Sweden
Description: Light and elegant pony, intelligent and gentle
Uses: Driving, children's ponies; they also make excellent trotters and jumpers
Height: 11.2 to 13 hands high
Color: Often dun or bay
Haflinger
Origins: Austria
Description: Sure-footed and tough, good tempered
Uses: Riding, driving, agriculture
Height: 14 hands high
Color: Chestnut with flaxen mane and tail
Highland
Origins: Scottish Highlands
Description: Strong and willing with striking coloring
Uses: Trekking, general riding, driving, and competing
Height: 13 to 14.2 hands high
Color: Dun, black or brown, bay, liver, chestnut with silver mane and tail
Hokkaido
Origins: Japan
Description: Hardy and strong
Uses: Trail riding, harness work
Height: 12.2 to 13 hands high
Color: Mostly solid colors
Misaki
Origins: Japan
Description: Tough breed with relatively large head, thick and flowing mane
Uses: The breed has been designated a National Natural Treasure, and the herd has become the focus of tourism
Height: 12.2 to 13.2 hands high
Color: bay, black, chestnut
Pony of the Americas
Origins: United States
Description: Well proportioned, stylish, and refined
Uses: Good child's riding pony
Height: 11.2 to 13.2 hands high
Color: Appaloosa markings
Pottock Pony
Origins: Southwest France
Description: Hardy and able to survive the most extreme conditions
Uses: Riding, competition
Height: 11 to 14.2 hands high
Color: Black, bay, brown bay, chestnut, skewbalk, or piebald
Shetland Pony
Origins: Islands north east of Scotland
Description: Tough breed with an independant and headstrong nature, needs firm handling
Uses: Riding, driving
Height: 10.2 hands high
Color: Any except spotted
Skyros Pony
Origins: Greece; now rare
Description: Small neat head, narrow body, straight shoulders, small feet
Uses: Riding
Height: 9.1 to 11 hands high
Color: Dun, bay, gray
Welsh Pony
Origins: Wales
Four Distinct Breeds:
-Section A. Maximum 12 hands high
-Section B. Maximum 13.2 hands high, excellent riding pony
-Section C. Cob type, maxiumum 13.2 hands high; good for driving
-Section D. Average height 14.2 hands high; active and strong; useful for riding and driving
Color: Any solid color
