All children dream of one day owning a pony of their own.  And for many children a pony will make an excellent mount, even for a child of up to thirteen to fourteen years of age.  There are many benefits that ponies offer to children that a small horse doesn’t.

Many children are not able to ride a horse with the proper amount of leg contact that they require.  On a small horse they are not able to get their legs around the horse so that they can be used properly as aids.  On a pony, however, they are able to get their legs around the pony and ride properly and with the full strength of their legs.  A well-trained pony will also be less excitable than a horse and can be a good and wise mount that will aid children in developing their leg aids.  Ponies also offer the opportunity to learn how to properly care for the pony and will prepare them for the responsibility of horse ownership throughout their lives.  There are several breeds of ponies that are still popular for children today, here is a look at two of the most popular.

The Shetland is the best known of the pony breeds.  The pony originated in the Shetland Islands about two hundred miles north of Scotland.  The pony adapted to the environment by growing a shaggy coat, heavy mane and is also responsible for the small size of the pony.  Many Shetlands still display these characteristics today.  The American-bred Shetland pony appears to be more of an English type horse.  He has a better gait and more slender legs than the Scottish ponies that lived on the rough terrain of the islands.  The Shetland is a small pony at an average of about 10 hands or 40-46 inches, as most ponies are measured in inches rather than hands.  They may also weigh from 250 to 500 pounds.  They are considered colts until they are about 3 years old.  These ponies are suitable for western, English and even fine harness.

The Welsh Pony is another popular breed.  These ponies resemble miniature Arabians in appearance and have the same delicate head and graceful limbs.  It has long been believed that the breed was developed by an accidental mating of a Thoroughbred stallion and Welsh mares in 1825, resulting in a smaller horse of about 12 to 14 hands.  In the United States, the ponies are developed into two groups.  One groups is the Mountain pony type and are under 12.2 hands and the larger riding pony of up to 14 hands.  These ponies generally have calm temperaments and are excellent for hunting, dressage, jumping, western and pleasure riding.