In a nutshell, Miniature Horses are defined by their height. Although they were
bred down from small Shetland ponies the
Miniature Horse is not the same as a pony. There are many descriptions that
separate the two. A pony is a horse that is shorter than 58 inches at the top of the shoulders. Most ponies look different from riding horses. They have wide, strong bodies. Their necks are usually muscular, and their legs are short for their size. There are many kinds of ponies, some taller than others,
some more refined. The Welsh pony can be 58 inches tall.
The American Shetland, on the other hand, isn't taller than 46 inches. The miniature horse is something different. First of all, it is shorter than the smallest ponies.
A mini must be no taller than 34 inches, measured at the top of the shoulders,
at the last mane hair where the mane ends. A full-grown mini weighs between 150 and 250 pounds.
Miniature horses are measured differently from ponies. They are measured in
terms of inches as opposed to the latter which are measured in terms of hands (1
hand = 4 inches). For mini horses, the maximum height is 38 inches. Pony height
normally ranges from 9.2 to 14.2 hands.
Because of their small size, miniature horses eat less than ponies. By contrast,
ponies being generally taller and bigger than minis, need to enjoy a bigger
living space for them to run around a bit. Pony stalls should be at least 10 x
10 feet in dimension. Also one pony, maybe two, is to be given an entire acre of
land space while 3 to 4 minis can enjoy that same area of land.
Ponies have thicker fur coats. Their mane and tails are also more prominent than
in minis. They are bulkier looking than minis because of their dense bone, round
bodies, well-sprung ribs, and large eyes. The Shetland pony is generally known
to be hotter than a Miniature Horse. Generally, ponies live for 25 to 30 years
with an exception for some that can extend far more than that. Like minis, they
are also quite friendly and intelligent.
The different "types" found in minis include Quarter Horses, Arabians, Morgans and Drafts.
Although some minis resemble ponies, the goal of miniature horse breeders is to create a
"tiny horse", with everything about it the same as a full-sized horse, only smaller.
They should not have short legs, thick necks, or big bellies.
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