Horses come in all sorts sizes, shapes and colors. Horses are bred to create specific characteristics – this is what is meant by a Horse Breed. Ponies are horses that are under 14.2 hands high and have their own breeds. Horses are 14.2 hands high and taller, they come in three main types of breeds: Hot Blooded, Cold Blooded and Warm Blooded. It would take a huge book to discuss all the different breeds of horses, here is a list of some of more popular or unusual breeds:
Often used as the first horse for a child to learn to ride on, ponies are known for their calm, gentle and intelligent natures. Pony breeds make up some of the oldest domesticated horse breeds in the world. Ponies have worked with humans for thousands of years and are renown for their strength and health.
There are over a 100 different breeds of ponies. Here are some of the most popular:
One of the oldest breeds of horses in the world is the Exmoor. These rare breeds come from Exmoor in southwest England and date back to the last Ice Age. They stand at 12.2hh to 12.3hh (hands high) but are strong enough to carry a grown adult.
Exmoors are usually a mousy dun color, with light mealy–colored areas around the inside of their legs, the underbelly, muzzle and eyes. The eyes of an Exmoor are hooded with a light ring around it called a "toad" eye.
Bred in the Shetland Isles off the north coast of Scotland, Shetland Ponies have been bred since the Bronze Age in this rocky land known for its harsh weather with little food to forage. Known for their hardiness and short stature (11hh at most), Shetland Ponies were used for pulling carts and plowing fields.
The harsh conditions of the Shetland Isles have created ponies that are hardy and strong. They have a small head with wide spaced eyes and small alert ears. Shetland ponies are known for their springy stride, long thick manes and tails, and a dense double winter coat. They can stand anywhere between 7 and 11.2 hands high (hh). They come in a variety of colors with the exception leopards spots or champagne coloring.