CONTENTS Your pony from head to tail Traditional pony breeds Find your perfect pony A place to live Bedding down and tacking up Welcome home Feeding your new friend Everyday care Pony behavior Pony health problems Training Fun and games Pony quiz Quiz answers Learning more Glossary and Index 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 31 32
yOUR PONy FROM HEAD TO TAIL A pony is a small horse They are tough intelligent and not too difficult to take care of Ponies make wonderful family pets Withers The bony ridge between a pony’s shoulder blades A pony is measured from the ground to the highest point of the withers Tail A pony uses its tail for balance to express itself and to swish away insects Hock Similar to a human’s ankle Fetlock The joint above the hoof 4 Frog The triangular part on the bottom of the hoof
Ears Ponies can swivel their ears and pick up sounds all around them The sensitive area just behind the ears is called the poll Mane The thick hair that grows from the top of a pony’s neck to its withers The mane helps to keep the pony warm drains water away from the pony when it rains and offers some protection from insects Eyes A pony’s eyes are on either side of its head This creates a blind spot directly in front of and behind the pony Muzzle This area is very sensitive It includes the mouth chin lips and nose PONY FACTS Cannon The part of the leg between the hock and the fetlock The unit of measurement for a pony is called a hand Originally a hand referred to the width of a person’s hand Today a hand is 4 inches 10 2 cm across A pony stands less than 58 inches 147 cm tall That is 14 2 hands which is read as 14 hands and 2 inches 5 cm 5
