Difference Between Shetland Pony and Miniature Horse
Apart from racing and entertainment purposes, horses can be very useful for performing different tasks on your farm houses. The size of a horse matters a lot, especially if you have put your horse in a laborious task to perform. There are actually three categories of equines, namely horse, pony and miniature. The size, strength and height of all these three categories are different. However, Shetland ponies and miniature horses look quite similar to one another. There are certain similarities between the two breeds but there are also a number of differences.
As its name suggests, Shetland Pony got its name from the native place, Shetland Islands. This pony belongs to the smallest of the horse breeds. Normally, ‘hands’ is used as the unit to measure the size of a horse but Shetland Pony is so small that it cannot be measured in ‘hands’ and often centimetres are used to determine their size.
Miniature horse is found in many countries, especially in Europe and America. This small breed looks very identical with pony but possess characteristics of horses and have various colours and coat patterns.
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Shetland Pony
About 100 small islands come under Shetland Islands but only 15 have people living on them. These islands belong to Scotland and are included in the territories of United Kingdom. The Shetland Ponies have an average height of 102cm, which can go to a maximum of 117cm and no further. Brown, black, bay, chestnut grey and spotted Shetland Ponies are seen in their native islands. Shaggy coat and a long mane are the key features of Shelton Ponies. They have very strong legs and have an average lifespan of 30 years. Shetland Ponies generally have a good-natured temperament but they can get stubborn at times as well. These strong ponies can perform a number of laborious jobs and have been used in the coal mines in 1800’s.
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Miniature Horse
The maximum height a miniature horse can reach is 38 inches. These horses eat relatively lesser than other ponies. However, miniature horses can face problems of obesity and teeth abound, and extra care is required to keep them healthy. Dwarfism is also common in pregnant miniature horses, resulting in deformities of the newborns. Miniature horses also require lesser space to occupy in the stalls.
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