A pony is smaller than a horse. The two most common are the Shetland and Welsh pony. Shetland ponies, which were bred as draught horses, are stocky and only about 1 metre in height. They usually have a thick black coat, and are ideal for small properties. Their usual role is as a child’s first pony, or an adult’s show or harness pony. They can live to around 30 years of age. The Welsh pony, probably from prehistoric Celtic pony origins, is 1.2–1.4 metres in height. They usually look like small horses in body shape, although some are heavier and more compact.

Here, a child sits side saddle on a Shetland pony, while a man on a horse looks on, in about 1930.