3 Best Pony Breeds for Children

February 11, 2021

Many children dream of having a pony. But if you decide to get your child a horse, you want to make sure it will work well with young kids. Here are three of the best ponies for kids.

Appaloosa

The Appaloosa is identifiable by its spotted fur and calm personality. Often, kids must learn to be gentle around animals, and not all animals have the patience to deal with children. For that reason, the Appaloosas are among the top horses for kids because they are so patient and calm.

Shetland Pony

Shetland Ponies are small breed horses, at only 40 inches high. These ponies have the right temperament to work with kids, and their size is appropriate for a child. Because of the incredibly short stature of Shetland Ponies, they are safely ridable by small children. 

However, one thing to note is that these ponies cannot carry more than 70 pounds, so the ponies are only suitable for very young children.

Pony of the Americas

One of the best pony breeds for kids, sometimes called the “family breed” of horses, is the Pony of the Americas. The Pony of the Americas often has fluffy and multicolored fur and patient, forgiving temperament. 

It also is small enough so that a child could ride safely, without the minuscule size of the Shetland Pony.

Final Thoughts

To work with a kid, a horse most importantly has to be calm and forgiving, and if possible smaller so that there is less risk of injury from a potential fall from its back. 

Most ponies have these soft temperaments and small statures, but the Appaloosa, the Shetland, and the Pony of the Americas are three of the best kid-friendly horses.

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