The pony has been used by man for many purposes, often doing faithful work as pack animals or pulling carts. They are regarded as being very intelligent and are very versatile and adapt to many different vocations. Their smaller stature means they are often used as a children’s horse, although care should still be taken in proper training of the pony as well as the children that will be working with the pony. Experienced training goes a long way in teaching the important lessons for both the young horse and rider.
The United Kingdom is home to many breeds of ponies that have become famous around the world… the shetland pony, the exmoor pony, and the dartmoor pony are a few examples of distinguished pony breeds. There are still feral pony herds roaming free in some areas, a testament to the hardiness of the breed.