Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Perissodactyla

Family: Equidae

Genus: Equus

Specimen Description

A Pony’s hoof may look like a solid object, tough and hard all the way through. However, The hoof is made up of several different layers and structures, each with a specific function. There are three bones inside the hoof. The longest is the short pastern bone that extends down from the long pastern bone in the pony’s leg. The largest bone within the hoof is the pedal or coffin bone. Within this bone are many minuscule passageways for blood vessels and nerves. Beneath the junction of the short pastern bone and the coffin bone sits the small navicular bone. Several tendons and ligaments run down from the leg and attach to the bones within the foot. Surrounding these bones is the sensitive laminae. This is a layer of tissue that carries blood to all the components of the hoof. Beneath the sensitive laminae and bone structures sits the digital cushion. This is a rubbery pad of tissue that forms the heel of the hoof and helps absorb the shock as the horse’s hoof makes contact with the ground.

About the Animal

Ponies are small horses. Ponies have thicker manes and tails than horses, they also have proportionally shorter legs, thicker necks and shorter heads. Well trained ponies are good for children while they are learning to ride,as well as for riding, ponies are used in driving and working roles. Young ponies are called foals. Shetland ponies are small but very strong. Ponies, requiring half the food that a horse would if it was the same weight. Pound for pound, ponies are stronger than horses. Miniature horses are even smaller than ponies.

Reference:

http://www.ironfreehoof.com/horse-hoof-anatomy.html

https://www.thespruce.com/learn-the-parts-of-the-hoof-and-their-functions-1887332

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/pony.html