Foals and Pony are not different animals, but they are horses. These are different names given to horses according to how big they have grown up in terms of height.
Key Takeaways
- Foals are young horses less than one-year-old, while ponies are small adult horses.
- Foals grow into horses or ponies based on their breed and genetics, whereas ponies maintain their small size throughout their lives.
- Foals require special care and nutrition for proper development, while ponies need standard horse care and maintenance.
Foal vs Pony
The difference between Foal and Pony is that Foal is a horse that is just a baby, and Pony is a smaller horse that is yet to be an adult horse. A Foal still drinks milk from the mother. But a Pony does not drink milk from its mother as it is a little older than a Pony; it can be independent
A foal is a horse, but it is a baby horse. It is a member of the equine family. Horses, Donkeys, Zebras and other animals like asses belong to this family.
A pony is a horse that is smaller in size when compared to a horse. There are different types of ponies just like there are different types of horses.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Foal | Pony |
|---|---|---|
| Difference in Age | It is a one-year-old horse and it is called a foul | A pony is a horse that is more than a year old |
| Size | A foal is smaller in size when compared to a pony or a horse | A pony is 158 inches tall |
| Texture of coat | A foal’s coat is smooth | A pony’s coat is a little rough and thick |
| Legs | A foals legs are thin in size | A pony’s leg is thicker in size |
| Food | They drink milk from their mother | They graze grass |
What is Foal?
A foul is a horse that is a just-born baby. It is called a foul from zero to four years of age as well. A male foul is called a “colt”, and a female foal is called a “filly”.
Weaning is a stage when the Foul stops drinking milk from its mother. ” Yearling” is another term when the Foul is one year old, it is called a yearling.
When a foul is more than three years, it is called a Stallion. When these horses mature, their terms are different. The foal is matured in the horse’s womb for about eleven months.
The foul gets all the nutrients it needs from the milk that it receives from its mother. If a foul is healthy, then they can grow quicker and stronger.
What is Pony?
A pony is a horse that is not yet mature as an adult horse. It is smaller in size when compared to an adult horse. A pony’s coat is very thick and a little rough.
A pony can be used for riding. Children or anyone who begins to learn horse riding can start with a pony. Ponies were widely utilized during the industrial revolution.
Ponies can be friendly and stubborn as well. Ponies are used for riding and as “pack beasts”. Pack beasts mean where these horses were used to carry loads from place to place.
Main Differences Between Foal and Pony
- A foal is smaller in size. Its legs are longer, tender and thinner. A pony’s legs are smaller, and it’s much thicker when compared to a foal.
- A foal is dependent and stays with the mother. A pony is not dependent; unlike a foal, it does not stay with its mother.
- https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/48/3/480/4700979
- https://www.hindawi.com/journals/archaea/2014/483574/
Last Updated : 19 August, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
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