Laura Marsh - Ponies

For Alec

L.F.M.

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Published by the National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C. 20036. All rights reserved.
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Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4263-0849-9
Library Binding ISBN: 978-1-4263-0850-5

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Printed in the United States of America
15/WOR/4

Q Why couldnt the
pony sing?

A Because its voice was
a little hoarse!

A pony is a kind of horse.

Horses and ponies are measured in
hands. Most pony breeds are
14.2 hands or shorter.

= equals four inches

Horse

L
E
G
S

long legs

B
O
D
Y

sleek body

H
E
I
G
H
T

tall

Pony

short legs

wide body

short

Its springtime. A mare gives birth to
a baby pony. The baby is called a foal.
Welcome, little one!

Pony Word

MARE:
A female horse

All ponies are called
foals in the first year.

Then young female
ponies are called fillies.

Young male ponies
are called colts.

Q What did the pony
say when it fell?

A Ive fallen and I cant
giddy up!

There are many kinds of ponies
all over the world.

Some pony breeds have
been around for many,
many years. Others are
newer breeds.

Pony Word

BREED: A group
of animals that
have similar
features and
look alike

Section A Welsh
Mountain Pony

Exmoor Pony

Dartmoor Pony

Assateague Pony

Connemara Pony

Norwegian Fjord Pony

palomino

spotted

blue roan

chestnut

Ponies come in lots of colors.
They can have spotted coats, too.

bright bay

skewbald

dapple grey

brown

Some ponies have white patches
of hair. These are called markings.

A ponys feet can have a sock
or stocking.

sock

stocking

A ponys head can
have a blaze, a star,
a snip, or a stripe.

blaze

star

snip

stripe

There are still wild ponies today.

A herd of wild ponies lives in
Maryland and Virginia, U.S.A.

They are called the Chincoteague
and Assateague ponies.

Chincoteague?
Say SHING- keh- teeg