Are ponies tougher than horses?

French researchers say so.

Speaking about the ways we can preserve the welfare and sanity of riding lesson horses, Dr. Clémence Lesimple said that poor riding technique has the greatest impact on the presence of injuries, and it also has an effect on stereotypy development. (ie. cribbing and weaving).

“Frequent forage feeding, regular free time in the paddock with other horses, straw bedding, and good riding techniques are also  critical elements for promoting equine welfare in riding facilities,” she said.

“We often hear that ponies are more robust than horses, and our study shows for the first time that they are less inclined to develop signs of poor welfare and that they are more resistant to deleterious equitation.”

Deleterious equitation means bad riding. A clashing of cues.

Ponies seem to roll with it.

 Anyone have a resilient pony story?