 | |
| Other names | POA |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Traits | |
| Distinguishing features | Appaloosa coloring, pony size, suitable for riding |
| Breed standards | |
The Pony of Americas is a pony breed developed in the state of Iowa in the United States. The foundation stallion was an Arabian/Appaloosa/Shetland pony cross. A breed registry was founded in 1954, and within 15 years had registered 15,000 ponies. Today, the Pony of the Americas Club is one of the largest and most active youth-oriented horse breed registrie in the US. Although called ponies, POAs have the phenotype of a small horse, combining mainly Arabian and American Quarter Horse attributes. The registry is open, allowing blood from many other breeds, but has strict criteria for entry, including Appaloosa coloration, specified height and other physical characteristics. Although mainly bred for Western riding, the breed has been used for many other disciplines, including driving, endurance riding and some English disciplines.