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Step 1
Know that the Pony of the Americas breed was created in 1954 by breeding an Appaloosa/Arabian mare to a Shetland Pony stallion.
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Step 2
Understand that POAs are intended to be ridden and shown by children. Adults may show them in halter, driving and limited riding classes.
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Step 3
Decide what you want your POA to do. They excel in a variety of disciplines: halter, showmanship, pleasure, hunters, driving, gaming, endurance, trail, etc.
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Step 4
Decide how much training you can do yourself (if any) and look at ponies with appropriate training histories.
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Step 5
Realize that while the coat pattern is attractive, the pony's abilities, training and personality should be a good fit first and foremost.
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Step 6
Decide which color pattern you prefer.
POA come in several patterns: mostly white over their loins and hips with dark, egg-shaped spots, white over the loins and hips without spots, or white bodies with spots. Their coat markings are similar to that of an Appaloosa. -
Step 7
The POA stand between 11.2 to 14 hands at the withers and typically weigh 750 to 950 pounds.
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Step 8
Registering a POA foal requires that one of the parents be a registered POA and the other be either a registered POA, from an approved breed, or a grade horse or pony that has been identified for breeding purposes with the Pony of the Americans Club.
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Step 9
Understand that to register a pony of unknown lineage it must be at least two years old and meet color and height requirements to be considered for hardship registration.
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Step 10
Beware that ponies with Paint, pinto or albino parentage or markings cannot be registered.
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Step 11
POAs have mottled skin, particularly around the nose, well-muscled shoulders and forearms, deep chest, refined and slightly dished head, large prominent eyes with white around them, short back, long belly and vertical black-and-white stripes on their hooves.
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Step 12
Choose the POA because it is gentle and easy to train. They excel at trail riding, endurance, driving, gymkhana, dressage, ranch work and hunting.
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Step 13
Realize that the POA tiny stature can make finding well-fitting tack difficult.
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Step 14
Watching the POA weight is always a concern.
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Step 15
Know that ponies are often at a higher risk of laminitis (a severe inflammation of the foot that causes great pain and deformation). This makes managing their diet and exercise especially important.
