ETYM Written also poney.
1. Any of various breeds of small gentle horses usually less than five feet high at the shoulder.
2. A range horse of the western United States.
3. An informal term for a racehorse.
4. A literal translation used in studying a foreign language (often used illicitly); SYN. trot, crib.
Small horse under 1.47 m/4.5 ft (14.2 hands) shoulder height. Although of Celtic origin, all the pony breeds have been crossed with thoroughbred and Arab stock, except for the smallest— the hardy Shetland, which is less than 105 cm/42 in shoulder height.