Pownie
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A Pownie is word that can refer tae ony horse[1] or, mair aften tae ridin horse or wee horse[2][3][4] (Equus ferus caballus). Dependin on context, a pownie mey be a horse that is unner an approximate or exact hicht at the withers or a smaw horse wi a speceefic conformation an temperament. Thare are miny different breeds. Compared tae ither horse, pownies eften exhibit thicker manes, tails an oweraw coat, as weel as proportionally shorter legs, wider baurels, hivier bane, thicker necks, an shorter heids wi braider foreheids. The wird pownie derives frae the auld French poulenet, meanin foal, a young, immatur horse, but this is nae the modren meanin; unlik a horse foal, a pownie remeens smaw whan fully grown. Houiver, on occasion, fowk who are unfameeliar wi horse mey confuise an adult pownie wi a foal.
The auncestors o maist modren pownies developed smaw statur acause thay leeved on the mairgins o leevable horse habitat. Thir smawer ainimals war domesticatit an bred for various purposes aw ower the Northren Hemisphere. Pownies war historically uised for drivin an fraucht transport, as childer's munts, for recreational ridin, an later as competitors an performers in thair awn richt. In the Industrial Revolution, particularly in Great Breetain, a signeeficant nummer war uised as pit pownies, haulin laids o coal in the mines.
Pownies are generally conseedert intelligent an friendly, awtho whiles thay an aw are descrived as stubborn or cunnin. Properly trained pownies are appropriate munts for childer that are learnin tae ride. Lairger pownies can be ridden bi adults, as pownies are uisually strang for their size. In modren uise, mony organisations define a pownie as a matur horse that meisurs less nor 14.2 haunds (58 inches, 147 cm) at the withers, but thare are a nummer o exceptions. Different organisations that uise a strict meisurment model vary frae 14 haunds (56 inches, 142 cm) tae nearly 14.3 haunds (59 inches, 150 cm). Mony breeds clessifee an ainimal as aither horse or pownie based on pedigree an phenoteep, na maiter its hicht. Some full-sized horse mey be cried pownies for various raisons o tradeetion or as a term o endearment.