"Like with like"

One of the lasting controversies at model horse shows is whether or not certain breeds are horses or ponies. I have pointed out that whatever they are called, in genetic studies, Fjords and Icelandics cluster with breeds widely understood to be ponies. 

I wrote about one of those studies in 2011 for the Equine Tapestry blog. There are different ways to evaluate genetic relationships, and some breeds shift around depending on the method or the sampling set. The connection between Icelandics, Fjords, and Shetland Ponies is remarkably consistent.

Not only do these breeds cluster together, but they are genetically distant from most other breeds. Sources can be found here (left) and here (right). 

Even without genetic testing, the body shapes tell the same story. Here are four silhouettes of grade horses that happen to be pony-sized (under 14.2 hands). 

The horses in this group were collected at random from online sales sites between 2016 and 2017.

Here are four Fjords. Like the grade horses in the first picture, they were randomly selected based on the criteria described above: standing straight with visible legs and hooves. 

The Fjords in this group were collected at random from the pedigree site sukuposti.net.

Look closely at the proportions and angles of the head, neck, and shoulder. They are typical of many pony breeds. To better illustrate this, I’ll swap out the images on the right side for a Shetland Pony (top) and one of the grade horses (bottom). 

Notice that when ponies are enlarged to the same size as horses, they appear more massive.

The proportions and angles on the Fjords are closer to those of the Shetland than the grade horse. That’s why a model like Breyer’s Stablemate Fjord Lyric has a body shape suited to a wide range of pony breeds, but does not make a convincing horse. Meanwhile, a Stablemate-scale mold that has a generic horse shape, like Prince Charming, would not make a convincing Fjord.  

Variation among ponies

There are pony breeds that have more horse-like proportions. This often happens when ponies are bred for dressage or jumping. Austrian-bred Haflingers are a good example. Here is the stallion Woodland with his silhouette. 

There are still traces of pony type there. For some breeds, retaining “pony type”—especially the head—is prioritized even when a more refined “riding” pony is the goal. However, sport pony breeds do tend to have a different body shape than traditional pony breeds. 

One of the changes that I have advocated for with the new breed list is splitting the Pony section based on these differences. At the moment, shows tend to split ponies based on regional origin. Using body shape, one possible class could be “Traditional Ponies” for breeds with true pony proportions. In a class like that, a judge might expect to see molds like these. 

Breyer's 2025 Premier Release "Rowan" and Regular Run "GTC Blazing Ethel"

Meanwhile, ponies like the Austrian Haflingers would have a class for “Riding Ponies.” Molds like Breyer’s German Riding Pony would fit there. 

Breyer Winterfest "Mouse" (braided version of the German Riding Pony mold)

With regional splits, all three of these models would go in (often quite crowded) UK Pony class. 

If someone chose to show Rowan as a Nordland—which is a reasonable breed assignment for that mold in that color—then he would go in the European Pony class. The Blazing Ethel and Mouse would stay in the UK Pony class together despite being quite different in type.

Analyzing breeds using silhouettes can reveal surprising, and sometimes uncomfortable, truths about what breeds look like. Even so, I believe that prioritizing body type when setting up classes increases the chance that judges will be evaluating “like with like.” I also think that when showers and judges encounter an unfamiliar breed in a class, having the sections and subsections tied to body type provides some basic information.  

The Breed List

I plan to post the official breed list to this blog over the weekend. There will be two versions: my suggested list in PDF form and an editable list in DOC form. Showholders are welcome to use either one based on their needs. Once they are up, posts covering each section in more detail will follow. I want to stress that the list simply groups breeds based on their body shape, genetic relationships, and traditions (use and turnout). It does not offer a suggested classlist. I wanted to keep the information simple. I also believe that is something showholders are best suited to decide, based on what shows in their region and what matters most to their entrants. However, I will discuss some of the options in those posts because I believe that conversation has value. So please feel free to comment when the time comes!