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Days in Horse Country – Pony of the Americas
An Appaloosa in miniature, the Pony of the Americas, or
POA, is a popularmount for children.
The breed began quite by accident in Iowa when a Shetland pony stallion was accidentally allowed to mate with an Appaloosa mare. The resulting foal, an attractive black and white colt, named Black Hand because of the handprint-like marking on his flank, became the foundation sire of the breed.
When the Pony of the Americas Club was first created in 1954, Black Hand was the only pony registered with the group. Today almost 50,000 POAs are listed with the club. The breed is mostly found in the United States, but an affiliate club has been established in Germany.
Fans of the breed attribute this growing success to the fact that the POA is the ultimate child’s pony because of its outstanding disposition. The breed’s versatility is also a big selling feature. POAs have been shown in hunter/jumpers, Western, three-day eventing, dressage, driving, and other disciplines.
POAs come in a variety of pony sizes, usually standing
from 11 to 14 hands. They come in a
variety of Appaloosa colours and patterns, and feature Western stock-horse
conformation.
Michael