About the Pony of the Americas Breed

The Pony of the Americas Breed was started in Iowa in 1954. The first foal registered was from an Arab/Appaloosa mare bred to a Shetland stallion.

To be registered as a POA, strict guidelines were followed. The pony had to be between the height limits of 44 inches to 52 inches. The head was to be small and dished as the Arab; the body was to be muscled as the Quarter Horse; and the coloring had to be Appaloosa, visible at 40 feet. The requirements for registry also included mottled skin, striped hooves and white sclera in the eyes.

The registry went from Black Hand POA #1 in 1954 to 1996's registry of over 40,000. The height limit of the breed increased to 46 inches and 54 inches in 1963. It was about this time the Shetland began to disappear from the POA breeding program. Larger ponies like the Welsh and small horses like the wild mustang and the Arab were combined with Indian ponies, Quarter Horses and Appaloosas by the breeders to achieve that "little horse" look. The membership voted in 1985 to again raise the upper height limit to 56 inches beginning in 1986.

The POA is very intelligent, easily trained in any discipline, athletic and yet very gentle in disposition and nature. The POA truly is the breed "that can do it all". For a more complete history visit www.poac.org/ breed/history.htm.