Horses and ponies are the same subspecies: Equus ferus caballus. By definition a pony is a breed of horse below a specific average height (the precise measurement varying with the association you ask.)
Similarly, wolves are Canis lupus and domestic dogs are a subspecies thereof, Canis lupus familiaris.
The only reason we don’t call dogs wolves (p.s. some people do) is because these are all common English terms with their own connotations that don’t follow a consistent system. Horse and pony are roughly synonymous in normal English usage as the only difference is how cute they’re considered, whereas dog and wolf are not as wolf connotes wild ruggedness and dog connotes tameness and loyalty.
Incorrect.
Horses and ponies are the same subspecies: Equus ferus caballus. By definition a pony is a breed of horse below a specific average height (the precise measurement varying with the association you ask.)
Similarly, wolves are Canis lupus and domestic dogs are a subspecies thereof, Canis lupus familiaris.
The only reason we don’t call dogs wolves (p.s. some people do) is because these are all common English terms with their own connotations that don’t follow a consistent system. Horse and pony are roughly synonymous in normal English usage as the only difference is how cute they’re considered, whereas dog and wolf are not as wolf connotes wild ruggedness and dog connotes tameness and loyalty.
But scientifically, they are the same thing.
Edited