Anglo - Arab Originated in : The UK ( also France and Poland ) ; a cross between a Thoroughbred and an Arab , with a minimum 12 % Arab blood Height : Usually 16 to 16 . 3 hands high Colour : All solid colours ( ie bay , black , brown , chestnut and grey ) Characteristics : Brave and intelligent . Physical characteristics vary , some show more Arab characteristics , others more Thoroughbred . Used for : Dressage , jumping and eventing . Cleveland BayOriginated in : Cleveland , North East England Height : Usually 15 . 2 to 17 hands high Colour : Always bay ; no white markings on the legs . Characteristics : Intelligent , bold and honest . Hardy ; with excellent stamina . Used for : Eventing , show jumping and driving . Breed status : Critical ; ( 1997 RBST survey - only 150 registered adult females ) . Clydesdale Originated in : Lanarkshire , Scotland Height : 16 . 2 to 18 hands high Colour : Bay , brown , black or roan . White face , legs and feet are common . Characteristics : Powerful ; swift stepping with a long free stride . Long silky feathers . Brave and willing ' gentle giants '. Used for : Historically used for haulage of wagons and agricultural implements . Now mainly bred for showing ; also riding and driving . Breed status : At risk ; ( 1997 RBST survey - 500 registered adult females ) . Connemara Pony Originated in : Connemara , County Galway , Ireland Height : 13 to 14 . 2 hands high Colour : Grey ( most common ) , black , brown , bay and dun . Characteristics : Intelligent , manageable and exceptionally kind ; hardy and sure - footed ; good jumping ability . Used for : Riding , jumping and driving . Dales Pony Originated in : Eastern Pennines , England Height : Ideally 14 to 14 . 2 hands high Colour : Usually black , also bay , brown , grey and occasionally roan . The only white markings allowed are a star and / or snip and white hind coronet or fetlocks . Characteristics : Alert , intelligent and calm . Good strength and stamina . Extravagant stepping action . Used for : Riding and driving . Breed status : Vulnerable ; ( 1997 RBST survey - 800 registered adult females ) . Dartmoor Pony Originated in : Dartmoor in Devon , England Height : Up to 12 . 2 hands high Colour : Bay , black and brown are preferred . Grey , chestnut and roan are permitted , however piebalds and skewbalds are barred and excessive white markings are discouraged . Characteristics : Kind , willing and sensible ; hardy and surefooted ; ideal child ' s first pony . Used for : Riding and driving . Breed status : Vulnerable ; ( 1997 RBST survey - 330 registered adult females ) . Eriskay Pony Originated in : Eriskay , Outer Hebrides Height : 12 to 13 . 2 hands high Colour : Grey ; sometimes black or bay . ( Foals are often born brown or black and turn grey with maturity ) . Characteristics : Hardy with great stamina ; kind - natured - make excellent family ponies . Used for : Riding and driving . Breed status : Critical ; ( 1997 RBST survey - only 100 registered adult females ) . Exmoor Pony Originated in : Exmoor , Somerset / Devon borders , England Height : Up to 12 . 3 hands high Colour : Brown , bay or dun . All have ' mealy ' ( cream - coloured ) muzzle . No white markings of any kind . Characteristics : Intelligent , alert and kind - natured . Strong and hardy , with a double - layered winter coat . Used for : Riding , driving , trekking and riding for the disabled . Breed status : Endangered . only around 200 are living freely on Exmoor . Fell Pony Originated in : Cumbria ( the Lake District ) Height : Up to 14 hands high Colour : Black ( most common ) , bay , brown and grey . Characteristics : Strong , sure - footed and versatile . Ponies are good - natured , with a lively and alert appearance . They are known for their great energy and stamina . Used for : Riding , trekking and driving . Breed status : Endangered ( 1997 RBST survey - 400 registered adult females ) . During the past 20 years the breed has been threatened by a clinical syndrome known as Fell pony immunocompromising disorder , which causes certain death in young foals . The Fell Pony Society and pony breeders are working hard to identify carriers of the disease and eliminate it . Hackney Originated in : The UK ; a combination of Arab , Thoroughbred and Norfolk Trotter ( now extinct ) bloodlines Height : 14 to 16 hands high Colour : Bay , black , brown or chestnut . Characteristics : Alert head with high stepping action in both front and back legs ; excellent stamina . Used for : Carriage driving . Breed status : Vulnerable ( 2002 stud book data - 499 registered adult females ) Hackney Pony Originated in : The UK ; Hackney horses were crossed with Fell and Welsh Ponies . Height : 12 . 2 to 14 hands high Colour : Bay , black , brown or chestnut . Characteristics : Alert head with high stepping action in both front and back legs ; hardy with typical pony personalities . Used for : Carriage driving . Highland Pony Originated in : Western Isles and mainland of Scotland Height : 13 to 14 . 2 hands high Colour : A range of duns ; also grey , black and brown . Many ponies have a dorsal stripe . Characteristics : Quiet , intelligent and responsive . Used for : Riding . Breed status : Vulnerable ( RBST - less than 900 registered adult females ) . Irish Draught Originated in : Ireland Height : 15 to 17 hands high Colour : Any solid colour ; white leg above knees or hocks is not encouraged . Characteristics : Powerful , with plenty of stamina ; intelligent with a gentle nature . Used for : Riding , particularly hunting , show jumping and eventing . Breed status : Critical ( 1997 RBST survey - 120 registered adult females ) New Forest Pony Originated in : New Forest , Hampshire Height : 12 - 14 . 2 hands high Colour : Any solid colour ; white markings are permitted . Characteristics : Intelligent , willing and docile . Hardy with plenty of endurance . Used for : Riding - particularly children ' s ponies - and driving . Shetland Pony Originated in : The Shetland Isles Height : Up to 42 inches ( smallest native breed in UK ) . Colour : Any , except spotted ponies . Black is most common . Characteristics : Extremely hardly , sure - footed and adaptable ; considered strongest breed ( for its size ) . Conformation : Small ears , broad foreheads and open nostrils ; deep body and short , strong legs . Ponies have abundant manes and tails and a " double coat " in winter , which keeps their skin dry . Used for : Mainly riding and driving , sometimes kept as pets . Shire Orginated in : Midlands ( central ) counties , England Height : Average 17 . 2 hands high Colour : Black , brown , bay and grey . Characteristics : The largest ' heavy horse ' breed : great strength and stamina ; gentle and kind . Long feathers on the legs . Used for : Haulage and riding . Breed status : Traditional ( 1997 RBST survey - 1 , 000 registered adult females ) Suffolk Punch Originated in : East Anglia , England Height : 16 . 1 to 17 . 1 hands high Colour : Chesnut ( traditionally spelt ) . There are seven shades - bright , red , golden , yellow , light , dark and dull dark . A star , stripe or blaze are the only white markings allowed . Characteristics : A compact ' heavy horse ' with a muscular , crested neck and deep body ; no feathers on the legs . Kind and honest ; strong and hardy . Used for : Haulage , particularly timber ; traditionally agricultural work . Breed status : Critical ( 1997 RBST survey - only 70 registered adult females ) Thoroughbred Originated in : England ( All thoroughbreds can be traced back to three foundation sires : the Darley Arabian , the Byerley Turk and the Godolphin Arabian ) . Height : 14 . 2 to 17 . 3 hands high Colour : Bay , brown , black , chestnut or grey . Characteristics : Fast , bold and active . Physique varies slightly according to type , but generally has a fine , straight face , long neck , short back and a good length of leg . Can be flighty and high - spirited . Used for : Racing , riding , showing , hunting and eventing . Welsh Ponies Originated in : Wales Colour : Any solid colour ( not piebald or skewbald ) . Sections : The Welsh Pony Stud Book is divided into four sections : A to D . Welsh Mountain Pony - Section A Height : Not to exceed 12 hands high Characteristics : Intelligent , hardy and spirited . Used for : Riding and driving . Welsh Pony - Section B Height : Up to 13 . 2 hands high Characteristics : Intelligent , spirited and kind . Used for : Riding . Welsh Pony ( Section C ) & Cob ( Section D ) HeightSection C : Not exceeding 13 . 2 hands high Section D : Should exceed 13 . 2 hands high - no upper limit . Characteristics : Active , surefooted and hardy . Used for : Riding and driving .