What does ponying mean?
Ponying is the act of riding a pony and is the present participle of the verb pony. In ordinary use, it describes a rider sitting astride a pony and guiding it in a paddock, on a trail, or during lessons. The word can sound playful because pony associations include children, leisure riding, and small, sure-footed horses, although the term itself is standard rather than informal. Ponying is more specific than horseback riding because it identifies the mount involved, distinguishing it from riding a larger horse. It also refers specifically to being mounted on the animal rather than merely caring for, leading, or training it from the ground. The form is used in both British and American English and is most often encountered as an -ing form describing an activity, such as ponying around. It is especially useful where precision matters, as in descriptions of riding lessons, pony clubs, or equestrian sessions involving smaller horses.
verbTo ride a pony; to move about on ponies.
- To ride a pony, especially as a leisure or instructional activity.
"She spent the afternoon ponying around the paddock on a grey pony."
"The children spent the afternoon ponying around the paddock."
"The instructor kept the session moving by ponying each young horse around the arena."
Ponying is horseback riding with a smaller mount—and often a younger rider.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ponying come from?
Ponying is an English -ing formation based on pony. Pony entered Middle English through Anglo-Norman and Old French forms that were ultimately related to Latin pullus, meaning a young animal and by extension a foal. The modern verbal senses developed from the established noun, with ponying denoting the activity of riding such a horse.
How ponying is actually used
Standard but relatively uncommon. The form can be used transitively, as in “ponying a pony,” or intransitively, as in “ponying around.”