The Pony Express was a short-lived North American postal service that used horses to deliver mail quickly between the west and east coasts. The animals used were sturdy and fast, including breeds like Mustangs and Morgans, but were not actually ponies. The service significantly reduced mail transit times, but was quickly replaced by the telegraph. The Pony Express has become a symbol of the Old West and is honored in American statues and museums.
The Pony Express was a North American postal service that operated from 1860 to 1861. Although short-lived, the service highlighted the need for fast communication between the burgeoning west coast and the more settled and industrial east. In those days, the fastest transcontinental transportation was the horse, so the Pony Express needed animals that could withstand the difficult terrain and provide speed and endurance.
The stations for the post system were placed about 10 miles (16 km) apart, considered the furthest distance a horse could gallop. The animals used were chosen for their sturdiness and speed, natural qualities for some breeds. The term Pony Express is actually a misnomer, as while the animals were generally small and compact, they were actually horses.
During the 1800s, America had several varieties of workhorses available that proved useful in postal operations. Mustangs, wild horses descended from the mounts of Spanish conquistadors, were prized for their compact build and robust disposition. Morgan horses were one of the first truly American breeds, known for their versatility and strength. These breeds, along with pintos and thoroughbreds, were the pets of choice for the Pony Express.
Confusion as to whether the legendary post horses were ponies may stem from the small stature of the animals used by the company. Mustangs and Morgans are extremely well-muscled breeds, but they rarely reach more than 15 hands (5 feet or about 1.5 m). The 400 horses the company purchased averaged 14.2 hands (about 4.8 feet or 1.47 m) and most weighed about 900 pounds (408 kg). Typically, a pony is considered to be any member of the equus caballus measuring under 14.1 hands (about 4.75 feet or 1.45 m), thus making most animals too large to be true ponies.
The Pony Express was an extremely useful organization, capable of significantly reducing mail transit times. At top speed, the mail’s route could cross the country in 10 days. Until that time, the transit typically lasted from one month to six months, depending on the routes and means of transport used. Unfortunately, the service was quickly superseded by the newly invented telegraph. Though the service lasted less than two years, the Pony Express has become a fictionalized symbol of the Old West, and many American statues and museums honor the memory and ingenuity of the inventors and their sturdy workhorses.
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