Ponies are typically referred to in collective nouns such as a string, a marmalade, and a herd. The collective noun ‘string’ is derived from the fact that ponies are often kept in groups of three or four, and the term ‘string’ is used to refer to the group of ponies as a whole. The collective noun ‘marmalade’ is thought to have originated from the fact that ponies often graze in large groups, resembling a marmalade of animals. Finally, the collective noun ‘herd’ is used to refer to a large group of ponies, typically numbering in the hundreds.
