Gee, I didn't know there were mini-ponies apart from mini-horses. Your photos do definitely look ponyish, much heavier build than the mini-horses our friend breeds. They look bigger too, unless your friend is a tiny, tiny lady. They are so very, very pretty.
Yes, I'm curious too, do they drive them? We met folks at a ploughing match who show a 4 horse hitch of Belgians and a 4 horse hitch of Shetland Ponies. The Shetlands are chestnut so they match the Belgians. The lady laughed when I suggested they should get some Halfflingers too, for an in-between size. Exactly the idea she had but her hubby wouldn't go for it. How many equines can one afford to feed, house and care for just for fun?