Why 'pony'

[oconnor69]

I was just having a conversation with non diving buddy and mentioned I'm considering getting a Pony. After the obvious quips he asked why a small cylinder and reg is called a pony.
Does anyone know?

 

[Nemrod]

I call it a buddy bottle.

N

 

[shoredivr]

It's not your main, large horse (tank)

 

[oconnor69]

[It's not your main, large horse (tank)]

That was my guess but then why 'large horse'?

 

[akscubainst]

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source
po·ny (pō'n&#275 Pronunciation Key
n. pl. po·nies

Any of several types or breeds of horses that are small in size when full grown, such as the Shetland pony.

Informal A racehorse.
Sports A polo horse.
Something small for its kind, especially a small glass for beer or liqueur.
A word-for-word translation of a foreign language text, especially one used secretly by students as an aid in studying or test-taking. Also called crib, trot.
Chiefly British The sum of 25 pounds.

Similar to a small keg being called a "pony keg"

DM

 

[oconnor69]

Ah... thank you Dave, just what I wanted. Never thought of checking the dictionary, thought it would be something historical.

 

[daniel f aleman]

A pony is half a keg, or a quarter of a barrel.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Pony:


Mr. George Garrison invented the "Spare air" in his dive shop in Fountain Valley California about 30-35 years ago. George received an offer he couldn't refuse and sold out to the present owner and immediately retired to the mountains of California and the desert of Baja California, never to work again.

George was a world class free diver and spear fisherman, concentrating on the then legal Black Sea Bass and the elusive White Sea Bass. After spearing the large fish it was necessary to encourage the fish to the surface, a practice commonly called "horsing."

George's invention was intended as a breathing aid to be used in the process of horsing fish to the surface; it was not a full scuba unit , so it became a Pony to ride while horsing a fish.

Nothing more --nothing less

Cheers from California where it all began,

sdm

 

[texdiveguy]

A pony is half a keg, or a quarter of a barrel.

That is great!!!!!

 

[Charlie59]

Mule was already taken?