Paladin Prestige Class?

[Elwindil]

I'm currently in a 3.5 game playing an Elf Paladin of Ehlonna, and I'm looking to start setting up for a prestige class of some sort, but I'm not really sure which way to go with it...I'm looking for some suggestions that will allow me to retain as much of the paladin awesomeness, like smite evil, turn undead, and spells without sacrificing the ability to tank and deal melee damage. I'm level 4 right now and I'd like to be able to get the paladin mount before starting to multiclass, and I think some of the higher level paladin pluses like the BAB and such are nice, but I'm not really sure what would be a decent PrC or even if there is one that would fit the playstyle I have, I'm LG but not a jerk about it, honorable but not stupid and I have decent stats, even with the -Con modifier.

[Sian]

without sacrificing the ability to tank

... What ability to tank? ... the only classes that even tries having one such is Knight and Crusader (... well, Ardent, Devoted Defender (PrC) and Maquar Crusader (PrC) can do it as well, and streching the definitions of 'tanking' Dragonfire Adept as well) ...

That said, Fist of Raziel from Book of Exalted Deeds might be right up your alley, which have a distinct focus on making smites much more efficient and used more often

[ComaVision]

Assuming tanking means good at staying alive, the Hellreaver (Fiendish Codex II) might be what you're looking for. It gets some pretty decent swift healing abilities and gets extra damage against evil creatures.