Who doesn’t remember their first pony? Oftentimes a wily, obstinate furball, a first pony can still be a fun companion and a great teacher. But there’s been a trend during the past decade, with “sport” ponies breaking new ground in terms of pony popularity and competitive opportunities.

Good Things In Small Packages

Visually, sport ponies look more like small horses in terms of conformation, and while there are breed variations, they usually fall between 13.2 and 14.2 hands high. Considered a type rather than a breed, sport ponies can be purebred (such as Welsh or Connemara) or crossbred with mixed horse and pony bloodlines. Increasingly used for the Olympic disciplines of dressage, jumping, and eventing as well as driving, they’re gaining acceptance as more than youth mounts.

Anna Goebel, publisher of Sport Horse MARKETPLACE, a quarterly publication for the sport horse community, says that ponies for dressage weren’t even on her radar fifteen years ago. “The hunter divisions always had jumping ponies for kids, but we’re now seeing a big increase

PHOTO: Meghan Benge

in ponies being used in dressage, as well as by adults in all the sport horse disciplines,” she says. A licensed dressage technical delegate (TD) with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) for ten years, Goebel attended the first USEF training course in how to correctly measure a pony’s height. She says that was only six years ago.

“We’re seeing more women coming back to horses after time away to have careers or raise families, and when you’re five feet tall, wrestling with a 17 hand horse just isn’t fun,” she says. Goebel feels that sport ponies are often less complicated than larger horses, another bonus for busy owners. “They’re sturdy, willing, sensitive, smart, and very handy. They can be more economical, and easier to train and manage, especially if you have limited time to devote to riding,” she says.

Hey, There’s a Pony In My Cup

While pony-specific competitions have long existed in Europe, some are just getting off the ground in the U.S. One annual event exclusively for ponies is the National Dressage Pony Cup (NDPC), held near Cincinnati, Ohio, in early August.

Co-founder Donna Kuck says they started the event to bring attention to the abilities of sport ponies. “Jennifer Carol and I started the NDPC in 2008, loosely basing our show on New York’s East Coast Pony Cup. We felt that if there was an event featuring ponies, it would be beneficial for people who want to concentrate on their pony’s skills in dressage,” says Kuck.

The 2009 NDPC featured in-hand classes for 31 individual pony breeds, as well as all levels of ridden dressage tests; their “Pony Only Breed Classes” were the first to be sanctioned by the USEF.

A successful sport pony breeder herself, Kuck thinks the show will have a positive impact on the pony market. “We’ve had steady sales of trained ponies even in slumping markets over the past twelve years and for decent prices as well. If there are opportunities to compete in a national spotlight, against other ponies as well as horses, it might encourage breeders to produce warmblood-type dressage mounts for children and small adults, and perhaps encourage more professionals to consider training and showing ponies in their barns as well,” she says.

Not Just For Kids Anymore

A brand-new pony jumping and breed event can also put a little green into pony breeder pockets. The North American Pony Futurity’s (NAPF) inaugural show was held this past July; over $6,000 in prize money was distributed to nominated stallions and their offspring, plus $3,500 through their pony Derby. An incentive fund modeled on the International Hunter Futurity, the NAPF event was held at the Old Dominion Horse Show and North American Championship in Richmond, Virginia, with classes ranging from costume pony hunt teams to in-hand pony breeding classes, plus “AA” rated hunter classes.

NAPF Chair and co-founder Ellen Shevella says the show was designed to provide a launching point for the show careers of young ponies, as well as a public showcase for breeders. “We wanted to help breeders promote their young stock, in a venue with a high quality of competition,” says Shevella.

Although the competition might be tough at NAPF, the jumps aren’t. “These ponies are typically just started over fences, so the jumps are quite low. The judging is also fairly lenient,” says Shevella. Since they’re evaluating the quality of the horse’s movement and the jump as opposed to how well-trained or obedient he is, minor infractions are overlooked. “We’re looking for ponies that are going to develop into the top competitors of tomorrow,” she says.

Other pony jumping competitions usually require a rider to be under 18. At NAPF, ponies may be ridden by adults, but they’re not necessarily professionals; Shevella points out that amateur riders can compete, too. “In addition to the junior riders, we’re seeing amateur adults buying ponies with the intention of taking them through this system. A weanling or yearling nomination is good for five years, so you can show in-hand while the pony is young, then show in the performance classes later,” she says.

                                                                                                                                   PHOTO: Kathryn King Leacock

A Little Drive’ll Do Ya

Ponies have been pulling carts for centuries, but in a combined driving event (CDE) the pony and cart are elevated to an art form, complete with detailed turnout and costuming. Based on three day eventing, a CDE has three phases: driven dressage; a cross-country course with obstacles or hazards; and a cone-based driving phase that’s similar to the stadium jumping phase of the ridden competition.

Meghan Benge of Stars and Stripes Welsh Pony Farm is not only a photographer and pony combined driving competitor, she’s also a Team USA medalist. “For the 2008 FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale) World Championship for Drivers with Disabilities, I was able to borrow a terrific Welsh named Jack, and together we won the gold medal as well as a team silver,” says Benge.

Now driving a pair, Benge has seen interest in sport ponies accelerate in recent years. “In general, ponies are a little more accessible since the price of a driving pony is not nearly that of a horse. Also, I think the biggest thing that happened to boost interest in ponies for combined driving was the creation of the FEI World Combined Pony Driving Championships in 2003,” she says.

Held this year in Greven-Bockholt, Germany, the FEI championship event brought together 90 drivers from 18 different countries, all competing in single, pair, and four-in-hand classes, for both individual and team titles. Benge points out that with driving, ponies of different breeds can often compete head to head, whether they’re Dartmoors or German Riding Ponies. She says there are other advantages to ponies.

“For me, ponies are much easier logistically speaking, since I’m four foot two; 12 hand ponies are a bit easier to tack up. I also love that I don’t need a 14 hand pony to be competitive,” says Benge.

Oh, The Places You’ll Go, With Your Pony In Tow

With all the advanced level competition options now open to sport pony owners and riders, it’s nice to know there are still some places where a first pony can be a companion and teacher to a youngster.

Each summer, Erin Meadows Farm turns into Pony Camp Central. With over 100 ponies of varying breeds and sizes, and a constant stream of young riders, fun and games are a daily occurrence at the farm in Erin, Wisconsin. But that’s not all that happens, according to Mary Jane Gallo, who’s owned the farm with her husband Don since 1991.

“We find one of the biggest things that happens at pony camp is building confidence. You can’t do that when you’re six feet in the air, or feel like you’re grooming an elephant, which is what happens with a small child trying to work with a full-sized horse,” says Gallo. She thinks that being closer in size helps the learning process. “The kids need to get eye to eye with the pony and have a real relationship,” she says.

Each child is assigned their own pony; they’re responsible for grooming, tacking up, and feeding during the week. Age-appropriate games, such as Simon Says or gymkhana, are the “classroom” activities, and older kids work on their riding skills, such as posting. They also go on trail rides. But the goal isn’t to make every camper an Olympic level rider.

“Our goal is to teach life skills such as cooperation, teamwork, and compassion through our lesson plans. Working with animals, you can’t lose your patience. And, the pony comes first, so we teach responsibility by getting the ponies settled before we all eat lunch,” says Gallo, who has a masters degree in education.

Those lessons are something her own kids have learned through competing and helping with pony camp. “When you’re trying to stand out during the college selection process, we found our kids learned applicable skills through competing with their ponies, things like time management and problem solving. Our kids get good grades, but with the things they’ve learned, their college essays were very mature and insightful for their ages,” sums up Gallo.

Ponies Just Want To Be Fun

It’s been said that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man (or woman). The same is true with sport ponies, who possess great athleticism, attitude, and work ethic rolled into a petite package. Benge says she especially enjoys the temperament of her Welsh ponies. “They’re always thinking and interacting with you. They make their opinions known, for sure, but they’re usually trying to figure out what I want and how to get it done,” she says. Getting it done, and having fun while you’re doing it, is the sport pony way.

 PHOTO: William Olson Photography

Santa, I Want A SPORT Pony!

If you or a loved one is coveting a pint-sized equine athlete this time of year, here are some tips and resources to help you find just what you’re looking for in a sport pony.

If you plan to compete, determine what rules will apply to the discipline you select. Pony show regulations can differ from those for horse shows, and height requirements can vary by breed.

Find a reputable sport pony breeder; many pony registries have online breeder directories to give you a start. As with any equine purchase, ask for references from prior customers, visit the farm or stable you select, try out your preferred mount, and schedule a pre-purchase veterinary exam before finalizing a sale.

Get assistance if you need it. For example, some U.S.-based breeders of German Sport Ponies provide escorted pony shopping trips to Germany, and can open doors as well as guide you in the importation process.

Online Pony Resources & Registries:

The United States Pony Clubs, Inc.

www.ponyclub.org

NorthAmerican Sportpony Registry

www.americansportpony.com

American Connemara Pony Society

www.acps.org

Dartmoor Pony Registry of America

www.dartmoorpony.com

The Exmoor Pony Society (UK)

www.exmoorponysociety.org.uk

American Haflinger Registry

www.haflingerhorse.com

Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America, Inc.

www.welshpony.org

Pony Competitions

National Dressage Pony Cup

www.dressageponycup.com

North American Pony Futurity

www.ponyfuturity.org

Fédération Equestre Internationale

World Championship for Drivers with Disabilities

World Combined Pony Driving Championships

www.fei.org