Musings...

B

Bounty

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 February 2006
Messages
4,231
Location
Gloucestershire
www.freewebs.com
Some of you may have followed the rollercoaster that me and Cybele have been on for the last 10 months, and at the moment I'm completely undecided about what to do with her.
At the moment I'm thinking that if we can get through to the otherside of winter without her taking a turn for the worse than I may well put her in foal next April/May.
Breeding from her has always been on the cards, (though I was planning on having to take her out of work to do it
frown.gif
), so it's not a case that I'm breeding from her just because she's broken and I've not got any other use for her.
She has proven herself in competition, and I love every inch of her - both physically and her personality, though I'm aware that her confo could be improved slightly!

What stallions would you think could make the most of her good bits and slightly iron out the worse bits?
I like my horses fairly 'leg on each corner', but without being coarse. I'm open to any kind of sports horse, QH, TB or similar. Am already considering a Australian Stock Horse.

I'd like the end result to be a good alrounder type, possibly with a leaning towards polo/polocrosse.

A pic of her so you can tear her confo to shreds!
tongue.gif

SSL22182.jpg
 
She's *slightly* cow hocked and toe-out behind, though I'm not too worried about that as I'm sure that if she passes it on to her little one it can be made much better through careful farriery.
She herself never saw a farrier until she was 3 (not with me I hasten to add!), so her faults probably could have been minimised too
frown.gif

I think she's slightly upright in the shoulder too, which makes her movement a little jarry, though she does have nice paces on the whole, and a FAB jump
grin.gif

Her temperament is wonderful on the whole, the most genuine horse you'll ever meet, but she is a bit of a worrier at times. She's one of those horses that tries SO hard to please that she worries she's got it wrong and then blows it all out of proportion. I'm pretty sure this has been exacerbated by her past though, having been beaten to a pulp on a regular basis. But something ultra laid back may help?
 
I don't know much about polo/polocross but if I was looking at breeding something that would be an alrounder, as well has spritely, quick, nippy and brave (as I imagine they have to be for polo) I would have suggested my old JA, he had all those qualities in abundance, but he is no longer available sadly.
frown.gif


I would have thought you wouldnt want the offspring to be too big for polo/polocross, how big is cybele? I know a really gorgeous young 15.2 WB, excellent breeding, excellent conformation, excellent movement infact his strong points definitely cover the weak points you mentioned and the best bit is he is local and I know you would get a fantastic deal on the stud fee
wink.gif
 
She's 15.1, and I definitely wouldn't want to be using something over the 16hh mark, especially if it tends to throw big.
You've got the list of desirable qualities for a polo/polocrosse pony pretty spot on! Cybele's attitude is very much like Headley Brittania's - she's little but she doesn't know it, and will take anything on, whether it's a strong pony in a ride off or a massive fence. Love her!
When you come to pick your bunch up you can watch her trot up and see what you think, at the moment I'm not entirely sure it would be fair to try and get her through the winter, and you can tell me more about this WB!
 
How about Hever Golf Ranger? Lovely TB stallion standing at a small stud on Kent/Sussex borders ... 15.2, good bone and conformation, and has won some races, I think, in his time! Also absolutely lovely temperament ... He doesn't do AI though,which is why we didn't use him this year. But was really impressed by him when we went to visit, and I think some of his young stock are now doing well in the show ring and eventing ...
 
He's quite a sweet little horse, obviously taking to his new career well.
Releuctant to use anything that doesn't do AI really, I do confess to being on the AI bandwagon
wink.gif

Will you use him next year?
 
[ QUOTE ]
I know a really gorgeous young 15.2 WB, excellent breeding, excellent conformation, excellent movement infact his strong points definitely cover the weak points you mentioned and the best bit is he is local and I know you would get a fantastic deal on the stud fee
wink.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds excellent to me if it's who I think it is you're talking about HG, he throws lovely babies, and you could go and visit him Bounty and have a look for yourself!
wink.gif
grin.gif


There's also Htobago's fella, he is lovely and Arab x's make excellent polo ponies, I had an Arab x Welsh who made a superb polo pony! She was incredibly tough, nimble and quick - could turn on a sixpence and would carry on like that all day, no flagging, her stamina would have surpassed them all!
 
Intrigued about the WB now.... enlighten me some more!
Agree that HTobago is completely scrummy, but not for Cybele. With her being a worrier I wouldn't want to breed to an arab temp, and also IMO they just don't suit the game of polocrosse. It's much twistier/turnier than polo, so much tougher on the ponies...
 
I dunno, surely Arabs are tough? Look at the terrain they were bred to live in, plus they do all that endurance which def can't be easy!

Wb - if it is who I think it is he is completely scrummy and adorable, lovely conf and movement with a reasonable amount of bone (but not heavy by a long shot - just nice IMHO) and he's definately laid-back!
 
They are tough, but their paces tend to be either too extravagent (no time for looking pretty when you're under pressure!) or very jarring.
In the whole of UK polocrosse there are 3 PBA's, 2 of which I've played chukkas on and found it very uncomfortable!

One of the polocrossing arabs:
Makingfriends.jpg

I'm biased I know, but I like my Cybele much better!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top