Opinions - Dressage for Polo Ponies!

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sazzle44

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Basically, I've been doing a bit of work at a private polo yard since about christmas now, just yard duties, mucking out etc. I don't actuually know much about polo, it isn't something I've ever had an opportunity to get involved in, so real polo people, please excuse me if this is completely stupid! ;) :o
I come from an eventing/dressagey back ground so these polo ponies are really quite different from what I'm used to looking at! I can't help thinking they all look rather weak & scrawny over their backs & hindquarters. Recently a couple of them have had back problems & one has had to be retired because his hocks have given up. He's only 10 (I dont know if this is old/young/average for a PP to stop playing). I was told this is quite a common thing in PPs though. Now, I understand their way of going is going to be very different to that of my pony who events, but I can't help thinking these problems could be helped through more 'classical' training. I'm not saying anything fancy, but a bit of schooling to help develop those muscles more.
I'm really not suggesting that all polo people are doing it wrong & should suddenly start teaching their ponies to piaffe & half pass lol :) but I just wondered if anyone does anything like this, or think it would help or hinder the playing & strength of these horses.
So yeah, if anyone has any opinions on this, I'd be interested to hear :) and well done for getting through all that :)
 
Polo ponies can currently be very good at piaffe and half pass, however in honesty if you trained a polo pony in a classical dressage kind of way, this is totally the opposite of how they are asked to go in the field so would build up the wrong kind of muscles.

We used to have polo ponies still playing at 15, and I used to ride one of the retired polo ponies at the grand old age of 27, used to be my gymkahna ( spelt wrong ) demon as he could bend, stop and turn on a sixpence.

I think any equestrian sport where horses are pushed will end up in the weak breaking down early, certainly in eventing yes the strong do live and compete to a very old age, however some horses are also retired very early on as they are not strong enough to withstand a career in eventing.
 
I am absolutely sure that dressage is very good for polo ponies and could address many of the problems you are concerned about. Your concern for the horses in your care is very lovely:)

My own trainer has trained polo ponies and racehorses with real success and I understand that now racehorse trainers are using in hand work for balance and control particularly, for example in the paddock prior to the race.

For a wonderful example of what can be achieved please see these pictures of an polo pony trained in dressage;

http://dianefollowell.vpweb.co.uk/Philosophy.html

Problem is it takes a lot of time and effort.
 
polo ponies go in an inverted outline though, they build up muscles that give the appearance of a ewe neck. Its quicker stopping this way, classical dressage is round in outline, you steer from the seat not with the hands, try doing that whilst playing polo standing up to hit a ball, it develops different muscles the emphasis not being speed as it is polo so disagree.

A polo pony certainly can be trained in dressage, it can be trained in anything however I disagree it would particularly benefit it out playing chukkas.

Even riding the two is conpletely different disciplines, when I worked with the polo ponies I got into bad habbits such as neck reining, not using your legs to turn, raising your hands to stop sitting too far back in the saddle . All of which I had to iron out when I started riding my own horses which I wanted to event suddenly I had to learn to ride with my seat and core position keeping my hands still.

Good polo ponies also take time to produce as do any discipline, if you rush then you limit the end result!
 
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I know a Grade C polocrosse pony who had a match on one day then the next day went out and won a novice dressage. He retired at 19 aswell, I know polocrosse is different but is very similar in some ways.
 
Thankyou for your replies :)
I don't doubt it would be possible to train them - as far as I can see they are clever little things (I actually had my eye on one of the mares who was too strong to play but would have made a lovely riding horse! :) )
My mum trains horses and riders for a living. She has had a few race horses of fairly well known and successfull people to do some schooling with. There is no doubt that this improved their strength and speed for racing, but this is still that idea of pushing from behind, with the hind leg underneath them.
I have noticed though that one or two of the ponies don't have that typical ewe kneck. They look as though they should be going up showjumping or eventing, with a wonderfull top line. I'm told this is just how they naturally hold themselves, so I suppose if they havent been schooled to go in this manner, then they are still able to answer the aids as is usual for playing.
I suppose there will always be arguements for either way. I wonder if I could convince them to give me the job of doing a little dressage training with them :rolleyes: :D they do look like fun, but I'm not sure I could get my head round riding a horse and playing croquet all at once! haha ;) :D
 
I play polo and have polo ponies (3 very well cared for) and one is 20 and has many playing years left and never been lame. the others younger. One went on loan over the summer and winter and cam eback knackered with a bad back and she did some dressage.

Some v wise polo people who she is now on livery with made us get her back done, 3 times, massaged daily... she is on topline conditioning cubes, alfa a oil and walker in the morning and sets in the afternoon: trotting only.

Trotting really helps build the bum, back muscles and a healthy horse/polo pony won't have these issues. Sadly some polo ponies are used too much as machines, not fed correctly and not fittened and schooled well enough.

Dressage would not help a good polo pony, because they are not used to that sort of contact and therefore trotting is sufficient to build up muscle and topline xxx

PS: what will they now do with the 10 yr old that is no use to them? I have taken on 'retired' polo ponies given them tlc and play slow polo with them successfully!
 
this is quite an interesting discussion :)
I know polocrosse is different to polo, but theres a few friends at PC who play quite alot (and quite seriously & at a decent level) who's ponies do a bit of everything. They went to camp and said that the flatwork improved their horses strength. They are both quite young, recently backed horses. I wonder if it may be one of those things that would be beneficial at a young age, to build up some muscle, but then back off with it once they are playing & more advanced?
again, another polo numpty :) haha xx
 
H.K.D said:
I play polo and have polo ponies (3 very well cared for) and one is 20 and has many playing years left and never been lame. the others younger. One went on loan over the summer and winter and cam eback knackered with a bad back and she did some dressage.

Some v wise polo people who she is now on livery with made us get her back done, 3 times, massaged daily... she is on topline conditioning cubes, alfa a oil and walker in the morning and sets in the afternoon: trotting only.

Trotting really helps build the bum, back muscles and a healthy horse/polo pony won't have these issues. Sadly some polo ponies are used too much as machines, not fed correctly and not fittened and schooled well enough.

Dressage would not help a good polo pony, because they are not used to that sort of contact and therefore trotting is sufficient to build up muscle and topline xxx

PS: what will they now do with the 10 yr old that is no use to them? I have taken on 'retired' polo ponies given them tlc and play slow polo with them successfully!
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hmm...this is interesting. Was it the dressage that caused the back problem do you think? or was it just a contributory factor?
I think they are being brought back into work fairly well. Most of them were turned away for the winter, but none of them really had any work anyway. They've been doing lots of trotting in the school and are now starting some road work/hacking.
I did wonder about the contact, I can't imagine many of them would be very acceptant of it for a while anyway. Another question though, why are the running reins used? From what I can tell they are like draw/vienese reins. Just wondering what the purpose of these are. I should probably ask my boss but it's always so hectic lol
And finally, I don't know what they will do with him. They gave some of the mares away earlier in the year, but I think they went to be broodmares. There was something said about him going to a hacking home, or to one of the grooms parents as a companion :)
 
I walk mine for a good 3/4 weeks before any trotting. It was the random work that they did with her that knackered her back, like basically riding once a month but jumping, etc. not dressage itself just saying that didnt 'help' in her situation.

Running reins, well not sure entirely but i used them on 2 of mine ... the stronger ones and it brings their heads back in, basically we dont use much contact until needed and then it lowers the head and rounds them up so they stop better i guess.... so they do not stop on the forehand. I think thats why!!

A lady in a tack shop lectured me about how i shouldnt use them long term but imo in polo it is fine for them to be used as contact is only made when needed and its not used continuously or as a training aid. xx
 
I ride dressage horses and I also play polo. It's quite easy to switch between the two as they are worlds apart in terms of buttons to press. For example, rein back for polo is hand lifted and feet forward, dressage most definitely not! I tried to get a stale advanced medium horse to stick and ball last year. He was fine with the stick and ball and neck reining but whenever I make a check he dropped his head (as he was trained to do!) and that was pretty horrible! But it definitely gave him some mojo back cantering around a field after a ball! He loved it!

Some dressage exercises are useful, like walk pirouettes, but most dressage movements require direct rein contact and bend etc and this really upsets most polo ponies, as it does not compute! In polo, the pony must hold itself up and maintain a pace while the player busies themselves with the ball. A good pony will hardly be noticed by a player during a chukka.

Running reins are used on strong ponies, but also, in the absence of two handed control, to keep a pony straight. they are not intended to be used to 'winch' a head in. I agree with pole work with polo ponies as it's beneficial for them to use their backs. It's also worth mentioning that while on 'sets' i.e canter exercise, the ridden pony will always be encouraged to drop it's head and stretch while maintaining a steady canter pace. To the floor if they so wish!
 
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